Sunday, 7 June 2015
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE – A PERSPECTIVE
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE – A PERSPECTIVE
Frederick Kang’Ethe Iraki
Introduction
The importance of language in our daily intercourse cannot be gainsaid. Chomsky’s arguments suggest that there is a language faculty in the human brain that enables a human child to learn any language in just about four years. Contrary views argue that there is no such faculty, since language derives from general purpose mechanisms of the brain. Recent experiments with brain imaging, especially Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI), reveal that both arguments are not entirely unfounded. Whatever the argument, both camps acknowledge the centrality of language in human cognitive development. With respect to communication, again two views emerge. One, promoted arduously by philosophers like John Locke and Bertrand Russell, espouse that language is essentially for communicating thoughts. The other view claims that language is part and parcel of thought, i.e. language plays a cognitive function, and is not a mere vehicle of thought. Interestingly, studies on animals demonstrate that animals can think too, and yet they have no language like ours.Similarly, studies in aphasia, especially among patients afflicted with William’s Syndrome, show that language can be grossly impaired leaving cognition intact. Consequently, the two extreme views need reconciliation. A moderate view expressed by Vygotsky and later Piaget posits that language is not a sine qua non to cognition, but it plays a vital role in developing the human mind. This is the position adopted in this discussion.
Culture is a product of the human mind and it is defined, propagated and sustained through language. The relation between language and culture is indisputably symbiotic.
Language serves as an expression of culture without being entirely synonymous with it. In most cases, a language forms a basis for ethnic, regional, national or international identity. The concept of nationhood finds resonance in the adoption of a national language around which the diverse ethnic communities can rally. In France, for instance, the forceful adoption of French as the national language significantly reduced the import and value of the ten-plus regional dialects. As a result, France could boast of a true national culture; nationhood had been secured thanks to a unifying language. The same could be said of the adoption of Kiswahili in Tanzania. In Kenya, the concept of nationhood remains elusive, probably due to the ambivalent status accorded to Kiswahili.
In this article, we discuss the interplay between language and culture and how these two constructs evolve with time. We also discuss the vital role of language in creating mental representations.
Language
Definition
A language can be defined as a system of signs (verbal or otherwise)
intended for communication. It is a system since its constituent
components relate to each other in an intricate and yet organized
fashion. Again, it is intended for communication, for it can be safely
assumed that we speak to pass on information to others. But
communication is not the only function of language. In fact, language
can be used for dreaming, internal monologue, soliloquy, poetry, etc.
For the sake of this discussion, we take the position that, essentially,
language plays a communicative role.
Culture
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines culture as “customs, civilization and achievements of a particular time or people.” In general terms then, culture defines a people’s way of life. Indeed, it can be considered as the sum total of norms and values espoused and cherished by a particular people. If values are patterns of behavior, norms are standards of behavior.Language and culture
Language encodes the values and norms in a given society. As a culture changes, so does the language. For example, in Gîkûyû, certain words have become near obsolete in the wake of cultural mutations. The words kîrîîgû and mûirîîtu described an uncircumcised and a circumcised girl respectively. However, the near-disappearance of the rite among girls has meant the disappearance of the term kîrîîgû in Gîkûyû.1 The two opposites are no longer valid in society, therefore the language had to adjust. In comparison, the opposites kîhîî-mwanake (uncircumcised boy-circumcised boy) holds strong, for the rite is still valued for boys among the Gîkûyû. Historically, early Christians in colonial Kenya spearheaded the condemnation of female circumcision. The missionaries converted the Africans into the new faith, and the new converts reaffirmed and preached the stand of the church on the circumcision rite. The ramifications of the church’s influence in colonial Kenya need not detain us here. Suffice it to say that, although the rite persists in some communities, it has been dealt a deathblow by modernity. Indeed, some medical perspectives claim that the rite is pernicious and a danger in childbirth. In addition, women lobbyists have also indicated that the practice undermines a woman’s sexuality and therefore should be done away with.Clearly, mutation in people’s thinking, whether influenced by the new religion or by modern thinking, can render obsolete a cultural practice or value. Once rendered obsolete, language seals off the issue by dropping some terms related to the value. The Gîkûyû example illustrates how the term kîrîîgû or its diminutive karîîgû have almost disappeared from ordinary Gîkûyû language. The two words are no longer politically correct and are therefore avoided. Recently, a presenter on cultural issues was invited to give an exposition of Gîkûyû customs on a call-in programme by the Kameme FM radio station. When it came to describing an uncircumcised girl, he could not utter the term. In its stead, he employed the circumlocution “that word for describing an uncircumcised female.” Despite the frantic efforts by the callers requesting the term, the presenter steered clear of it and promised, on a light note, to give it in the next edition of the programme. In comparison, he had no qualms whatsoever in orally distinguishing a kîhîî from a mwanake.
