~ Language ~
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Language is a remarkably complex system of communication that involves the expression of thoughts, ideas, emotions, and information. It is a highly structured and rule-bound set of processes that utilize words, gestures, sounds, and symbols to convey meaning.
Language is a fundamental aspect of functioning that enables us to shape our understanding of our world and to communicate with others, human or otherwise. Further, language builds social interaction, enables us to bond with others, and facilitates cognitive processes such as thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. |
In the 2016 movie Arrival, the US military hire a linguist and a theoretical scientist to figure out why a set of enormous aliens have arrived on Earth. When they meet for the first time, the linguist is quoted as saying "language is the foundation of civilization. It is the glue that holds a people together. It is the first weapon drawn in a conflict". The theoretical scientist replies with "...the cornerstone of civilization isn't language, it's science". What we come to find out is that in order to figure out what the aliens want, the first step is to discover a common language with which to communicate. Principles of science are used as the basis of learning a common language and in doing so, it is the linguist that communicates with the alien life forms, Laurel and Hardy.