WHAT IS "LANGUAGE?"
When we speak of 'language' we are not speaking of another 'language', such as French or Spanish. Rather, language is the code we all use to express ourselves and communicate to others. It can either be receptive (what you understand) or expressive (communicating your thoughts/wants/needs to others either verbally or in written form) and it refers to a wide variety of concepts including, but not limited to, vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics.
- Vocabulary or semantics refers to the acquisition of words and their meanings.
- Syntax or morphology refers to using correct word order and grammar, such as verb forms, possessives, pronouns, plurals, question forms, or sentence construction.
- Using language to communicate has been termed 'pragmatics.' It includes listening, problem solving, conversational skills, taking turns, and exchanging information.