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Post by Amaryllis on Jun 19, 2020 23:30:41 GMT
Yes, I think that the French words for language correspond to a plurilithic sense: “langue”, “langage”, and maybe also “parole”?
I agree with the use of “language” as a verb - like a verb or a living creature, it is dynamic and in constant motion. It is not fixed or static, which is how we generally think of nouns.
I also agree that as English teachers, we must try to include both ideas - teaching concrete concepts from published texts while also making our students aware that language is dynamic and can adapt to different settings. Sometimes I encourage students to see learning English like building with Lego blocks – we can use the concrete concepts (the blocks) to create something new.
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Post by María on Jun 25, 2020 14:13:40 GMT
I was trying to think about other languages (besides Spanish) where there are many words that correspond to the English word "language", and I can say that in French you have "langue" and "langage". This issue is particularly important when you are teaching future translators, since they should clearly understand the difference between all the possible translations they can find in the same dictionary entry when looking up a word. Regarding the use of "language" as a verb, personally I've never seen it, but I'm aware of the fact that nowadays more and more nouns are denominalized. I'm a native Spanish speaker, and this is increasingly common in our language too, which is raising more than one eyebrow. As I was doing some research about this topic, I came across this article that may be of interest to you: daily.jstor.org/in-which-we-science-why-nouns-become-verbs-because-language/
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Post by Anita on Jun 29, 2020 7:21:13 GMT
I'm fluent in English,however I've known the word''language' as a noun. I am not aware of the variations of the word in other countries.
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Post by Michael Hughes on Jul 10, 2020 14:50:52 GMT
I have no problem with using the word 'language' as a verb. It's all part of the development of the language (eg to google). However, it does bother me that in formal assessment of spoken language some examination providers do not allow for development and variety.
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Post by Ulla on Jul 23, 2020 13:24:37 GMT
I like the use of 'language' as a verb because it is dynamic and indicates that we do things with language. Learners are users of language, too; their role is active, not passive.
Regarding monolithic/plurilithic views of language - my first language is (Austrian) German, and I think speakers of my variety have an instinctive understanding of the fact that the way we use language sometimes doesn't correspond to the standard described in grammar books, but that doesn't mean that the way we use our language is wrong. At the same time, it is often observed that the way we use language is becoming less local and regional thanks to exposure to 'standard' language via TV and other media. I think it is fair to say that people have mixed feelings about this. In any case, without using this terminology, my feeling is that most people assume the existence of various 'local standards' of German.
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Post by Ulla on Jul 23, 2020 13:28:53 GMT
Italian, like Spanish, has several words that correspond to the word 'language'. In some instances, the difference between these words is just a stylistic choice (e.g. formal/informal). Verbification of nouns is one of the features of the English language I love the most! It allows more immediate communication and provides fluidity to a language that, unlike other less 'flexible' languages such as Italian for example, gives the speaker the ability to express themselves fluently, even when accuracy isn't achieved. I think style and register often play a role. It is important for learners to understand there isn't necessarily one correct way of saying something. Instead, different versions of an utterance may be appropriate in different situations.
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Post by miabae on Aug 1, 2020 16:37:58 GMT
Russian has already been mentioned above. The same applies to Chursh Slavonic, where 'languages' (in plural) also denotes heathens.
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Post by Rachel Dry on Aug 18, 2020 15:59:44 GMT
Personally, I really like and understand the different uses of the word language in Spanish. As others have mentioned, it clearly shows a plurilithic understanding of language which I think is increasingly important nowadays. It seems sensible to be able to distinguish between the 'types' of language e.g. language as a communication system and as a specific and unique style of communication which belongs to a group. It shows a shift towards descriptivism, as the 'old style' theorists would not have accepted that a specific group could have a language of its own.
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Post by chiungi on Oct 18, 2020 13:10:20 GMT
It is good to learn that the words for "language" can be expressed in different ways in Spanish. The word "language" in my mother tongue, Chinese, is commonly expressed with one term "yuˇyenˊ" .
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