Definition of Language, Dialect and Linguistic Variant

The phenomenon of communication and language is a complex question for whose analysis it does not reach a superficial approach. Historically, studies have focused on the evolution of language as a means of expression and alluding to the multiple forms it takes in different geographical areas.

Saussure establishes in his Course of Linguistics General that "the language is not directly subject to the spirit of the speakers

", Which for him means that none family of languages ​​belongs by right to a group.

For example, Castilian descends directly from Vulgar Latin of the late Middle Ages and was standardized as a language in Spain thanks to the management of Isabel de Castilla, but it has evolved a lot since that time. epoch.

Now, what we know as language is not exclusive to human beings, but is the means for communication to work also between animals. This is because both have intelligence, defined by Dry as the fitness to understand, make sense of things and adapt to situations. But we human beings have something else: reason, which consists in judging and deciding. This makes us rational beings and has made it possible for the means of communication that characterizes us to be perfect.

Language is a means of communication, in which the signals are sound and have a very varied form and extension. Since these sounds by themselves mean nothing, man has been able to articulate a combination of these, called words.

Tongue

Although language is the same for all humanity, we do not all use it in the same way. The signs are different according to certain geographical areas and the groups of people that compose them. The sign system used by Spanish is different from that used by Japanese. The first is the Spanish (or Castilian) language, the second is the Japanese language.

Some individuals are capable of assimilating various sign systems, but the one they learned first is recognized as their mother tongue, the one recognized as theirs. These individuals are known as multilingual and language is used as a way of knowing the world and events. Manuel Seco maintains that "knowing the name of a thing is a way of knowing it."

Linguistic variant

It is the speech of the most educated people that makes the language a fairly uniform model, but in countries, regions or the same cities, the speech of people with a lower level instructive it is varied. The conclusion In this regard, says Seco, is that the greater prevalence of variations outside the rule cultured, the more the variety of speech will predominate and with this there is a greater risk of breaking the unity of the language.

Other factors influence the use of one variant or another –in addition to the popular element–, such as historical factors, contact with indigenous languages ​​and migration. Let us remember, for example, that Spanish in America had contact with the Amerindian languages ​​that were the means of communication in the area, and that left more or less deep traces in the linguistic unity of the idiom.

Dialect

We know that, although Spanish is spoken in many parts of the world, an Argentine, a Colombian, or a Mexican does not speak the same; there are important differences with the way of use in Spain. For example, the disintegration of Vulgar Latin (spoken in the provinces outside Rome and not recognized as a language literary) gave rise to several regional dialects that in their time became languages ​​of their own: the languages romances.

It is considered a system of signs, separate from the common language, with characteristics in alignment with other dialect systems and generally delimited to a geographical area. In general, it is also considered that they have not reached the category of language.

Bibliography

Alvar, Manuel: Towards the concepts of language, dialect and speech.

Saussure, Ferdinand de: General Linguistics Course.

Seco, Manuel: Essential grammar of the Spanish language.

Subjects in Language, Dialect and Linguistic Variant