1. Words and Communication

What does it mean to say that language is a game?

All languages can be broken into different game pieces of vowels, consenents, pitches, stresses, junctures and terminal contours. All these pieces are used in the game of putting them together for a way to communicate.

If Langauge is a game, does that mean that conversation, based on language, is a game?

Yes, because the object is to convey the different words one used in the previous game and a new game is created to make sure one understands the other.

What other definitions of language does Farb offer?



Defend the assertion that speech is the basis of "all the other hallmarks of our humanity".

Speech can definately be considered the basis of "all the other hallmarks of our humanity" because without speech, of some kind (not necessarily full sentences or words) there is very little communication and we are limited to what we can convey. Pointing and gestures can only get so far, but even gestures are considered a type of speech (American Sign Language). With sounds and gestures humanity has been free to alter and combine and create many different languages of their own filled with complexity in audio and script.

What are the attributes of a game? What implications does langauge being a game have?

A game must have game pieces, and a set of rules to play by and most importantly, a (set of) player(s). Language has different sounds as the game pieces, the players are humanity itself, and the rules are endless for different forms of communication. Each langauge can have a set of rules and thus a new game in itself, depending. For instance, Japanese is a different game as opposed to old English. There are different characters, sounds, and order to how things work, thus creating 2 ways for the same game. The goal in all games, however, is the same: communciate to another person.