Learning film language is a key starting point for those studying film. Every profession develops its own terminology as a means of communicating ideas with greater precision and depth. When discussing films or writing an essay on a film using terms, definitions and theories, that relate to the film profession, you are engaging in the process of the ‘textual analysis’ of a film.

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For example: "the camera pans from left to right on a wide shot of the New York City skyline" describes a shot using film language, as opposed to "the camera moves left to right showing New York City's skyline"

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Additional comprehensive source on film language available at http://filmtheory.org/glossary/