From the linguistic malaise felt by the presenter with respect to the term kîrîîgû it can be surmised that the Gîkûyû language seems to censure the use of a term associated with a much-demonized cultural value, namely female circumcision. In other languages that do not have this rite, there are no two terms to discriminate between young female persons. For instance, in Dholuo and Luhya, the terms nyako and (o)mukhana suffice to describe a young female person. In a word, a cultural shift entails some linguistic adjustments, and words can disappear from a language altogether as a result of a change in culture.
Language/culture evolution
Cultural values, as we have seen, appear, then wax and wane. Languages are no exception. A language can appear, mostly from a contact with other languages, blossom, then wither and die altogether. The French language was born out of Popular Latin in the 9th century. It is chronicled in the Serments de Strasbourg (Strasbourg oaths) and in the Séquence de Sainte Eulalie (St. Eulalia’s poems). Why do languages die? We shall not attempt a detailed rejoinder here, but it can be argued that when a civilization disintegrates, so does its language since language is the medium that purveys the values of that civilization. The result of a collapse of a civilization is the death of a language. The Greek and Roman civilizations are a case in point. Classical Greek and Latin are today termed “dead” languages as opposed to modern Greek and Italian. etc. The argument is that for a language to be alive and vibrant, the culture of the people it represents has to be alive and vibrant as well. As the culture evolves through time and space, so does the language.Language change
Technically speaking, a language is made up of several parts of speech. These include grammatical words such as prepositions, articles, tenses, moods, plurals, etc; and lexical words entailing nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives. The latter category is also termed by pragmatists as constituting conceptual terms, i.e. they designate or denote objects in the world. Upon hearing a lexical item, one can associate it with a concept. Conversely, the former category of words does not create concepts, but rather indicate how we should relate the concepts between them. In other words, they give us instructions on how to manipulate concepts. Language change primarily concerns conceptual terms. As we learn new ideas or concepts, we require a word to describe them. We rarely meet new grammatical words, so change here is minimal, if any. Some illustrations are in order at this juncture.In religion, the Judeo-Christian world-view, introduced by Christianity and Islam, was factored in linguistically by African cultures. New or different spiritual forces compete for man’s soul in a seemingly Manichean theatre. In the latter picture things are black or white, evil or good. For instance, in Kiswahili, terms like shetani, mwokozi, malaika, mnabii, kanisa, musikiti, kafiri, mtakatifu and many others exist as a result of the contact with the novel religious concepts vis-à-vis those of the indigenous religions.
In politics, concepts like democracy, voting, capitalism, nationhood, citizens and many others impinge on language. African languages have had to adjust to accommodate these new concepts in the political domain. Words like demokrasia, kupiga kura, ubepari, raia or mwananchi have been coined to take into account new political realities or cultures.
In the domain of generating and harnessing economic wealth, new economic systems demand a change in the language. Words like Marxism, socialism, communism, and many others, had to be coined to describe new concepts and ideas. Upon contact with socialism, the Tanzanian President coined the term ujamaa.
The leaps in technology have driven the creative genius of language to propose new words to describe the new gizmos. These include jet, helicopter, computer, laptop, CD-Rom, anti-virus and many more.
New social arrangements can also demand of language to change. In France, for example, a couple can live together in an arrangement called concubinage. This is an arrangement which holds the middle between being married and being single. In some communities in Kenya, a woman can be married or kept. The latter description means she is a mistress. On a light note, some people refer to the condition as kufugwa, Kiswahili for “to keep an animal.”
These illustrations underline the idea that conceptual words keep growing and expanding as we live out our lives. These terms have the knack of creating mental representations of concepts in us.
