At the Wall of Love in Paris, France, the words "I love you" are written in 250 languages. Photo from: Wikimedia Commons.
How do you share information with others? You might write something down. You might say it out loud. Or, you might nod, wave or point. These are all examples of language. Language is a way for people to communicate.

Language includes writing and speaking. When you write or say the word "hi," that means "hello." Body movements are part of language, too. These movements are called gestures. When you wave to someone, that can also mean "hello."

Language has been around for millions of years. Writing came later. People started writing about 5,000 years ago.

Language is very important in human history. With language, people could connect with one another. They could share important information. Language led humans to live in groups.

Babies cannot speak when they are born. Yet they have an amazing ability. They can understand language. Soon, they will learn to speak. They do not need any special training. Children learn to speak by listening to other people.

Other kinds of language are different. They must be taught. This is true for writing.

Get Your Message Across With Your Head And Neck!

Sound is the main part of language. Sounds are combined into words. Words are combined into sentences. Then sentences grow into paragraphs. You can keep building and building.

Students in Laos, a country in Asia, learn some words of sign language. Photo from: Wikimedia Commons.
Not all languages are spoken, however. Sign language is not a spoken language. It uses hand movements instead of speech. These movements stand for letters and words.

People who cannot hear use sign language. But many people who do speak also use body movements. Gestures are a great way to communicate. For example, nodding your head up and down means "yes." You don't have to say "yes" at the same time. You can get your message across with your head and neck!

Thousands Of Languages, Millions Of People

There are thousands of languages. Some are spoken by millions of people. Others are spoken by very few people. The most popular languages today are English, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Most countries have one main language. This makes things easy. Everyone can understand each other.

Languages Can Blur Together

Sometimes, two languages get mixed together. They form a new language. These mixtures have a name. They are called pidgin languages.

Languages do not just stick to themselves. They blur together. Some languages borrow words. They take words from another language. For example, people who speak English say "pasta." This word is from the Italian language. English-speakers also use the word "karate." This word is really Japanese.

Over time, languages grow and change. People make new words. They change old words, too. "Cellphone" is an example. We first called these devices "cellular phones." People shortened the "cellular." "Cellphone" is easier to say.

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