DOI: 10.4324/9781003349860-1
1 Introduction to the book
Language is a complex communication set that leverages symbols, such as words
or gestures, to convey meaning. It is key for people to express their thoughts,
shape their ideas, provide substance to their feelings, and understand the feelings
of others. Its mechanisms are essential for human social interaction, and its
peculiarities set humans apart from other animals.
Language embraces three diverse dimensions related to its linguistic struc-
ture (i.e. the words and vocabulary that characterise a specific language) as well
as its communicative power (in terms of both verbal and non-verbal tools, such
as gestures) and abstract nature, according to which language may be considered
a set ...