Language and Lexicon

Language

Ashley S. Lachmansingh

Professor Rolin

PSY 360

January 23, 2012

Although there is not an actual definition to language, cognitively we associate the word with communication. This is mainly due to the fact that language is learned as early as ten to fifteen months old. There are vast amounts of elements that compile language, as we know it. When a dog barks to get your attention, or when a cat purrs while it is being rubbed, is this considered to be a form of language? Some people would say yes, due to the fact that the animal is communicating with you. In all actuality, this is not a form of language. Through out this paper, the understanding of language and lexicon will be explained. Also this paper will evaluate, describe, and analyze the key features of language, four levels of language structure and processing, and the role that language plays in processing cognitive psychology.

Most people consider language to be the type of dialect spoken in a specific place. An example of this would be, French in Canada. This common thought is far from what the actual definition of language is. According to Willingham (2007), there are five properties that are critical elements of defining language. The first property or feature is, communicative. The communicative feature must allow individuals to communicate and understand what one another are saying. The second feature is, arbitrary. This feature consists of the relationship between the elements in the chosen language. "Arbitrariness is a key feature of symbols. A sound stands for a meaning, but which sound stands for which meaning is arbitrary." The third feature of language is, structure. This means that language is structured. The patterns and symbols of language are not arbitrary. The way a sentence is stated could have multiple meanings. For instance, if a person were to say, "Call your mom and tell her you are not feeling well" you would do just that. If the person were to say " mom call tell her not well feeling" you would most likely think there was something wrong with that person. There is no structure to sentence two; your brain cannot process what the person is trying to tell you.

The fourth feature of language is, generative. This feature basically states the words can be used to build a limitless number of meanings. The last feature is, dynamic. This means that language is constantly changing. New words are constantly being added when the rules of grammar change. Some languages fade away, and new languages are created. Lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, the lexical knowledge of an individual. Lexicon is more along the lines of what speech sounds or written symbols mean in a language. If you don't know the lexicon of a language you cannot possibly know the language. Almost every culture has its own language and lexicon.

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