Why is language important to culture?
Because Language is Culture and Culture is Language.
Which language has the most words?
‘Word’ is a very imprecise term, which comes to us from before the scientific study of languages (i.e., linguistics) was established. Some problems in counting words:Speakers of different languages don’t agree on what constitutes a word. There are languages where things that would be separate words in English are considered modifiers. A sentence such as “I went to the store yesterday,” can be a single word in such languages.Homonyms and homophones present problems, as do words with multiple meanings. In English, for example, “bear” the animal and “bear” meaning “to carry” are symbolized in the same way and spoken in the same way, but most speakers would consider them to be different words. However, the word “have” meaning “to possess” and the word “have” meaning that an action occurred in the past (“I have been to the store”) would be considered by most speakers to be the same word. Consider as well “to”, “too”, and “two”: if English had no written form, would these be considered different meanings of the same word? (Note that the majority of existing languages have never been written down.)Then there are multi-word words. Take, for example, “ice cream”. English has few of these, but there are languages that have many. How do you count them?Let’s not forget words that are derived from other words. Is “bells” a different word from “bell”? Should all the conjugations of “to be” be considered a single word? What about verbs that are completely regular? Those that are only partly irregular?How do you count dialectical variations? Is “ain’t” a word in English? How about “ken” in the sense of “to know”?Going back to the end of point 2… there are estimated to be around 6000 languages currently spoken in the world. Of those, less than a quarter have ever been written down. Most of them are spoken only by a single, very small group. Of those languages that have been written down, usually the vast majority of writings are in one dialect: the dialect spoken by the dominant group in the culture. Even in English, most often the first appearance of a word in print is in a context that makes it apparent that the writer expected that everyone reading it would already know what the word meant.
How much does it cost to study the Chinese language in China? What are the chances of being able to go to China for study?
I can’t say for certain since I grew up speaking Chinese, but if you’re in college/university, I’d go and talk to your Chinese professor or the head of the Chinese department and see if they have short exchange programs, where you can go and study there for short periods of time.Again, it really depends on the school and where you want to go. Most places in China will be in the cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, etc.) which tend to have higher living costs than in rural areas or suburbs.As for being able to go to China for study, I can’t say. But in any case, you should be able to have basic conversations with the people around you, read, write and listen to the language as well. Also, be aware of the different dialects around the country. Although Mandarin is the official language, different dialects will cause the words to sound different.
Before studying the philosophy of language what do I need to already know about grammar (names; terms, concepts, etc.)?
Originally: Before studying the philosophy of language and linguistics what do I need to already know about grammar (names; terms, concepts, etc.)?Assuming you're looking to study either or both of those at university level, you should take the "introduction to" level course and you will learn all you need to know about the terms.A few linguistic terms you might want to know in advance:Syntax is the term normally used for study of "grammar" in linguistics. Noun and verb are used the same way they are in traditional grammar. Complement and adjunct are two very common syntax terms that are different from those used in traditional grammar (such as "object"). A complement is something that's needed to complete a phrase—for instance, in English, transitive verbs and prepositions require complements (*I took. isn't a valid sentence, it needs I took something.) An adjunct is a modifier that is not syntactically required. (I look and I looked at him are both valid).Phonology is the term used to describe the study of how a language is pronounced. A phoneme is a sound element, vowel or consonant. Morphology is related to syntax but is usually said to be the way that meaning-carrying elements are combined within words or the way that new words are created. A morpheme is a meaning element.Sociolinguistics is the study of variation in language corresponding to sociological concerns (e.g. in Japanese sometimes you will hear da for "is" and sometimes desu; the difference is one of politeness but there is also a marked difference by and large between the way men and women talk; or in English you might hear Mr. Jones or Dave or Mr. Dave in different contexts).Philosophy of language isn't the same as linguistics (and the terminology used in this field varies by the school you're studying).
Do I need to know culture & lifestyle in learning second language?
Yes, you do need to learn about culture and lifestyle. What makes it difficult is that English speakers have so many different cultures and lifestyles. For example, swearing is much more acceptable in Australia than it is in parts of the United States, but Australians are much less "pushy" than Americans, and consider "pushy" behaviour rude. Business phone calls in Australia usually begin with "G'day. How are you going?" "Good thanks," and often some more small talk, before the business is dealt with, and then end with a variety of "Thanks,", "See you later," and so on. Other English speakers may not include this amount of small talk.To an Australian, leaving it out seems like abrupt, even rude behaviour. (Other English speakers also have difficulty with the fact that "How are you going?" means, "How are you?", or "How do you do?" in other parts of the English speaking world.) By and large, English speakers like more personal space than a lot of other people around the world. (Australians like a LOT, especially out in the country, where getting closer than about 6' to another person can be seen as crowding them, unless you know them well, or you need to get in close.) You will need to know this sort of thing if you are going to do business with English speakers, because they will respond better, and so you will have greater success, if they feel comfortable with you, which means you have to know what makes them feel comfortable.
I'm studying English. "pretty much means..." What does this mean?
Hi Taku When one says 'pretty much', they mean yes but not 100 % (percent). Example: My coat is brown but it is not the warmest one I have. 'Is your coat brown?' 'Yes.' 'Is it warm?' 'Pretty much, yes.' 'pretty much' is often said when a person does not want to speak with total authority or make their answer definite. When someone says 'pretty much means...' - they are giving you a meaning for something that has no definite meaning. Or at least to them - they don't have a perfect definition (meaning). Some words do not have a perfect definition at all, even to English speakers. These are often more advanced words, or 'figures of speech' (phrases). I have heard English is hard to learn. Hope this helps and does not confuse you more!
What are some methods for studying the Quran?
The answer above is perfect start reading Quraan in your own language and also read the book called Mohammad by Martin Lings in English its available free on internet and Digital Library of Free Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine also in Audio format, so is translation of Quran.
What is the richest language?
Which is the richest language of the world? It is actually the utmost tricky question for everyone; actually a question with open end. Every language has its own right, own richness. All the language has grown up and evolved in a specific environment, and the language gets the nourishment and richness from the area. But if you are talking about the richest language, then it should be English because it is the most common language all over the world. This language has a vast vocabulary and also a wide range of use. English is constantly getting enriched with new phrases and words. Most of the people all over the world is familiar with this language. English is actually the West Germanic Language; the tradition of English language goes on from the early stage of mediaeval England but in modern era it’s getting global with the various uses. English is actually a jumble of diverse languages, so it is acceptable for all the people of every corner of the world.
Which language is the most fun to learn and why (in your opinion)?
I find it really fun to start learning new Romance languages (now that I've some education in French and Spanish) because I find I can understand them quite easily. (If the English Wikipedia entry doesn't have enough info, I can check with the French, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian...) I also am learning Swedish, though, which is sort-of more fun for me because not many English-speakers bother to learn Swedish (the Swedes all know English) but there are also just enough similarities between the languages to occasionally run across a word that's very similar, which is fun. But I would really like to learn something like Gaelic or Briton or Finnish, something European but so far-removed from anything I've learned that it would be a completely new challenge. (At the very least, I'd like to be able to pronounce Gaelic... what a strange language.)
What is Language Bias?
I'm not really sure what they mean either but try this interpretation. A bias is a slant on an object. Language does not usually have slants although there are dialects and slangs. In a multi-ethnic community, each group will use the common language in it's own way. If the national language is English, but you live in an area that is 30% French speaking, 25% Spanish speaking, 40% English speaking and the remainder a large number of other languages, will the English remain pure or will words from the other languages slip in? Will the way a sentence is constructed remain standard English or will the other languages influence it? I have no idea if this is what is meant but can you work with it?