Conceptions of Language and Grammarleast 60,000 years old (see Aitchison 1996, 1997 ch. 2)
• all writing systems are attempts to represent aspects of spoken lan-
guage, generally individual consonants and vowels, less frequently
syllables, less frequently still, words
We do not deny the importance of other modes of expression. Written
language is extremely important in modern societies, and we all spend many
years mastering it. The sounds speakers produce and which are (partially)
processed by hearers’ ears fade away very rapidly. Writing attempts to over-
come this rapid fading.
There is always a dynamic relation between spoken and written language.
Each influences the other to various degrees. For example, currently we tend
to allow more speech-like forms into our writing than our grandparents did,
e.g., contractions such as can’t, I’ve, and she’s.
Sign languages of the deaf, which use the hands to express meanings,
are another important language type. But while they can express whatever
a signer wishes to communicate, just as a spoken language can, they are a
relatively uncommon form of language.
If we group together sounds, written symbols, and manual gestures as lin-
guistic forms, then we can think of a language as a system for relating forms
to meanings.
Exercise
- Find and discuss three differences between spoken and written Eng-
lish (or any other language that you are familiar with). For example,
you might consider “tone of voice.” - What advantages or disadvantages do you think spoken language has
over other forms of communication (such as written language, manual
language, waving flags, scratching signs in dirt or rocks, etc.)? Think
both in terms of our distant ancestors and of practical contemporary
needs. As a concrete example, you might consider how to explain,
without speaking or writing, how to bake bread, wash a car, upgrade a
computer, or use a phone keypad to respond to commands from a com-
pany’s computerized answering system. (Consult actual texts, such as
recipe books, labels on bottles, or users’ manuals). Refer to your per-
sonal experience wherever possible. (You might also look at software
that turns speech into typed text, e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking.)