Language and Mental Representations
Values and norms are etched in our minds thanks to language. Language affords expression to and helps in formulating values and norms. Language expresses what should or should not be done. Indeed, taboos are encoded in language. Our minds and our behaviors are greatly influenced by language. Whorf, a renowned anthropologist, explains in Linguistique et anthropologie2 that a petrol tank that is labeled EMPTY, although potentially explosive due to fumes, may not deter a smoker from lighting up a cigarette next to it. This is because the word EMPTY transmits the meaning that there is nothing inside.Our emotions too are expressed metaphorically in language. George Lakoff in Metaphors we live by3 notes that we talk of boiling rage, rising temper, letting off steam, as if these emotions were physically rising up in a tube. Through language, therefore, we create mental pictures of these emotions and react accordingly. We ask angry people to cool down as if they were a hot metallic entity.
The link between words and mental representations is therefore very close. In fact, when translating from one language into another, one has to be sure that the mental representation is retained in the translation. A word for word translation may violate the fidelity of the translation, since the mental representations evoked by the translation may differ from the original text. Good translations focus on creating the same effects in the translation as in the original. For instance, the term bread evokes a different mental image depending on whether the hearer is French or African. For the Frenchman bread has different shapes (flute, baguette) and accompanies every meal, from breakfast to supper. To an African, bread has one shape, it is sliced or whole, and it is taken with tea in the morning, or as a meal with a soft drink or milk. In other words, the two persons do not have the same mental representation of the term bread, hence the challenge in translation.
Taboo words are easier to enunciate in a foreign tongue than in one’s mother tongue. Due to cultural sanctions, a speaker feels the starkness of taboo words and insults when expressed in the mother tongue. Put in another way, the vulgarity of a term is somewhat diminished if it is expressed in a language other than one’s own. Insults and four-letter words are a case in point here. Translating them into one’s mother tongue does not have the same effect. Part of the reason for the “shock” in the mother tongue is that our language is a repository of our ethics, and these words are, strictly, no-go areas; they should not be uttered in public. Each language mirrors the values of its speakers, hence the censure.
Conclusion
Language and culture are intertwined like the two-sides of the same sheet of paper. They breathe, blossom, shrivel up and die due to many reasons. Both of them are sensitive and adapt to prevailing circumstances. Language gives full expression to people’s values and norms, and since values and norms are dynamic by nature, language has to be in tandem with cultural transformations. Technological, political, economic and social innovations require language to enrich its lexicon to capture the new realities. Indeed, our minds create mental representations of values thanks to language. The collapse of a value system may sound the death knell to the language in question. The death of a culture will almost certainly be followed by the demise of the language associated with that culture.2. B. L. Whorf. Linguistique et anthropologie. Paris: Denoel, 1969.
3. G. Lakoff. Metaphors we live by. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1980.
Importance of communication in relations
Communicating clearly in a relationship
Talk to each other. No matter how well you know and love each other, you cannot read your partner’s mind. We need to communicate clearly to avoid misunderstandings that may cause hurt, anger or confusion.
When you talk to your partner, try to:
- Think about what you want to say and what you are feeling when you say it
- Be clear about what you want to communicate
- Be clear about your message so that your partner hears it accurately and understands what you mean
- Talk about what you want and feel – use ‘I’ statements such as ‘I need’, ‘I want’ and ‘I feel’
- Share positive feelings with your partner, such as what you appreciate and admire about them, and how important they are to you.
Non-verbal communication
When we communicate, we can say a lot without speaking. Our body posture, tone of voice and the expressions on our face all convey a message. If our feelings don’t fit with our words, it is often the non-verbal communication that gets ‘heard’ and believed. Notice whether your body language reflects what you are saying.
Listening to communicate
Listening is a very important part of effective communication. A good listener can encourage their partner to talk openly and honestly. Tips for good listening include:
- Keep comfortable eye contact.
- Lean towards your partner and make gestures to show interest and concern.
- Have a fairly relaxed posture with your arms and legs uncrossed.
- Face your partner – don’t sit or stand sideways.
- Sit or stand on the same level to avoid looking up to or down on your partner.
- Avoid distracting gestures such as fidgeting with a pen, glancing at papers, or tapping your feet or fingers.
- Be aware that physical barriers, noise or interruptions will make good communication difficult.
- Show genuine attention and interest.
- Ask for feedback from your partner on your listening.
Improving communication in a relationship
Open and clear communication can be learnt. To improve the way you communicate, start by asking questions such as:
- What things cause conflict between you and your partner? Are they because you are not listening to each other?
