Importance Of Language

The significance of language in our lives is incomparable. It is not just restrained to being a means of communicating one’s thoughts and ideas to the rest, but has also become a tool for forging friendships, cultural ties as well as economic relationships. Throughout history, learned men have reflected on the importance of language in our lives. Scholar Benjamin Whorf has noted that language shapes our thoughts and emotions and determines our perception of reality, whereas John Stuart Mill has referred language to be the light of the mind. For linguist Edward Sapir, language is not just a vehicle for carrying out expressions of thoughts, perceptions, sentiments, and values characteristic of a community, but is a representation of a fundamental expression of social identity. He also believes that language helps in maintaining the feelings of cultural kinship. This article stresses on the significance of language in our day-to-day living.

Significance Of Language

Language aids in developing and grooming one’s personality as a whole. Since learning a language is part of our knowledge, it becomes one of the key factors in competitiveness. In the advanced industrial society of today, the basic knowledge of a single or more language has become indispensable.
With the advent of the concept of globalization, people all over the globe communicate with each other and exchange ideas. Though technological advances have served as a medium for communication, you cannot deny the role played by language. Understanding of a common language has helped people to communicate, despite being from varied parts of the world.
Language has become a major tool of communication between countries, cultural groups, various companies and organizations, communities and friends.
Language is one of the key factors of our human developmental process, which sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and knits a strong feeling of kinship amongst us. A baby is born without language, but even without formal training, by the age of five, the child knows several hundred words and grammar of a particular language. This is an inherent human tendency, which is extremely important for further growth. Any discrepancy seen in learning a language at such early stage might indicate certain illness in a child.
In the developmental trajectory of a child, language plays an important role since it is connected with various aspects of a child’s growth. Learning a language is directly related to emotional development. For instance, a baby gazing at his parent’s face is responded by cooing and few words of love by his parents. This retains in the baby’s mind and when he is a little older, he begins using language to express his emotions as well.
Language is also connected to the moral development in a child. The process begins when the child is about 18 months old. The child learns the right and wrong by listening to what his parents or other adult authorities tell him. Imagine teaching the child the difference of right or wrong without the tool of language!
Learning a language within the first five years of one’s life is important. It is one of the best predictors of a child’s later performance in school. A child who has significant speech or language delays has a high likelihood of eventually having trouble with reading, which may continue throughout school.

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