Expressive power of natural language

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:For the concept in computer languages, see Expressive power
In linguistics, the concept of expressive power in natural language involves a treatment of expressiveness as quantitative and qualitative properties of natural languages, in both the assessment of particular languages and as a means to compare different ones. The topic largely deals with the primary question of comparative linguistics: "What statements can be formulated in certain languages that can't be formulated in others?" or more accurately "what is the efficiency differential between languages in conveying expressions of exact equivalence?" The inquiry further deals with why certain languages can or cannot express such statements, either because of a presence or lack of particular concepts (words, terms, vocabulary), or because the term has properties which don't translate directly or well (meta-concepts, idioms, cultural terms).
In the direct comparison of a statement made in two different languages, varied tools can be used including translation, transliteration, and direct transliteration. Important differences that influence expressive power include vocabularies, the phenomenon of cultural, implied, or idiomatic meaning in expressions, logical structures and inflections. Languages employing smaller vocabularies or unregulated schemes for word assimilation are contrasted with languages that have larger vocabularies or systematic word foundations.
Caveats
The term "expressive power" is only useful if defined such that each of its respective dimensions are given values, and that in the end the concept deals with the ability of a language to form varied sophisticated expressions. The concept is sometimes controversial, as qualitative assertions can be drawn from the concept that certain languages are more powerful than others. The concept thus can be subjective, and in reality all natural languages are at least "adequate" within to their local society and culture, and from within such a culture, the inclusion of foreign concepts may be seen as unnecessary. In modern societies, it is natural that dissimilar societies are seen as lacking certain concepts, as that the lack of particular concepts has bearing on the ability of such people to understand and communicate. Vocabulary size influences one's ability to deal with new concepts, and any concepts which require the one as their prerequisite.
Further the concept is preferential to modes of communication that deprecate the usage of sign, such as body language and other human condition context, for direct literal expression such that can be communicated through words alone. In this sense, a statement such as "hello" can mean a number of different things depending on the context, manner of articulation, gesture, and facial expression. The word "hello," for example, is said by a familiar friendly person often conveys the meaning of a warm greeting, but when used a stranger in a sinister tone, it may indicate harmful intentions.
Complexity
Conceptual compression and expansion factors are often complex and idiomatic, such that "power" may indicate an ability to express certain concepts in the most efficient way.
Hence an expression like colloquial English "sup," or "what's up" —a compression of "what is up," meaning a greeting or salutation that asks about one's being, life events, state of mind, and even correctness of being —is extremely powerful in the sense that it can convey much meaning in a very short expression (1-2 syllables), but at the same time it is highly idiomatic, and therefore sometimes not understood (decompressable) in non-colloquial context.

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