- What things bring you happiness and feelings of connection?
- What things cause you disappointment and pain?
- What things don’t you talk about and what stops you talking about them?
- How would you like your communication with your partner to be different?
If possible, ask these questions with your partner and share your responses. Consider and try ways to communicate differently. See whether the results improve your communication. When you are more aware of how you communicate, you will be able to have more control over what happens between you. While it may not be easy at first, opening up new areas of communication can lead to a more fulfilling relationship.
Some things are difficult to communicate
Most of us find some experiences or topics difficult to talk about. It may be something that is painful or makes us feel uncomfortable. For example, some people find it difficult to express their emotions. It is often the things that cannot be talked about that hurt the most.
Seeking help for communication issues
If you can’t seem to improve the communication in your relationship, consider talking with a relationship counsellor. Counsellors are trained to recognise the patterns in a couple’s communication that are causing problems and to help change those patterns. You could also consider doing a course that is relevant to your relationship. It is better to act early and talk to someone about your concerns, rather than wait until things get worse.
Where to get help
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) National Register (Family and Relationship Therapy) Tel. (03) 9486 3077
- Relationships Australia Victoria Tel. 1300 364 277
- Family Relationship Advice Line Tel. 1800 050 321 Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm
- Australian Association of Relationship Counsellors (AARC) Inc. Tel. 1800 806 054
Things to remember
- Communication is important in relationships. We need to talk openly and be good listeners.
- Most people can learn how to communicate more effectively.
- Share positive feelings about your partner with them.
- It is better to act early if you are having difficulties, rather than waiting for the situation to get worse.
What Are the Benefits of Effective Communication in the Workplace?
What Are the Benefits of Effective Communication in the Workplace?
by Rose Johnson , Demand Media
Effective verbal and
nonverbal communication skills are valuable in the workplace. Some
companies spend a lot of money to train their employees on how to
effectively communicate. Good communication skills go beyond
conversations, but employees must know how to communicate well in
written reports and emails. Understanding the benefits of effective
communication helps companies place a focus on developing a workforce
that is able to communicate within the firm and with customers, vendors
and international business partners.
ach soft skills training courses.
Helps with Diversity
Effective workplace communication is important in companies with workplace diversity. Good communication skills help to reduce the barriers erected because of language and cultural differences. Companies that provide communication training to domestic and international employees reap the benefits of effective workplace communication. Companies can avoid cultural confusion and miscommunication by training international employers early in their careers and on a regular basis. Effective communication causes productivity to increase, errors to decrease and operations to run smoother.Global Business
With global business transactions continually increasing, the need for effective communication to meet global demands is also increasing. Managers and employees must know how to effectively communicate with the company's international counterparts. The difference in cultures requires managers to understand terms commonly used in America that another culture finds offensive. Companies that prepare workers to excel with verbal and nonverbal communications skills find it easier to enter into global marketplaces than companies that do not prepare its employees. Effective communication is important for businesses looking to expand beyond its domestic borders.
Related Reading: How to Plan a Meeting on Workplace Communication
Team Building
Effective communication in the workplace helps employees and managers form highly efficient teams. Employees are able to trust each other and management. Effective communication reduces unnecessary competition within departments and helps employees work together harmoniously. The result of a team that works together is high productivity, integrity and responsibility. Employees know their roles on the team and know they are valued. Managers are able to correct employees' mistakes without creating a hostile work environment. A manager who openly communicates with his subordinates can foster positive relationships that benefit the company as a whole.Employee Morale
An improvement in employee morale can result from effective communication. Although pay is a concern for many workers, it is not their only concern. Employees appreciate good communication coming from management. It produces a healthy work environment. When employees are satisfied with their jobs, they are able to efficiently perform their duties with a positive attitude. Failing to communicate effectively in a workplace leads to frustration and confusion among employees. However, managers can alleviate such problems by keeping the lines of communication open.10 Tips for Becoming an Effective Communicator
10 Tips for Becoming an Effective Communicator:
According to Dr. Annie Shibata, faculty member in Walden University’s BS in Communication program, one of the first steps is to be more self-aware so that you can better understand the situation and your role in the conversation. For self-reflection, Dr. Shibata suggests 10 questions to ponder in order to be a better communicator:
- What is my communication goal?
