What are the Types of Languages? Overview

What are the Types of Languages | An Overview

Language is a medium of communication, written or spoken. The types of languages are essential to know about the importance of language in an individual’s life. It involves the usage of words in a structured way. The people use the style of a particular community. The functions of language include communication, expression of identity, imaginative expression, and play.

According to Henry Sweet, an English phonetician, “Language is the expression of ideas using speech-sounds combined into words. Words combine into sentences, this combination answering to that of ideas into thoughts.” Types of languages include spoken language, which consists of movement of particular organs within the throat and mouth. Sign languages involve hand or body movements and facial expressions. By these symbols, people can impart information and express their emotions. Different systems of communication include various types of languages. People acquire their native language first. It is popularly known as the mother tongue. It’s the mother tongue that a child receives while the second language they learn. The science of language is known as linguistics. It can distinguish into descriptive linguistics and historical linguistics. 

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Various types of languages

Languages distinguish into various types according to the region, timeline, geography, structure, etc.

The types of languages mentioned below are:

Dialects

Dialect is one of the types of language. It is a form of language associated with a particular region or a social class. Geographical variation and social background influence the variety of expressions that a person speaks. Let’s take a situation where two individuals situate in a Yorkshire village. The social environment of both individuals is different. One belongs to a wealthy family other belongs to a less well off family. The result is that both end up speaking different varieties of English. 

Jargon

Jargon associates as a trade language or language of a profession. This type of language known only to the individual associated with that particular profession. The use of Jargon is essential in prose and poetry. For example,

“Certain medications can cause nasal problems, especially nose blockage. These include birth control pills, antidepressants, medicine for erectile dysfunction, and prostatic enlargement. If rhinitis condition worsens, then ask the prescriber to change the medicine.”

In this paragraph, there is a use of medical Jargon. Only those who associate with the medical community would be able to understand this language.

Argot

Argot is a secret language used by thieves to prevent outsiders from understanding their conversation. There is a difference between argon and Jargon, while Jargon associates with the expression of a profession. 

Colloquial language

Colloquial is a type of language which is informal and casual. An example of colloquial is a casual conversation where we make use of slang terms, and there is no usage of formal language. For instance,

What’s up, guys?

Cmon hurry up man

Bros for life

These sentences denote the casual tone used in the above sentences, which is known as colloquial language.

Lingua Franca

Lingua franca is a universal language adopted by a group of people who have different native languages. English is the lingua franca of international trade and business. It enables people to understand one another regardless of their cultural and ethical backgrounds. Having a lingua franca language becomes a lot easier to communicate with one another. A combination of Italian with French and Greek uses in the eastern Mediterranean.

Mother tongue

Mother tongue is the primary type of language that a child acquires through their family or friends. It is a form of expressive and love language for an infant. The mother tongue is the language that receives and not learned. Even the second language taught to students through the use of the mother tongue by translation method. 

Second language

A second language is a language that you speak, but it is not your primary language. The main language is English, which speaks across the united states. While the second language can be anything say it French, German, Italian, etc.

tySign language

This type of language use people who cannot hear or speak. Parents should insist on their child to learn a language at the early stages to increase their cognitive skills. The sign languages have their grammar and lexicon. The sign language of love signifies by putting your thumb up, index finger, and pinkie finger while keeping ring finger and middle finger down. Also, hold the hand out, palm facing away, and move it back and forth slightly.

In conclusion, language is essential in a human’s life. Similarly, it is necessary to know the types of language. It gives us an insight into how languages change going from one region to another.