| 单词 | language |
| 释义 | language /lang"gwij/, n. 1. a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition: the two languages of Belgium; a Bantu language; the French language; the Yiddish language. 2. communication by voice in the distinctively human manner, using arbitrary sounds in conventional ways with conventional meanings; speech. 3. the system of linguistic signs or symbols considered in the abstract (opposed to speech). 4. any set or system of such symbols as used in a more or less uniform fashion by a number of people, who are thus enabled to communicate intelligibly with one another. 5. any system of formalized symbols, signs, sounds, gestures, or the like used or conceived as a means of communicating thought, emotion, etc.: the language of mathematics; sign language. 6. the means of communication used by animals: the language of birds. 7. communication of meaning in any way; medium that is expressive, significant, etc.: the language of flowers; the language of art. 8. linguistics; the study of language. 9. the speech or phraseology peculiar to a class, profession, etc.; lexis; jargon. 10. a particular manner of verbal expression: flowery language. 11. choice of words or style of writing; diction: the language of poetry. 12. Computers. a set of characters and symbols and syntactic rules for their combination and use, by means of which a computer can be given directions: The language of many commercial application programs is COBOL. 13. a nation or people considered in terms of their speech. 14. Archaic. faculty or power of speech. [1250-1300; ME < AF, var. sp. of langage, deriv. of langue tongue. See LINGUA, -AGE] Syn. 2. See speech. 4, 9. tongue; terminology; lingo, lingua franca. LANGUAGE, DIALECT, JARGON, VERNACULAR refer to patterns of vocabulary, syntax, and usage characteristic of communities of various sizes and types. LANGUAGE is applied to the general pattern of a people or race: the English language. DIALECT is applied to certain forms or varieties of a language, often those that provincial communities or special groups retain (or develop) even after a standard has been established: Scottish dialect. A JARGON is either an artificial pattern used by a particular (usually occupational) group within a community or a special pattern created for communication in business or trade between members of the groups speaking different languages: the jargon of the theater; the Chinook jargon. A VERNACULAR is the authentic natural pattern of speech, now usually on the informal level, used by persons indigenous to a certain community, large or small. |
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英语词典包含168451条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。