1. Arbitrariness: There is no inherent connection between a word and its meaning. For example, there is no reason why "cat" represents a feline creature rather than a chair.
2. Duality of Patterning: Language is structured at two levels: sounds (phonemes) and meanings (morphemes). We can combine a limited number of sounds to create an infinite number of meaningful words and phrases.
3. Displacement: We can talk about things that are not physically present, or events that happened in the past or will happen in the future. This allows us to share information about abstract concepts and hypothetical situations.
4. Productivity: We can create new words and sentences, and understand novel utterances. This enables us to express an endless range of ideas and thoughts.
5. Recursion: We can embed sentences within sentences. This allows us to create complex and nuanced expressions.
6. Cultural Transmission: Language is learned through social interaction, not genetically inherited. This allows languages to evolve and adapt over time.
These six properties, taken together, contribute to the remarkable complexity and versatility of human language.