INTRODUCTION

Language is a special gift of God to mankind. If there were no language human

civilization would have remained impossibility. It is present every where in our
thoughts, dreams, meditations, relations, prayers and communications. Language can
also refer to as a general phenomenon. Though commonly used as a means of
communication among people, human language is only one instance of this
phenomenon. Apart from being a means of communication it is the source of thinking as
well as expression. This is the reason why it is termed as “species uniform” possession
of human beings.

Language is the most important basic tool in creating societies. It is language

through which we communicate our feelings whether in form of words, gestures or
voices. Humans or animals both communicate in different ways to pass their messages
and also creating norms for establishing societies, but animal way of communication is
not refer to as Language (because Linguists do not consider these to be "language" ) but
rather describe them as Animal Communication . Without Language humans won't be
able to understand each other and without understanding each other they won't be able to
communicate, without communication there won't be any cooperation there won't be any
groups formed forming different tasks and there won't be any society necessary for
survival for humans. It is a tool to be a human(A social animal), to communicate,
understand and respond.

Communication is the significant aspect of language we need scaffold of language

to relate ourselves to the surroundings. Language is communication we commune with,
converse with others. This communication can be both Verbal and Non-Verbal.
Verbal communication includes speech acts, like discussion or conversation. And Non-
verbal language includes body language, sign language, expressions, gestures, voluntary
and involuntary actions etc.
Language is one of the important areas of human development. Our Communication
skills set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, and it is also what brings us
together with each other.
Language very important because it help millions of people to communicate within this
world of different dialect, cultures and it is also part of speech. It allow us to
communicate and spread ideas. It is also a medium for communication and contribution
to human society.
DEFINITION

Many authority in linguistics has attempted to a definition of language, other see it

as an indefinable concept that cannot be an all-embracing definition. Since language is
complicated, Linguists and Scholar have not agreed on a certain definition for it
everyone give the definition of language base on their understanding of it, but
nevertheless their are some definitions in which people define Language such as:

Web Definitions of Language

(1) a system of arbitrary symbols and the rules used to manipulate them.
(2) a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional

symbols (www.wordnetweb.princeton.edu).
(3) a language is a particular kind of system for encoding and decoding information.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language).
(4) a form of communication using words either spoken or gestured with the hands

and structured with grammar, often with a writing

system(en.wiktionary.org/wiki/language).
(5) a system of communication by written or spoken words, which is used by the

people of a particular country or area. (www.ldoceonline.com/Linguistics-

topic/language).
(6) a signs, movements, or sounds that express ideas or feelings
(www.ldoceonline.com/Linguistics-topic/language).

Linguists Definitions of Language

The study of language is called Linguistics and they through their reasoning give divers
definitions for Language and are as follow:
• The American linguists Bernard Bloch and George L. Trager formulated the
following definition: “A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by
 means of which a social group cooperates.”
• Obilade O. Akintunde state that: “it is a system of symbols used for
communication. It is a complex phenomenon and a general term for all devices
used to communicate”
• A. G Gimson (1984) who consider language to be a system of conventional signal
use for communication by the whole community
• Harold E. P(1981) who sees language “as the medium in which thought are
convert from one person to another.”
• Advance Leaner Dictionary (by A.S Hornby); define it as “human and non-
instinctive method of communicating ideas, feelings and desires by means of a
system of sound and symbols”
 LANGUAGE AS POWER

Language is said to be power because it surround us all our life and also it has
tendencies to improve our life style, behavior, connect us with each other due to its
controlling influence and that there is no area of our lives in which language did not
affect. The Improvement human acquired is due to the power of language in all areas of
development. Now how do we justify that language is power? How can we give
accreditation for it qualification? This can simply be done looking deeply into its
function and its effects on human.

Language expresses the thought.

From the sixth Web definition of language, we see that language “expresses ideas and
feelings” which reside in our thought. Our idea and feeling is an invisible action which
can only be understand by an individual that possesses it, if not communicated, they will
remain in their places. But the only way they can be expressed is to communicate them
to other parties with the use of language in either verbal or non verbal. For example, a
scientist who has new discovery can only expresses his ideas about the discovery by
means of communicating it to others and thus improving the development of the society
in Science and Technology

Language create Relationship between parties.

In every society, people relate to each other when there is good relationship. But without
language their will be no intimacies such as greeting, discussion, marriage and trade
negotiation, between them all. Irrespective of culture or tradition, so far there is good
communication channel between two or more parties there is possibility that good
relationship will exist in between them, and this will give room for sharing of ideas to
improve the development of the society.
With Language Diplomacy is possible
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of
groups or states. It is an advance relationship that goes beyond societies. When two
Countries has agree on a term(s), they will convene an official negotiation processes to
settle an issue. This will all be a mirage if the use of language for communication is
absent in this process. With Diplomacy, there is protection of the national interest,
integration and support from other nations, Respect for international law and treaty
obligations as well as the seeking of settlement of international disputes by negotiation,
mediation, conciliation, arbitration and adjudication.

