Language

A language is a system used to facilitate communication among higher animals and/or computers. This article is about the fundamental features typically found in nearly all natural human languages. For information about artificial languages specifically for computers, see computer language. Higher animals believed to employ audible language only, without symbols, include, but are not limited to, dolphins and whales. For information about this subject, see "Animal communication".

The Latin word "lingua" is equivalent to the English word "tongue". The word "language" is intimately related to the word "tongue" as the primary means of forming the sounds. Strategic interactions of the tongue with other components of the vocal tract, particularly the teeth and the palate, lead to the living synthesis of human speech.

"Language" (without an article) can also refer to the use of such systems as a phenomenon. "Language" is also used to refer to common properties of languages.

The problem of language is emerging as the central preoccupa­tion of our time.