1. Arbitrariness: There is no inherent connection between a word and its meaning. The word "dog" doesn't sound like a dog, and we could have chosen a different word for it.
2. Displacement: We can talk about things that are not present in the here and now. We can discuss the past, the future, or hypothetical situations.
3. Productivity: We can create an infinite number of new sentences and expressions by combining existing words and grammar rules.
4. Duality of Patterning: Language is composed of two levels of structure: sounds (phonemes) and meaning (morphemes). Phonemes are combined into meaningful units (morphemes), which are then combined into words and sentences.
5. Cultural Transmission: Language is learned through social interaction and not innate. We are not born knowing a specific language; we learn it from those around us.
These five characteristics are what make human language unique and powerful. They allow us to communicate complex ideas, share information, and build relationships.