THE CONTRIBUTION OF INDIVIDUAL LINGUISTIC CULTURES TO FORM THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Annotation

Lexicology as a branch of linguistics has its own aims and methods of scientific research, its basic task being a study and systematic description of vocabulary in respect to its origin, development and current use. Lexicology is concerned with words, variable word-groups, phraseological units, and with morphemes which make up words. The role of language as a tool to express culture reality can be seen from: 1) Language is part of culture, 2) Even the language and the culture is in different, but have a very close relationship, 3) Language is strongly influenced by culture, and 4) Language significantly influence culture and way of thinking of people living within. In the communication, language used by people is influence their culture or vice versa. If used parables, the culture and language like Siamese twins, the two things that cannot be separated.

Keywords: Language, Communication, Cultural reality, linguistic, Lexicology,

Introduction

There are two principal approaches in linguistic science to the study of language material, namely the synchronic (Gr. syn — ‘together, with’ and chronos — ‘time’) and the diachronic (Gr. dia — ‘through’) approach. With regard to Special Lexicology the synchronic approach is concerned with the vocabulary of a language as it exists at a given time, for instance, at the present time. It is special Desñriptive Lexicology that deals with the vocabulary and vocabulary units of a particular language at a certain time. A Course in Modern English Lexicology is therefore a course in Special Descriptive Lexicology, its object of study being the English vocabulary as it exists at the present time. Language indicates each of its nation, a parable once say so. If its meaning pondered deeper, may make us wiser in understanding and addressing all cases that linked between language and attitude or behavior of groups of speakers of the languages. (Alwi, 2004:21). Wisdom is likely to strengthen believe about the role of language in the development of the culture.

There are several theories on the relationship of language and culture. Some say that even language is part of culture but they are different, but in terms of relation they are very close each other, so it cannot be separated. Some say that the language is strongly influenced by culture, so that all things in the culture will be reflected in the language. Conversely, there is also a saying that language influence culture, and the human or their speakers way of thinking. This paper intended to discuss the nature of language, the nature of culture and how language can express the cultural reality of the language users. We proceed from the assumption that the word is the basic unit of language system, the largest on the morphologic and the smallest on the syntactic plane of linguistic analysis. The word is a structural and semantic entity within the language system connected with  linguistic cultures.

Various definition of the language has been proposed by linguists. Language is a

form, not the substance (in Chaer Lyons 1995:60). While Chaer (1995:14) mentions the characteristics that constitute the essence of language as a symbol of the sound system, are arbitrary, productive, dynamic, diverse, and humane.

Language as a system, which means that formed by a number of components that are fixed and can be patterned. As a system, in addition to the systematic language

are also systemic. Systematic meaning, language arranged according to a certain pattern, not arranged randomly or arbitrarily. While systematic means that language is a single system, but rather consists of several subsystems that differ from other languages. Language subsystem consists of phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon.

Therefore the language also commonly considered unique but universal at the same

time. Unique means having the characteristics or properties not possessed by other

languages, while universal means having the same traits that exist in all languages.

When compared with animals that have a variety of forms of communication, so

people just use the language. Basically there are two types of animal communication systems: first, communication systems found in the bees. The second all communication systems exist in monkeys and birds. Human languages have something similar to this communication, but has a major difference compared to both (Gee, 1993: 2). Bees can communicate the presence of nectars to their group members, like the distance of the nectars, direction to the location, and the number of nectar found by using a particular dance. Gee called the bee dance to communicate the presence of the nectar as point-bypoint system. In addition to bees, monkeys and birds also have a way to communicate. African apes are capable to produce 36 kinds of sound for various situations. Among them was a different sound for the same situation, so  communication system able to deliver 22 kinds of messages. In addition, the birds also have a way to communicate even only consist of a very limited vocabulary to deliver messages.

Furthermore, Chaer and Agustina (2004:26-29) suggests 16 kinds of distinctive

human language, as follows:

1) The language uses vowel auditory pathway. In this case, there are similarities

between communication systems owned by many animals, including crickets,

frogs, and birds.