Language - Definition

n 1: a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or
conventional symbols; "he taught foreign languages"; "the
language introduced is standard throughout the text"; "the
speed with which a program can be executed depends on the
language in which it is written" [syn: language,
linguistic communication]
2: (language) communication by word of mouth; "his speech was
garbled"; "he uttered harsh language"; "he recorded the
spoken language of the streets" [syn: speech, speech
communication, spoken communication, spoken language,
language, voice communication, oral communication]
3: the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number; "his
compositions always started with the lyrics"; "he wrote both
words and music"; "the song uses colloquial language" [syn:
lyric, words, language]
4: the cognitive processes involved in producing and
understanding linguistic communication; "he didn't have the
language to express his feelings" [syn: linguistic process,
language]
5: the mental faculty or power of vocal communication; "language
sets homo sapiens apart from all other animals" [syn:
language, speech]
6: a system of words used to name things in a particular
discipline; "legal terminology"; "biological nomenclature";
"the language of sociology" [syn: terminology,
nomenclature, language]