Human Language: Properties, Structure & Hierarchy
📘 13.1 Human Language: Properties, Structure & Hierarchy
Language is central to communication, thought, and culture. In psychology, studying human language helps understand cognition, development, learning, and even neurological functioning.
🔹 What is Human Language?
Language is a system of symbols and rules used for meaningful communication. It is a uniquely human capacity that allows expression of thoughts, feelings, and intentions.
🔹 A. Properties of Human Language
- Arbitrariness
- No inherent connection between a word and its meaning.
- E.g., The word “tree” has no natural link to the actual object.
- Productivity (Creativity)
- Infinite combinations of words to express new ideas.
- E.g., You can create a new sentence you’ve never said before.
- Displacement
- Ability to communicate about things not present in space or time.
- E.g., Talking about the freedom struggle or future plans.
- Duality of Patterning
- Language works at two levels:
- Phonemes: Basic sounds (e.g., /k/, /a/, /t/)
- Morphemes: Units of meaning (e.g., cat, -ed)
- Language works at two levels:
- Cultural Transmission
- Language is passed from one generation to the next through learning, not genetics.
- Semanticity
- Words have meaning; they stand for real-world objects or concepts.
- Structure Dependence
- Sentences are based on syntax and grammar rules, not just word order.
🔹 B. Structure of Language
Language consists of multiple components:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Phonology | Study of sounds and pronunciation rules | /b/, /a/, /t/ → bat |
| Morphology | Formation of words from morphemes | un- + happy = unhappy |
| Syntax | Rules for sentence structure | She eats mangoes |
| Semantics | Meaning of words and sentences | Light can mean “not heavy” or “illumination” |
| Pragmatics | Social use of language (context, tone) | “Can you pass the salt?” (request, not question of ability) |
🔹 C. Linguistic Hierarchy
Language is organized in levels of increasing complexity:
1. Phonemes → Smallest units of sound
2. Morphemes → Smallest units of meaning
3. Words → Combination of morphemes
4. Phrases → Groups of words
5. Sentences → Complete ideas with grammar
6. Discourse → Connected sentences (narratives, conversations)
🧠 Real-Life Examples
- Indian Multilingualism:
- A Tamil speaker learning Hindi and English shows how phonological and syntactic structures vary across languages.
- Speech Errors in Children:
- Saying “goed” instead of “went” shows awareness of morphological rules before mastering exceptions.
- Regional Dialects:
- Language hierarchy helps in analyzing how Bhojpuri or Haryanvi diverges from Hindi structurally but follows universal principles.
- Neurological Evidence:
- Damage to Broca’s area impairs syntax, while Wernicke’s area damage affects semantics — showing separation in structure.
✍️ UPSC Answer Writing Tips
- Begin with a precise definition of human language.
- Use a table or bullet points for properties.
- Explain language structure with at least 3–4 levels.
- Give Indian examples for contextual depth.
- Conclude with relevance: language impacts cognition, culture, and communication.
