Chapter 1 – The Secrets of Language Learning
Communication, Language, and ‘Languaging’
Bibi Halima and Keli Yerian
Preview Questions
- What is the difference between language and communication?
- What is languaging?
- Do we need a language to communicate?
Aren’t communication and language the same thing?
Let’s imagine a scenario first to see why the answer to this question is “No”.
Imagine you ask your friend, “How are you?” and they say, “Fine” but their tone is flat, arms limp, and they are not smiling. What would you do?
You would probably ask, “Are you sure?”
Similarly in the video below from the famous TV sitcom Friends, Ross also keeps saying “I’m fine!” to his friends, but they are not convinced. Herepeats the same words but has a forced smile, tense gestures, and a “loud and squeaky” voice. It is not easy to trick your friends, especially when they know you inside out!
In both scenarios, your friend and Ross use language – the words “I’m fine” – but indirectly communicate that they are not fine at all. What’s the difference here?
The difference is that communication is not limited to language. This is a key point when it comes to language learning. It means you already have many resources for communication even without knowing a language.
While language serves as one important means of expression, communication transcends words. In these scenarios, your friend and Ross rely on wordless communication such as gestures, facial expressions, movement, tone of voice, and volume to signal a message that contradicts their words. Humans do this all the time.
Defining communication is not as straightforward as you would think. Communication means different things to different people across diverse settings. However, one thing that is non-negotiable about human communication is that it is not limited to words, signs, or sounds. It is a human practice that we do constantly, with or without language. In the simplest words, Merriam Webster (n.d.) defines communication as “a process by which information is exchanged through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior” (Definition 1).
VanPatten (2017) gives a similar but slightly different definition:
“Communication is the expression, interpretation, and sometimes negotiation of meaning in a given context. What is more, communication is also purposeful”
From this definition, we can conclude that the essence of communication lies in the fact that it is a mutual process of meaning-making between two or more people, one that is sometimes successful and other times unsuccessful. In other words, we can fail to communicate even when we do share a language, and we can succeed at communicating even when we don’t share a language.
Why? Because communication is more than just language. It relies on context, body orientation, use of space, hand gestures, facial expressions, our relationship and history with those we are talking to, our cultural expectations, and more. When we are aware of these broader aspects of communication, we can rely on more than just language to express ourselves, just like in the examples above.
Then what exactly is language?
Language is everywhere and is used every day as part of human communication. You catch it when you overhear people talk, you read it on street signs, you hear it in a song while driving, you write it when you text someone in the morning. It is ubiquitous and constant, like the air we breathe each day.
Defining language can be tricky but linguists have made significant efforts to clarify its nature. Let’s look at three perspectives below in an image slider that will help us understand its fundamental properties and functions.
Language Definitions
Language or languaging?
Most of the viewpoints you read above describe language as a system that is connected to human cognition. Yes, a big part of this phenomenon has to with our neural mechanisms but it is a communal practice too. Besides its cognitive aspect, language is a social action.
The point here is that language is not just a thing like a tool we hold in our hand or a neural system that resides in our brain. Notice that the metaphors ‘tool’ and ‘system’ are both nouns. Language is also an action that we are doing. ‘Inviting’ and ‘requesting’ are verbs! When we use language, we are languaging! Language is what we do, create, share, and build together.
Languaging has a direct effect on our realities and identities. Languaging creates a legal reality when we speak up for our rights in precise language or decipher jargon in legal documents. It signals political identity when we voice our allegiance to a political party. It reinforces religious identity when we express our beliefs. It constructs social identity when we interact with friends in daily life. It shapes cultural and ethnic identity when we share our cultural practices and values. And it builds personal identity when we express ourselves even in something as private as a journal.
When we language, we are creating social realities with others and constructing our own.
So do we need a language to communicate?
Let’s go back to a language learning scenario to answer this question.
Imagine a situation where two people do not completely share a language. One person is a student from the U.S. who is on a study abroad program in Lisbon, Portugal. This person has a beginner level of Portuguese. They are lost in the street, looking at their phone. The second person is a local from Lisbon walking on the same street. The student asks the local where Rossio Square is in English, but the local does not speak much English. Imagine their interaction goes like this:
Student: Desculpe me… um, I’m lost, can you tell me where Rossio Square is?
Local: Eu não entendo (gesturing with their palms up, their head tipped to the side, and their brow furrowed)
Student: (realizing that person did not understand, points towards Rossio Square on the phone map and gestures with palms up and a shrug)
Local: (nods in understanding and starts explaining in Portuguese, pointing in the direction of Rossio Square)
Student: (understands some key points of what was said, nods and smiles) Thank you… um, obrigado!
Local: (smiles in understanding and waves goodbye) Tchau-tchau
Student: (waving hand) Bye-bye, tchau
Local: Bye
See, nothing can stop us from communicating
Language can be an exquisite and precise means of expressing your thoughts, desires, and emotions in words, but as we have learned, it is not essential to all communication. When you are learning a language, you can still communicate, no matter your current level.
In the example above, both people struggled a little to convey their meaning, but they didn’t let this stop them from trying. You will almost certainly have the same experience of needing to negotiate meaning when learning a new language, but this is a natural part of the process of learning languages, and can even be fun with a can-do approach. To answer the question “Do we need a language to communicate?” it is crucial to remember we have plenty of resources beyond words at our disposal for getting our point across, and nothing should stop us from trying!
Recall and Reflect
Think of a time when you or someone you know communicated very well using little to no words. How did they do it?
References
Bloome, D., & Beauchemin, F. (2016). Languaging everyday life in classrooms. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 65(1), 152-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/2381336916661533
Halliday, M. A. K. (2006). On language and linguistics (J. J. Webster, Ed; Vol. 3). Continuum.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Communication. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved February 4, 2024, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication
Sapir, E. (1921). Language: An Introduction to the study of speech. Harcourt, Brace and Company.
The Five Graces Group: Beckner, C., Blythe, R., Bybee, J. Christiansen, M. H., Croft, W., Ellis, N. C., Holland, J., Ke, J., Larsen-Freeman, D., & Schoenemann. T. (2009). Language is a complex adaptive system: Position paper. Language Learning, 59, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00533.x
VanPatten, B. (2017). While we’re on the topic: BVP on language, acquisition, and classroom practice. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Alexandria, VA 22314.
Media Attributions
All original illustrations on this page © Addy Orsi are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (Attribution NonCommercial) license.
People who study languages and their many different structures and functions. This includes the study of morphology, syntax, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, phonetics, phonology, semantics, educational linguistics, and more
Specialized vocabulary used by a specific profession or in a specific domain that are usually difficult for those outside of that field to understand
A process of interaction in which speakers mutually negotiate their intended meaning using strategies such as clarification questions, repetition, and rephrasing to convey a clear message