Re: Defining "Language"

Den 19. jul. 2007 kl. 10.38 skrev John Crowe:

> It seems that most of the suggestions fail to differentiate
> language from
> lower level communication. For example, "means of symbolic
> communication"
> would include road signs and such.
I would say that a set of road signs constitute a language. Language
as a concept is very broad. What precisely do you want to define?
Human language, or natural human language, or what? Are you trying to
define the word 'language' or the concept of language?

In a human language every word carries a definition. Communication
exists when users agree upon the definitions. But all words and their
uses aren't known to everyone, and even those that know them, don't
necessarily agree fully on the definitions. The precision of the
definitions vary a lot too. Many words have very fuzzy definitions.
In some areas this gives you a freedom to put whatever you like into
a word, whatever is most useful to you.

'Language' itself is fuzzy enough to be used that way perhaps. So
feel free to put whatever you need into it.

LEF