Consider short- and long-term goals as well as what action, information or commitment you want now and in the future. - Am I deliberate and conscious in how I communicate?
Be conscious of both your oral and written communication. When speaking, the total impact of a message is about 7% verbal (words only), 38% vocal (including tone of voice, inflection and other sounds) and 55% nonverbal. - Do I know who my audience is?
Be aware of cultural differences, potential disabilities or learning challenges that may exist within your audience. - Am I aware of my emotions when I communicate?
Think about your emotions and how appropriate they are for the situation to determine if you’re prepared. In situations such as asking for a raise from your supervisor, it’s important to be clear and unemotional and focus on communicating what you’ve been doing well. - What nonverbal message am I communicating?
Consider how you sit or stand, your facial expressions and how you’re dressed. Again, most of the messages we send other people when we are speaking are nonverbal. People form 60% to 80% of their initial opinion of a new person they’re meeting in fewer than four minutes, so your nonverbal messages count. - Am I an honest communicator?
Are you authentic in your communication? Do you state your needs and desires clearly? Do you communicate with integrity? The answer to all of these should be yes. - Am I listener focused?
Do you often use slang, idioms, acronyms, or technical jargon? Such language can exclude some or all of your audience. Be clear and concise in your communication and consider how the listener is following and comprehending your message. - How is my pace—do I talk too fast or too slow? Do I talk too much?
Consider the time it takes for the listener to absorb what you’ve said, and pause if needed. Remember, repetition is important when communicating key messages; people need to hear a message several times before they remember it. - Am I a good listener?
Bear in mind that communication is one part talking and one part listening. Listening requires being present in the conversation by clarifying what you’ve said when asked to, asking follow-up questions and not making assumptions. It also means not formulating an answer while the other party is speaking, which is a skill that requires practice. - Do I consciously consider my timing?
Timing is important in communication. When to ask for a raise, when to deliver good or bad news, or when to discuss a difficult issue—the success or failure of these communications can depend on timing. Think about the other party in the communication and consider his or her state of mind and ability to focus when you choose to communicate something important.
How Language Shapes Thought
Boroditsky is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and Editor in Chief of Frontiers in Cultural Psychology. She has received a NSF CAREER award, was named a Searle Scholar, and a McDonnell Scholar.
Do the languages we speak shape the way we
think? For example, how do we think about time? The word "time" is the
most frequent noun in the English language. Time is ubiquitous yet
ephemeral. It forms the very fabric of our experience, and yet it is
unperceivable: we cannot see, touch, or smell time. How do our minds
create this fundamental aspect of experience? Do patterns in language
and culture influence how we think about time?
Do languages merely express thoughts, or do the structures in languages (without our knowledge or consent) shape the very thoughts we wish to express? Can learning new ways to talk change how you think? Is there intrinsic value in human linguistic diversity? Join us as Stanford cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky re-invigorates this long standing debate with data from experiments done around the world, from China, to Indonesia, Israel, and Aboriginal Australia.
Do languages merely express thoughts, or do the structures in languages (without our knowledge or consent) shape the very thoughts we wish to express? Can learning new ways to talk change how you think? Is there intrinsic value in human linguistic diversity? Join us as Stanford cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky re-invigorates this long standing debate with data from experiments done around the world, from China, to Indonesia, Israel, and Aboriginal Australia.
Languages are Parallel Universes
"To have a second language is to have a second soul," said Charlemagne around 800 AD. "Each language has its own cognitive toolkit," said psychologist/linguist Lera Boroditsky in 2010 AD.Different languages handle verbs, distinctions, gender, time, space, metaphor, and agency differently, and those differences, her research shows, make people think and act differently.
Take a sentence such as "Sarah Palin read Chomsky's latest book." In Russian, the verb would have to indicate whether the whole book was read or not. In Turkish the verb would signify whether the speaker saw the event personally, or it was reported, or it was inferred. Russians have two words for blue, and when those words are present in their mind, they can distinguish finer gradations of the color than English speakers can.
Gender runs deep in some languages, affecting nouns (including number words and days of the week), adjective endings, pronouns and possessives, and verb endings. And that affects how people think about every named thing. In German the Sun is female and the Moon male; it's the reverse in Spanish. In French, "liberty" and "justice" are each female, and thus the Statue of Liberty is a female, and so is the blindfolded lady of justice in American courtrooms.
