Which statement reflects the view that there is no inherent relation between word forms and meanings?

• A. Language is a means of communication
• B. Language is creative
• C. There is no inherent relation between word forms and meanings
• D. Language is primarily vocal

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is the arbitrariness of the linguistic sign: there isn’t a necessary, natural link between how a word sounds or looks and what it means. The statement that asserts there is no inherent relation between word forms and meanings captures this view because it says that the connection between form and meaning is conventional and socially agreed upon, not determined by nature.

In practice, this means English speakers call the same animal “dog,” French speakers say “chien,” Spanish speakers say “perro,” and these different forms map to the same concept by agreement, not because the sounds or letters inherently embody the animal. While some words might resemble their meanings in a few cases (onset of sound symbolism like buzz or splash), most word forms are arbitrary across languages. This is why the statement focusing on no inherent relation best expresses the idea.

The other descriptions describe different aspects of language—its function as a means of communication, its creativity and productivity, or its primarily vocal modality—rather than addressing how word forms relate to meanings.