Language In Our Lives Essay, Research Paper

Language in Our Lives

Have you ever wondered who taught you to talk the way you do? People learn to talk and express themselves everyday of their lives. Starting from the day you were born you used language or some form of it to communicate with those around you. As a baby you usually show your displeasure with your new surroundings by crying, and if you don?t the doctor will make sure you do. Everyday we express our point of view to others in some form of language. Whether it is through verbal communication, written discourse or through body language, you can tell if a person is upset, angry, or happy. We as human beings don?t realize how much language has to do with our lives. How can you determine if one of your friends is angry with you? Is there a different tone to their voice? Do they have a stern look on their face? Of course they do, your friend feels the need to express their anger to you by these different forms of language. Where do we learn to use these different forms of language? How are our uses of these languages shaped? The three main contributing factors to how we express ourselves through language come from our schooling, our friends, and most of all from our families.

Going to school can teach you many things, even more than you can imagine. Who would know that in school you could actually learn a whole new vocabulary? This never seen before vocabulary will only come out in writing and besides that will be hidden deep among the depths of your subconscious. Truly, school can teach you more than just random information. Schooling has a huge affect on language you use in a daily basis. The only place where I was ever taught that the way in which I spoke was wrong. When I look back at the time consuming vocabulary work and the never-ending readings, I now realize how I benefited from them. I may not me the best writer, but I do have a plethora of words to share. Where do you think you learned that you?re not doing good you?re doing well, and who taught you that a coma should be placed here, or that you shouldn?t end a sentence with a preposition, without these helpful teachings I don?t know where we would be at. School is very rewarding, and you might not realize that?s the truth until you are in college.

The second place where you receive a hearty serving of language is in your day to day discourse with friends. Who else would be impressed when your speech reflects no English words at all. It is definitely true that the majority of your spoken language comes from your peers. When you return to your house and forget where you are, you can bet your mother will set you back in your place. ?Where did you learn that talk?? ?That is filth, I ought to wash your mouth out with soap.? ?Leave that talk on the street!? All of these phrases might sound familiar to you, but know one thing you learned it from your friends. Your peers have such an influence on your language; this is mostly because you would do anything to impress your friends. As a young adult I know that fitting in is what we all want to do, and usually fitting in means having similarities with those you hang out with. One night I went with my mom to take our dog for a walk, half way through our trip I had the uncontrolled urge to go to the bathroom. After a few more minutes I made a remark to my mother that I now regret. I said,? Mom, I really gotta piss.? As a result I received a lecture from my father on the affects of hanging out with my older brother and his friends, from then on out I was forbidden to hang out with the ?big boys?. So whether your common language includes the word dude, homey, or dog, you know that most likely that part of your language came from your friends.

The last and most important place you receive language from is your family. The people who first heard you speak, first saw you walk, and first helped you to read, have the majority of influence on the way you communicate. You grow up your whole life thinking what your parents say is entirely right and in no way could they ever be wrong. Well let me tell you I especially have learned that parents aren?t always entirely right. I grew up the son of two wonderful parents from the great state of Pennsylvania. My parents taught me many lessons that I could use in my life, but one thing that people from Pennsylvania tend to do is make up their own words for things. For example our vacuum was called a sweeper, our soda was called pop, and you know those little white canker sores that develop in your mouth and are really painful, our word for those was ulcers. I always thought my parents were right, boy was I ever wrong. I didn?t realize it until we moved to Arizona and when I was in junior high got in an argument with my best friend. He said those white things are canker sores, I said boy are you stupid those are ulcers. Little did I know I was the one who really didn?t know what I was talking about. I have come to believe that parents are great, they teach you all that they know and give you as many pointers as they can but a lot of things you just have to find out on your own. Families definitely affect the way you speak whether it be a made up word, or the way you pronounce something, the majority of your spoken and written language can be attributed to those people who love you the most, your own family members.

So now you know what the three major components of how we learn how to use language. We communicate through common language with others, without common language we would not be able to express ourselves in the same ways. Our schooling has tried to teach us how to speak properly, and how to write well. Without schooling we would have to rely on what we learn from our parents and friends, and we all know that is not the best idea. So schooling has taught us what how we should express ourselves. The second way we have learned language is through our friends. Our friends and peers only teach us how we should express ourselves and also how to communicate when with each other. This is a nice break from what we have been taught to do, being able to sit with your friends and say anything that comes to your head is definitely a plus. Although using the same discourse as you do when engaging in discussions with your friends in a real life situation might not be good it is a necessity. Your friends teach you how you should express yourself. Lastly we come to the most influencing part of your life, your family. The ones who know you inside and out, those who will still be communicating with you in some form of language fifty years down the road. Although not always right, and you might find out in a way that makes you look less intelligent, your family strives to teach you the language they know the communication they are used to and how to communicate when speaking with them. Family teaches us how we should express ourselves. The truth is that all three ways teach us how to communicate and express ourselves to one another. This is how we are able to communicate with such a wide range of people. Through our sometimes repetitive schooling, and through our sometimes unintelligent friends, but mostly through our down to earth families we learn how to use language to express ourselves.