Linguistic anthropology illustrates anthropology’s characteristic interests in diversity, comparison, and change—but here the focus is on language. Language, spoken (speech) and written (writing—which has existed for about 6,000 years), is our primary means of communication. Like culture in general, of which language is a part, language is transmitted through learning. Language is based on arbitrary, learned associations between words and the things they stand for. Unlike the communication systems of other animals, language allows us to discuss the past and future, share our experiences with others, and benefit from their experiences.
Anthropologists study language in its social and cultural context (Bonvillain 2008; Salzmann 2007).
- Some linguistic anthropologists reconstruct ancient languages by comparing their contemporary descendants and in doing so make discoveries about history.
- Others study linguistic differences to discover the varied worldviews and patterns of thought in a multitude of cultures.
- Sociolinguists examine dialects and styles in a single language to show how speech reflects social differences, as in the above discussion of regional speech contrasts.
- Linguistic anthropologists also explore the role of language in colonization and globalization (Geis 1987; Thomas 1999).