At any rate, my friend believes that language (i.e., the ability to communicate with each other using words) is divine or given to us by God. He contends, though, that speech and language are two different things: "language" is the actual thinking process, for we think in words and to a great degree experience our reality in word concepts. Thus, for him learning another language is about 15% "translation" and the other 80% or so is learning how to think in the other tongue; the "speech" aspect is merely the verbal expression of this process.
What I'd like to see from everyone is a response about language (true language distinguishes us from the animals, so I'm not referring to monkeys or parrots being taught to imitate language) and how important it is our being. Does language and speech, as it is defined above, determine who we are as individuals? Where do we learn best to communicate and think? Is it through reading literature, instruction in writing and rhetoric classes, our everyday dialogue with friends, etc.? Perhaps we have an open window early on in our life to learn and acquire language skills, and if we don't access this "window," or if we don't exercise our skills while this window is open, we will not develop as well as we could/should.
I'd like your random thoughts. I'm not picky to be sure. Just respond before Sunday evening.
