Language and culture are not fundamentally inseparable. At the

most basic level, language is a method of expressing ideas. That is,

language is communication; when usually verbal, language can also be 【M1】_________

visual (via signs and symbols), or semiotics (via hand or body gestures).

Culture, on the other hand, is a special set of ideas, practices, customs 【M2】_________

and beliefs which make up a functioning society as distinct.

A culture must have at most one language, which it uses as a distinct 【M3】_________

media of communication to convey its defining ideas, customs, beliefs, 【M4】_________

etc. , from one member of the culture to any member. Cultures can 【M5】_________

develop multiple languages, or “borrow” languages from other cultures

to use; not all such languages are co-equal in the culture. One of the

major defining characteristics of culture is which language is the primary 【M6】_________

means of communication in that culture; sociologists and anthropologists

draw lines among similar cultures heavily based on the prevalent 【M7】_________

language usage.

Languages, on the other hand, can be developed apart from its

originated culture. Certain language has scope for cross-cultural 【M8】_________

adaptations and communication, and may not actually be part of some 【M9】_________

culture. Additionally, many languages are used by different cultures

(that is, the same language can be used in several cultures).

Language is heavily influenced by culture—as cultures come out with 【M10】________

new ideas, they develop language components to express those ideas.

The reverse is also true: the limits of a language can define what is

expressible in a culture (that is, the limits of a language can prevent

certain concepts from being part of a culture).

【M2】