Language acts as a valuable tool that serves as a medium of communication. Without language, societies would be unable to function, and there would be disorganization everywhere. The importance of language can be seen from the day to day interactions in which people can get their needs fulfilled by using language as a means of communication. Linguistic anthropologists study how language influences social life. They examine the languages that are on the brink of extinction along with documenting the structure and use of languages. The linguistic anthologists also explore how language molds communication, create a social identity, while also organizing cultural beliefs and ideologies and also formulates an artistic representation of the social world.
Every social group provides its members with a linguistic repertoire. The members of the society then draw upon this repertoire to depict activities, identities and other acts. It is essential for linguistic anthropologists to study both language acquisition and socialization at the same time because it proves beneficial in apprehending the emergence of language and cultural competence that has been occurring over the decades. Language acquired by children and adult is influenced by varying social factors such culture, norms, beliefs, and traditions. Therefore, both social skills and language skills are obtained simultaneously. The acquisition of both the capabilities then leads to the field of Linguistic anthropology that functions as a bridge between understanding how social factors influence language. Linguistic anthropologists strive towards encoding the relationship between the process of learning the language and the role of social and cultural factors that have a direct influence on the learner. The social and cultural factors shape an individual’s identity, the way a person interacts with others and behaves in a particular situation. Therefore, it is necessary to study language learning process and socialization at the same time.
