The Promises of Language in Communication Language allows the transmission of culture. Culture includes everything from what a particular group of people eat to their laws and punishments for crimes. Types of nonmaterial culture include the laws and punishments as well as the values and the belief systems of a people. A primary purpose of language is to transmit culture from generation to generation. Culture is learned by new members of a group and shared by all members of a group through language.
Language aids people in adjusting as their culture changes.
Cultures are shaped by the environment in which people live, the technology the people possess, and even the personalities of the people within the culture. They are forced to adapt, and language aids people in adjusting as their culture changes. In fact, language can even be used to initiate the change. The environment has a major impact on a people's culture. The climate, terrain, and even the quality of the air affect what words people use, how they use those words, and what words people must create.