Usage patterns 〈 言げん 語ご 〉 を 学まな ぶ to learn a language
He likes learning new languages.
〈 言げん 語ご 〉 を 話はな す to speak a language
She speaks three languages.
言げん 語ご の 壁かべ language barrier
Working abroad, you often feel a language barrier.
〈 数かず 〉 ヶ国語を話すかこくごをはなす to speak (a certain number of) languages
He can speak five languages.
Expressions 異い 言げん 語ご another language; different languages Related words 言葉 is the everyday word for 'word' or 'language', while 言語 is the more formal, academic term for a language system.
語 is typically used as a suffix attached to a country or region name (e.g., 日本語 ), whereas 言語 stands alone as a general noun for 'language'.
言語 is the ordinary, general word for 'language', whereas ラング is a specialized Saussurean term for the abstract language system.
Don't confuse with 原語 (げんご ) is a homophone of 言語 (げんご ) but means 'the original language' of a translated text, not 'language' in general.
言語 means 'language' itself, while 言語学 is the academic discipline that studies language.
言語 means 'language' as a whole system, whereas 単語 is just one word within that language, despite sharing the kanji 語 .
Etymology From Middle Chinese 言語 (MC ŋɨɐn ŋɨʌX, “language, speech”). The reading げんご is the regular on'yomi. The alternative reading ごんご reflects an older borrowing pattern, and げんきょ is an obsolete kana usage.
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