Languages

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[edit] Language

  • A language is a system of symbols, generally known as lexemes, and the rules by which they are manipulated. Languages are not just sets of symbols. They also contain a grammar, or system of rules, used to manipulate the symbols. While a set of symbols may be used for expression or communication, it is primitive and relatively inexpressive, because there are no clear or regular relationships between the symbols. Because a language also has a grammar, it can manipulate its symbols to express clear and regular relationships between them. The word language is also used to refer to the whole phenomenon of language, i.e., the common properties of languages. Though language is commonly used for communication, it is not synonymous with it. The scientific study of language, its historical development, characteristics, and use in society is known as Linguistics (syntax, semantics, phonetics, phonology, etc).
  • Human language is a natural phenomenon, and language learning is instinctive in childhood. In their natural form, human languages use patterns of sound or gesture for the symbols in order to communicate with others through the senses. Though there are thousands of human languages, they all share a number of properties from which there are no known deviations.
  • In this world are 6,912 known living languages (Ethnologue).
  • Languages are important to people not only as means of communication and understanding, but also as marker of their ethnic identification. That is, people may hold on to a specific language as a badge of ethnicity, even though they may comprehend another language. Therefore, their response to the Gospel may be dependent on which language the message is in. This factor if often the reason for doing a Bible translation or the Jesus film in some languages, even though the people may be able to cognitively process the information in another language.

[edit] Interesting Language Facts

See for details and a language map: Joshua Project

[edit] Language extinctions

  • Globalization threatens the world’s rich language diversity.

[edit] Internet

  • The Internet and technological revolution has made English the preferred global language. A disproportionate number of the world’s wealthy speak English. This aids in international communication, but is a cultural juggernaut that is crushing many smaller cultures.
  • Only 65 languages are spoken by more than 10 million people and only 45 are used as a main teaching medium in secondary schools.

[edit] Languages are dying out

  • Over 50 have one speaker only, 426 are nearly extinct and some estimate that half of the 7,148 languages may be extinct in 2100. The work of Bible translators together with literacy workers is one significant ministry in preserving languages and restoring pride in their cultures.

[edit] List of languages

[edit] External Links:

Retrieved from "http://www.missionmanual.org/wiki/Languages"
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