Need help with my writing homework on Role of Language in Different Areas of Knowledge. Write a 1250 word paper answering; It is essentially a common sense of usage to say that language is a method of verbal or written communication between two parties. It would be beyond the scope of this project to consider communications between animals or between animals and humans to be a part of the language itself but communications between humans who speak the same language are certainly under discussion here. Moreover, it would be impossible to discuss the peculiarities of one or more languages with regard to how the speakers of that language acquire knowledge but it is possible to discuss both in general terms.
Therefore, as recommended by Chomsky (1997), while dealing with language in the context of knowledge, it is important to consider language as an internalized mechanism for obtaining knowledge. In and of itself, the definition of language given by the American Linguist Leonard Bloomfield is quite acceptable to Chomsky (1997, Pg. 7) since Bloomfield defines language as, “the totality of utterances than can be made in a speech community”. Chomsky is less appreciative of the definition of language given by Quine who calls language, “a complex of present dispositions to verbal behavior (Chomsky, 1997, Pg. 12)”. The simpler definition becomes more relevant when we consider how complex the definition of knowledge can be.
When it comes to knowledge, Chomsky divides knowledge into two branches with regard to the importance of language in each. The first branch is called “knowledge-how” and the second branch is “knowledge-that”. ‘Knowledge how’ has to do with the way things work and way processes known to us take place in the world around us. ‘Knowledge that’ connects deeply with events that take place around us and both these branches of knowledge combine to give us the ability to take part in as active members of society.
As discussed by Chomsky (1997) language is fundamental to .both forms of knowledge since, without language, ideas would not find their expression in either branch.
