INTRODUCTION
In this unit, you will learn about some definitions, domains and status of language. You will readily agree that language is important in any human society- it gives order and meaning to society. Can you imagine a language-less society of human beings? Really, that would be a meaningless society devoid of meaningful existence, a society of disorder, anarchy, hopelessness, helplessness and so on. Such a society will simply be an animal society. Indeed, language is one of the major things that distinguish human beings from the lower animals. With the possession and use of language man becomes a social being, capable of reasoning and socializing, among other things. Because of its importance, therefore, the study of language becomes worthwhile.
3.1 Definitions of Language
Many definitions have been given to language by language scholars. Alo (1995) cites some of these definitions, which wereproduce below:
“Language is the primary and most highly elaborated form of human symbolic activity…made up of symbols made by sounds produced by the vocal apparatus….” (A. A Hill)
“Language is any set of system of linguistic symbols as used in a more or less uniform fashion by a number of people who are thus enabled to communicate intelligibly with one another” (Random House, Dictionary of the English Language)
“Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication” (Wardhaugh).
“Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols which permit all people in a given culture, or other people who have learned the system of that culture to communicate or interact”. (Finocchiaro).
From the few definitions of language cited above, it should be clear to you that language is a human’s means of communication. Most of the definitions that have been given to language relate it to the process of human communication. Although language is not the only means of human communication, it is the most important and organized’ means of human communication. But let us also note that language performs some other functions apart from communication. As you proceed in your B.A. Education (English) programme, you will become familiar with the numerous functions of language.
But meanwhile, let us go back to the definitions of language cited earlier on. Study the definitions again and identify any features that are common to them. Having identified the common features, use them to define language in your own way.
Domains and Status of Language
It should be clear to you now that language is needed in all areas of human life. When we talk about the domains of language, roughly we mean the fields or areas of activities of language use. The fields or areas of activities of language use as well as the intensity of use partly determine the status accorded the language. Therefore, the status accorded a language is not inherently linguistic. This is to say that language status is determined by factors other than linguistic. Linguistically, there is no language that is superior to another. But social, political, historical, economic, demographic etc. factors will spell the status given to a language. Why do you think this is so? It will be well to observe also that the age and the manner of acquisition of language will also define the status of the language.
3.2.1 First Language (L1)
The term “first language” (or L1) is used to refer to the language which a child ‘first acquires after birth. This is also called the mother tongue’ (MT). Usually, the first language or mother tongue is ‘picked up’ from parents, relatives and other people in the immediate environment. But let us note that a child may acquire a language other than that spoken by his parents as his first language. How do you think this can happen?
One illustration will suffice here. Let’s imagine a Yoruba child is born in Kano where Hausa is the language of the immediate community. It will then mean that this child will be surrounded by the Hausa language; Yoruba, the language of his parents, may not be spoken to him. In this circumstance, the child will acquire Hausa as his first language. Simply put, therefore, one’s first language is the language one first encounters after birth and it constitutes one’s linguistic tool needed for the process of socialization or acculturation – that is, the process through which one becomes a full and active member of his society. Thus, the first language is the language of early education. This is why it is often advocated that the child should be taught in his first language (or mother tongue) in order to ensure effective learning and guarantee the proper development of the child.
In Nigeria, the English language is not a first language. Rather, languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Fulfude and so on are first languages or mother tongues or indigenous languages. But the English language is the first language or mother tongue in places like Britain, the United States, Australia, most of Canada and New Zealand.
Self-Assessment Exercises
1. State some benefits of teaching a child in his first language in his early education.
2. What do you think will happen to a child who is denied the opportunity of being taught in his first language in his early education?
3. Mention five (5) other indigenous Nigerian languages not mentioned in this section.
3.2.2 Second Language (L2)
Having understood what First Language is, we shall now proceed to discuss what a Second Language (or L2) means. The term Second Language is used to refer to a language that is learned and used extensively in addition to the first language. In other words, we use the term second language to describe the language a bilingual or multilingual person acquires and uses extensively after the first language. A bilingual person is somebody who speaks two languages while a multilingual person is somebody who speaks many languages. What do you think you are? (Are you bilingual or multilingual?)
To a bilingual or multilingual person, a second language performs many important functions. Don’t forget that a second language is used extensively by a bilingual or multilingual person for the purposes of wider communication, education, commerce and industry, socio- economic mobility and so on.
Today, in many parts of the world the English language is used as a second language. This is exactly the situation in Nigeria, India, Kenya, Ghana, Singapore, Sierra-Leone, among others. Where English is used as a second language, it develops its own peculiar characteristics different from those of English as a first language. Such characteristics manifest in the areas of pronunciation, lexis and semantics, and to some extent, grammar (Syntax). You will learn about some of these characteristics, particularly with respect to the Nigerian situation, later in this course. For now, let us note that English has a wide, global spread; it is used as either first or second or foreign language in most parts of the world. But you should understand that it is not only English that can function as a second language. Any language that is acquired and used widely apart from the first language qualifies as a second language.
Self-Assessment Exercises
1. Identify any country in West Africa in which a different language apart from English functions as a second language.
2. What benefits do you think such a language will give its speakers?
4.0 CONCLUSION
Language is an important device of human communication used in the expression of feelings and emotions, ideas and desires. Many factors can be used to classify human languages. Language classification into first language and second language, for example, relates to the domains of use, age and mode of acquisition, as well as language status. These issues are purely non-linguistic. In many parts of the world today, the English language enjoys the status of either a first language or a second language. And still, in some other parts of the world it is used as a foreign language. Many factors which are historical, political, socio- economic, educational, technological etc. contribute to the world-wide currency of English.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, we have dealt with definitions of language and we have also discussed the concepts of a first language and a second language. While a person’s first language or mother tongue is his language of first contact with the world, his second language is the one that he acquires after the first language and uses for wide-ranging purposes. A language, which is used as a first language in one community, can be a second language in another community.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENTS
1. What do you understand by the term language?
2. Distinguish carefully between ‘first language’ and ‘second language’
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Alo, M.A (1995) Applied English Linguistics: An Introduction.
Port Harcourt: Aeddy Link
Broughton, G et al (1978) Teaching English as a Foreign Language (2nd Edition). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
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