On The Power of Language

Language... is such a powerful thing. I am not talking about language as a way to just talk, or say a word. I mean language, which encompasses the language that is used by the visually-impaired, hearing-impaired, and speech-impaired. It is language that is written in books, shown in symbols, passed on orally from one generation to another, felt on the Braille system, typed through your keyboard, or passed from one mind to another.

It is the raw power of NAMES. Imagine a world without names. Nothing to separate one thought, one experience, one memory from another. Nothing to separate YOU from ME. We will merely be reacting to external stimuli without thought or judgment.

Language is the very thing that puts us above other animals. Take language away, let a child grow without exposure to language since birth, and that human will have a mind equal to or less than that of an animal.

Language, I must say, may even be the soul. The thoughts of one person, the ideals of one person, they can all be passed down to future generations through language. Even when that person dies, through language, his thoughts still live and continue to evolve in the body of another person. Through language, one thought can meld into other thoughts, other thoughts can meld into one thought. Evolving, changing, whether positively or negatively.

Yes, language is thought.

In animals, it may be possible to pass on behavior through imitation. But this passing on of behavior is very much limited. But in humans, with the help of language, the limitations are almost nil, when compared to a situation where there is no language involved.

Language allows for organization of thoughts. Without language, memories will merely be memories. But with language, memories can be organized. Related memories can be put together. This allows for a more effective use of mental resources. This is how the brain works, like thoughts attract like thoughts. But without language, there are no like or unlike thoughts.

An individual's body dies, but ideas and thoughts passed on through language will live as long as another individual holds them. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, they are all passed down through the generations through language. Imagine the impact of Jesus Christ on the world, that is made possible through language. Buddha, Zoroasther, Muhammed, they all utilized the power of language.

Without language, you cannot think! Yes, you cannot have the thoughts that you have now. You can only think because you have already experienced language.

Such is the power of language.