"'Time' is the most common noun in the English language," said Boroditsky. (Followed by "person," "year," "way," and "day.") Time is often expressed as travel in space: "We're coming up on Christmas." But some languages put the future in front of us, and others put it behind us. For Aborigines that Boroditsky studied in north Australia, time and sequence gets blended into their profound orientation to the cardinal directions. They don't use relative terms like "left" and "right," but absolute compass terms ("There's an ant on your southwest leg"), and they have extraordinary orientation skills.
When Boroditsky asked these aborigines to place a sequence of photos (a progressively eaten apple) in sequential order, they did not do it like English speakers (left to right) or Hebrew and Arabic speakers (right to left), they did it by the compass: from east to west. "These are not differences of degree," said Boroditsky, "but a parallel universe."
Different languages assign blame (agency) differently. English is uncommonly agentive, and so Dick Cheney had difficulty distancing himself from the fact that he shot his friend in a hunting accident: "Ultimately I'm the guy who pulled the trigger that fired the shot that hit Harry." In Spanish, accidents are expressed in terms such as "The vase broke" rather than "John broke the vase." Political distancing language such as "Mistakes were made" doesn't sound awkward in Spanish. Fate looms larger.
Thus, "learning new languages can change the way you think," said Boroditsky. Multilingual speakers have more mind.
oldest languages of the world.
7 Classical Oldest Language Of The World!
Language is a medium of communication come to form well back 1,00,000
years.The first spoken form of language hasn't still accounted and don't
exist in the world,since ancient language don't have written
script.Justifying first language of the earth merely impossible.Even
accounting first language is difficult,but we can find some of the
treasure language of the earth.Civilization developed along with this
classical language of the world.
Worlds is always fond of 7, the most powerful 7 classical language of the world.They are treasure of the world.Everyone as a duty to protect the treasure of world.Some of the early existed language even before theses classical language got extended form the world.
Language Family:Indo-European
Hebrew:
Language Family:Afro-Asiatic
Language Family:Indo-Iranian
Language Family:Sino-Tibetan
Language Family:Indo-Aryan
Language Family:Dravidian
Language more than just mode of communication,its a rich culture.So Everyone's duty to protect a language and mother tongue.Otherwise we will lose our rich culture and tradition which our fore fathers left for each and everyone.Some Of the dead languages which brought civilization to the world.1.Sumerian(Mesopotamian Civilization-5000BC)2.Akkadian(Mesopotamian Civilization-4500BC)3.Armenian(Jesus Christ Mother tongue)4.Egyptian(Egypt Civilization-3000BC)
Worlds is always fond of 7, the most powerful 7 classical language of the world.They are treasure of the world.Everyone as a duty to protect the treasure of world.Some of the early existed language even before theses classical language got extended form the world.
7 Classical Treasure Language of the World:
Greek:
Language Family:Indo-European
Writing System:Greek alphabet
Civilization:Greek Civilization.
Standard forms/Dialects: Demotic/14 dialects
Origin:Beyond 3000 BC(Believed to still more than 5000BC)
Native Speaker:>15.2 million
Today:Greek spread across Mediterranean sea coast,Restricted to Greece nation.
Specialty:Greek is the language of the scientific vocabulary and over 10,00,000 words are loaned to English language.
History:proto-greek has origin well over 2nd millennium BC,Since
Greek evolved along with Greek civilization its more orientated towards
culture and tradition.Greek accounts for some of valuable treasured
literacy like Odyssey,lliad,Aristotle philosophy & Plato,Greek New
testament etc
Personality:Aristotle,Plato etc.
Latin:
Language Family:Indo-European
Writing System:Latin alphabet
Civilization:Roman Civilization
Standard forms/Dialects:Latin
Origin:Around 1000 BC
Native Speaker:<1,00,000(Vatican City,Italy)
Today:Latin confined to christian community of the world(Vatican)considered as a death language.
Specialty:Latin is the language of scientific invention and most
of biological terms arrived from Latin.About 70% of the incunabula are
in Latin.
History:Latin language evolved around the roman empire.Latin one
of the factor behind spread of Christianity.Since Many scientific
finding took place in and around roman empire,So Latin place a vital
role in science forum.Latin is always confined within the lower half of
the Mediterranean sea.
Personality: Plautus,Caesar etc.
