Introduction
The language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols, which permit all people in a given
culture, or other people who have learnt the system of that culture, communication or to interact.
By speaking, we do not mean merely uttering words through mouth. It means conveying the
message through the words of mouth. This skill is also neglected in our class rooms. Students do
not get any chance either in the class room or outside to speak English. Speaking is not a part of
our examinations. Learning to speak also demands a lot of practice and attention. We learn to
speak our mother tongue just by listening and repeating. The teacher can adopt the same natural
way. He can give them certain structures and ask them to repeat. This will remove their shyness.
He can give those drills in the basic patterns of language. Asking short questions and the use of
short dialogues in the class room can also develop this skill.
Review of Related Literature
What is Language?
Language is a formal system of signs governed by grammatical rules of combination to
communicate meaning. This definition stresses the fact that human languages can be described as
closed structural systems consisting of rules that relate particular signs to particular meanings
(Bloomfield, 1914). Language is basically speech. Its written form developed later on. It is
universal among human beings who use it for carrying out various activities of life. It is such a
common phenomenon that we always take it for granted. We never bother to think about it: we
never try to into the depth of the meaning of this word. Definition of language is not difficult to
find. Almost all well-known linguists have tried to define language in their own way. John Lyon
(2002), in his famous book "Language and Linguistics" has discussed five famous definitions of
Language
i. According to E.Sapir (1921): “Language is u purely human and non-instinctive method
of communicating ideas, emotions unit desires by means of voluntarily produced
symbols”.
ii. B. Bloch and G.L. Trager (1942) write: “A language is a system of arbitrary vocal
symbols by means of which a social group
co-operates”.
iii. R.A. Hall (1968) tells us that language is “the institution whereby humans communicate
and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols".
iv. R.H. Robins (1979) does not give a formal definition of language but points out certain
facts related to language, saying that “languages are symbol systems, almost wholly
based on pure or arbitrary conventions".
v. According to N. Chomsky (1969) a language is “a set of sentences, each finite in length
and constructed out of a finite set of elements”.
Most of them have taken the view that languages are systems of symbols designed for the
purpose of communication. So an operational definition of language may by:
“Language is a system of arbitrary symbols for human beings’ communication in speech
and writing, that is used by the people of a particular community”. In this definition, the
various components of language, or certain words need explanation:
System: Written words or spoken sounds arranged in a particular order