What is the importance of language in the development of culture?

Question

What is the importance of language in the development of culture?

Answer 1

As simply as can be put, language is the basis of all communication. Without language, no culture or society would be able to develop because the people will lack a means through which they can express their ideas with one another. They would be unable to coordinate on mutual projects, develop social bonds, etc. In terms of culture, in particular, language represents a common tie that all speakers of that language have, especially since fluent language acquisition takes a long time. Knowing how to speak a language indicates that you also know a lot about its culture, and it's for this reason that many ethnic groups guard their native languages so closely. Language reflects history; it reflects the ways in which people think, even. For example, if you have a language that relies on pronouns determined by context--as in Vietnamese--it reflects a hierarchical society. You are never just "you" because your pronoun for "I," "you," "he," etc. depend on whom you are speaking to. (I hope I'm not generalizing too much here. I speak Vietnamese.)