What is Language?║Lindsay Does Languages Video

Bad language, sign language, body language,
animal language, French, academic language,

colloquial language, Mongolian Russian, Elfish,
Java...

What is language?
In this video, I don't want to bombard you

with big fancy linguistic words or big names
like:

Noam Chomsky
David Crystal

Phonics
Instead I'm aiming to inspire a new interest

in language.
I'm aiming to inspire you to become interested

in language.
Language is the words we use, in English,

French, German, Mandarin, Polish, or any other
of the 7000 or so variations of what we call

language. But is that it?
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love

you.
Body language! Hello, old friend!

What we do with our arms, legs, face when
we speak says a lot about what we really want

to say.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love

you.
Little freaked out now? I'm sorry!

See, the way I said 'I love you' changed your
opinion of what you thought I was really saying

right?
So language isn't just what we say, but how

we say it. Or is that communication? Fine
line.

Therefore, language is communication. Language
is a way we can communicate. Language is the

very essence that makes us human and separates
us from animals.

Or is it?
Animals can talk to each other right? A growl,

a hiss, a bark, a purr. With these tiny fragments
of sound we can sometimes tell how they're

feeling.
What's new, pussycat? Ok, calm down! I'm only

asking!
.....(white noise)...

And it's not just sounds that we make with
our mouth.

I did it wrong!
Yay! Sign language!

There are

approximately 200 sign languages in the world,
so they definitely deserve a mention.

And Braille. Even if you can't read words
in ink, you can read with your fingers, you

can touch words. That is language. That is
communication.

But why does it matter?
Why do we need language?

Why do we need to communicate?
I can't do it! I feel like I'm having my passport

photo taken. It's so unnatural, so unnatural!
I can't even raise an eyebrow because I'd

be communicating with you a little bit.
We communicate naturally. To get stuff and

to give stuff.
And on top of that, we've created systems

of words, sounds movements and alphabets to
communicate better, to express ourselves better:

language.
This allows us to be much smarter, more creative

and more loving human beings with means to
express our discoveries and our art: via language.

So...what is language? Well, everything.
Thank you very much for watching! If you enjoyed

this video then you should totally share it
with your friends. Communicate with them - use

language!
And if you want more, please subscribe to

my channel where there's plenty more where
that came from.

Adios!
I'm sorry, I have a noisy tortoise.