Language Enhances Trade

Of many barriers which confront trade development none is more important than
language. Language is the key that unlock many doors and facilitates an intercourse
which develops a mutual understanding of conduct, customs and habits that is of such
vital importance in the establishment of commercial relations. From the time of trade by
barter, people have been obtaining their demand on a particular item with the use
language to expresses desire for such item. Nigeria as Nation, trades her crude oil to
other Nations using the income to develop the country with social amenities, all with the
use of language trade negotiation is possible.

Language Promotes Education

In every form of learning, knowledge is pass from one person to another through
communication. In fact learning process take-up the whole forms of communication
(that is Verbal and Non-verbal), the teacher communicate by speaking, demonstrating
and writing. Even those who have the disability of deafness use language to have Non-
verbal communication (that is sign language) during and after learning process. Human
education is also improved when foreign language is applied. To consider our country
Nigeria, before the British came, our knowledge is limited to Art and Agriculture, even
though we perform some activities in which we don't know the theoretical aspect it
(such as adding impurity to water reduce the boiling point). But when the British
introduces English Language then we understand what is called Science. In this our
educational system is promoted and we are able to compete with the world standard.

Language Drives Morality

Language, in connection with morality, aids the development of the society. Considering
a society where morality is given high priority , it is expected of then to pass their moral
tradition to all member of the society and to their off-spring in the form of riles and
regulation, sermon or speech and so on. Although, this group of people have such ideas
or thought but without language it is impossible for them to express their feelings and
thoughts of moralizing the society, neither will there be agreement also. The significant
of this is that when thing are done decently and in good order there will be no form of
aggression towards one another and the continuity of the society will be preserved.

Language preserves History and Documentation

Documentations of scientific research there hypothesis were only kept by language in
written form (that is Non-verbal), If these were not documented, technology
improvement of nowadays would have been impossible(since the idea remain with
discoverer), likewise there will be no references to how people have lived in time past,
the activities they performed will be unknown, also scientific research that we are using
for our own learning today would have been impossible.

Language is an Identity
Language is every human identity, since language is in divers state and everybody has a
way of sounding out its own language(dialect). The way a Nigerian man will sound his
language will reveal where he came from.

Freedom Through Language

Since freedom usually involves other people as well, we should be able to communicate
with other people, (which the importance of language). In every situation of life, if an
individual(s) is under subjection to another and he feels much oppression, with the use
language he can fight for his right so as to be free. In case there is diversity of language,
the minority will have a lot of limitations from the fact that he can't understand others
while he may not be understand by others
CONCLUSION

To this end Language can be concluded to be power due to its influence on all areas of
knowledge (since knowledge is said to be power). An Austrian-British Philosopher
Ludvig Wittgenstein state that “the limit of language is the limit of knowledge”. From
Ludvig statement, it can be deduced that language is power since it is significant in
every areas of development because it plays large role fro basic awareness of each
development areas. Language, of course, is knowledge and in our world today
knowledge is the one of the key factors in competitiveness. Brains and knowledge are
what create the prosperity and growth we tend to take for granted. In an advances
industrial society in an increasingly interdependent world, the knowledge of other
language becomes indispensable, just think of how the advent of internet has change our
life.

References
www.blurtit.com/q759713.html
www.blurtit.com/q366260.html
www.david-kilgour.com/mp/sahla.htm
www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,4829,00.html
www.wisdia.com/articles/role_of_language_in_human_society.aspx
1. Originally, language was not 'created', language emerged. Animals uselanguage too, that is not exclusive to humans.
The song of birds, the screams atnight of cats that want to reproduce, the howling of the wolves... our ancestors used
that kind of language and one element of our ongoing evolution is that one moment human language became more
complex and we got more conscient control over it.

2. "How much are we sure that the words we say is showing the real thing we wanted to say" well often enough we
say the opposite of what we wanted to express... that is in the case of irony. And when a mistreated child is scared
to tell at school that he was beaten, and therefore tells the misstress that he fell from a fence. So NOT saying what we
want to express is a normal and integrated use of language. Also in some cultures it is considered to be
impolite to answer 'no' so the answer is always 'yes' even if the meaning is 'no'. Your other question is more important:
"how can we be sure our listener understands what we said? " We can only try to be sure about that by observing
the reaction of the other (not just the first verbal reaction). This is one of the challenges of human life ;-) and one of
the things that makes life such a beautiful and interesting event.

3. Yes, language affects our life sometimes very negatively. Politicians and religious leaders abuse of language and use
it as a tool for manipulation. But as you said correctly, 'the problem is not language, the problem is us". You can
use a rake for your field where you grow food, or you can use a rake for killing someone. The same goes for language.
But there is one thing that - in my opinion - we all should always keep in mind. Apart from earthquakes etc., ALL
misery and injustice WAS CREATED BY HUMANS. This means that HUMANS have the power to
avoid/get rid of the behaviour that causes misery and injustice! In other words, while language is used for spreading
hate, YOU have the possibility to use that same language for spreading love! Never forget that people like Hitler (just
to mention one example of someone that understood the negative possibilities of language) could not have done any
big evil ALONE, he needed followers to really make it happen. So never think "what can I do, I'm just one person...."
because the 'evil' forces in this world don't discourage themselves either with that idea.

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