Language

Language (also called af or luqad) is a system of signs through which humans share meaning. It consists of sounds, words, and interconnected rules that allow a person to communicate about things not present or not yet occurred. This system can be transmitted through speech, writing, or manual signs.

The study of languages is called linguistics. It examines various dimensions: sound, word structure, sentence structure, meaning, and how communities use language in daily life. Tens of thousands of languages are spoken in the world, but many of them are declining in use.

Components of language systems

Language is typically organized into several levels. Phonology examines sounds that distinguish meaning. Morphology examines how words are built from smaller meaningful units. Syntax examines the way words are arranged into sentences. Semantics examines meaning, while pragmatics examines how meaning varies with context of speech.

Speech and writing

Spoken language historically preceded writing. Many languages today are spoken without a standard writing system. Writing is a method of recording language and uses various scripts such as the Latin alphabet, the Arabic script, or other signs. The choice of writing system for a language is often connected to political decision or education.

Learning and change

Children learn their mother language in early years by hearing people around them, without formal instruction in rules. Languages change over time: sounds are lost, new words enter, and dialects diverge until they may become separate languages. Contact between communities brings loan words, and sometimes linguistic mixing.