Hebrew:
Language Family:Afro-Asiatic
Writing System:Hebrew alphabets
Civilization:Post-Mesopotamian Civilization
Standard forms/Dialects:Hebrew
Origin:around 10th century BC
Native Speaker:Native Speaker extincted around 7 th century AD,<8 million(Modern Israel)
Today:Hebrew is restricted as language of Jewish people and popularly Spoken around Israel.
Specialty:Holy Language of Jewish and Hebrew's.Since Bible first
written in this language only.Most Jewish and christian History in
Hebrew language.
History:Hebrew saw many periods from monarchic Period to Arabic period.Old testament is fully written in Hebrew
Personality:Moses etc.
Persian:
Language Family:Indo-Iranian
Writing System:Persian Alphabet/Cyrillic Script
Civilization:Muslim Civilization
Standard forms/Dialects:9 dialects
Origin:5th century BC
Native Speaker:110 million
Today:Its spread across 12 countries in the world.Persian Language inscription can be seen across the Mughal Construction.
Specialty:Persian language inspired Many Indo-Aryan Language.Persian Is the mother language of Urdu.
History:Persian was first originated along the Iraq and
Iran.Persian Spread across the South Asia by Mughal Colonization.Persian
as significant presence in Muslim community.Persian and Arabic both
confined within Muslim Religion.
Personality:Mughal Empire Kings,Saaid etc.
Chinese:
Language Family:Sino-Tibetan
Writing System:Chinese characters, zhuyin fuhao, pinyin, Xiao'erjing
Civilization:Chinese Civilization
Standard forms/Dialects:Mandarin/16 Dialects
Origin:2nd millennium BC
Native Speaker:> 1.4 Billion
Today:Chinese is the largest spoken in the world.Chinese is spread across entire Asia.
Specialty:Chinese is the only language which as to read top to bottom.Chinese share largest culture share across the world.
History:Xia-Dynasty was official Empire which spread Chinese
across the globe.Chinese language is believed to more than 10,000 years
old.It has literature,Culture and tradition.Chinese Culture one of the
few culture existing in the world.
Personality:Yu,Shan etc.
Sanskrit:
Language Family:Indo-Aryan
Written System:No native script(Written in Devanagari)
Civilization:Hindu Culture(Since language confined to Hindu Brahmin)
Standard forms/Dialects:No Spoken Form(Dead Language)
Origin:3000 BC(Rig Veda)
Native Speaker:<5,000
Today:Sanskrit is a dead language.Still its used only for
Mantra's of Hindu workship and Indian Government Slogans.About Century
Back Sanskrit lost its Spoken Form.
Specialty:Sanskrit is the mother of all European Language.
History:Sanskrit Script early found in Rig Veda.Its Hindu Veda
believed to sacred.Sanskrit always been language of priest and
Bhramin,so Sanskrit came to extinct.Sanskrit is always not a language of
common man.
Personality:Valmiki,Kalidas etc.
Tamil:
Language Family:Dravidian
Written System:Tamil Script
Civilization:Indus-Valley Civilization
Standard forms/Dialects:7 Dialects
Origin:before 300 BC(Some Estimate over 2000BC )
Native Speakers:>77 million
Today:Tamil Spread across south Asia.It Enjoy Official status of more 4 countries.
Specialty:55% of the epigraphical Inscription found in India are
in Tamil.Tamil-Brahmi Script inscription are found in Egypt,Thailand,Sri
lanka,Which is about 2000 years old.Tamil is the only surviving
classical language of the world.
History:Tamil-Brahmi Script are first written form of Tamil.Tamil
Language had well defined written grammar even 2500 years
ago(Tholkkapium).So Many believe that Tamil also one of the Language
evolved during origin of Communication.Thirukurral One of the Greatest
Literature of the world.
Personality:Thiruvalluvar,Tholkkapiur,Bodhidharman etc.
Dead World Treasure Languages:
Language more than just mode of communication,its a rich culture.So Everyone's duty to protect a language and mother tongue.Otherwise we will lose our rich culture and tradition which our fore fathers left for each and everyone.Some Of the dead languages which brought civilization to the world.1.Sumerian(Mesopotamian Civilization-5000BC)2.Akkadian(Mesopotamian Civilization-4500BC)3.Armenian(Jesus Christ Mother tongue)4.Egyptian(Egypt Civilization-3000BC)
"Protect your language,To Preserve your Past For Historic Future"
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