I.Definition

Language is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication,particularly the human ability to do so,and a language is any specific example of such a system.The scientific study of language is called linguistics.

Another definition sees language as a formal system of signs governed by grammatical rules of combination to communicate meaning.This definition stresses that human languages can be described as closed structural systems consisting of rules that relate particular signs to particular meanings.

Yet another definition sees language as a system of communication that enables humans to exchange verbal or symbolic utterances.This definition stresses the social functions of language and the fact that humans use it to express themselves and to manipulate objects in their environment.Functional theories of grammar explain grammatical structures by their communicative functions,and understand the grammatical structures of language to be the result of an adaptive process by which grammar was “tailored” to serve the communicative needs of its users.This view of language is associated with the study of language in pragmatic,cognitive,and interactive frameworks,as well as in sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology.

Anyway,successful communication with someone from another culture involves understanding a common language.Without this shared language,communication problems may occur when a third party,the translator or interpreter,attempts to convey both the verbal and non-verbal intent of your message.

Chinese is the language spoken by the largest number of native speakers with English ranking the second,but English is considered the language of international business.Because so many variations exist in one language,messages are often misunderstood even when both parties speak the same language with its many accents and dialects.Unfamiliar accents may present barriers to effective communication.

The closest concepts to worldwide common languages are numbers and music.Unlike mathematicians,business people must be sensitive to the nuances of a language.This is important to assure understanding when communicating with people whose first language differs from their own or even with those whose language is the same as their own.Language is only part of communication.How the language is used in relationship to non-verbal communication and the beliefs and values of the culture is also very important.

How strongly group members feel about themselves and their membership in the group determines how members of a group will talk to people in other groups.If a group views itself as a vital ethnolinguistic group(a group that views itself as culturally different from the main group and has developed its own language or dialect),they will be more likely to maintain their distinctive linguistics in a multilingual setting.The more important a language is viewed,the more important the group using the language is in terms of economic,social,and language status.Since people in other cultures also reveal their class level by their accent,pronunciation,and word usage,when selecting an interpreter be sure to determine if the person is experienced in the regional and sociolinguistic groups with whom you are dealing.