There are many different languages around the world. To me language is a method to communicate with others. English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, these are some examples of languages that humans use to communicate with each other. Animals also have their own language. Communication is different from language because communication is exchanging a conversation by interacting with one another in many different ways. Language plays a huge role in design. Designers use languages to send a message behind their work.

Languages are not limited to just words. “Language is limited by nothing in the choice of means, for apparently nothing would prevent the associating of any idea whatsoever with just any sequence of sounds.” (Saussure). Symbols and icons are also related to language because that is another way on how people communicate. For example, fast food restaurants have disability icons in parking lots, male and female icons for the restroom and more. When people see those icons, they understand what it means. Back in the old times around 8000 B.C., Sumerians used tokens as a counting technique. “A counting technique used by the Sumerians beginning around 8000 B.C. involved small “tokens” manufactured out of clay. (Miller) This example shows that tokens were used to record transactions, but we use money now.

Signs are an object people use to express a meaning, this includes graphic communication. For example stop signs, drivers use that to stop and check if any pedestrians are waiting to cross the road. Pedestrians use the stop signs on the road to check if any car is coming before crossing. This is a way people can communicate by just using signs. Archaic numbering started in ancient times, it has since evolved and expanded to what we have now.