If we did not have language we would not be able to have the understanding of pleasures and luxuries we have today. Language plays an amazing and vital role in life. If we did not have language, all we could ever understand and utilize is visual images. Language is how we interpret love, our actions, desires and emotions. Without language and that method of communication we could only use visual or sensual actions. The story of a woman meeting a blind man who never realized sound was a real thing was an amazing story. It was like a hidden world that was at the tip of someone’s fingers. 27 years of life only to really find out and understand there was another and tremendous way of life. I couldn’t truly picture myself without language. My mother once told me, the amount of languages you know, is the number of identities or “persons” you could be. So for example I know Latin, Farsi, and English, so I’m capable of being 3 people in a sense. So I wonder what’s like to know no language. Language doesn’t even have to be verbal or physical. Performing simple actions or making facial expressions can perfectly symbolize someone’s feelings or emotional state. While it’s a lot more limited, language in a verbal and physical manner exponentially increase communicational potential. There was a lot of stories in the podcasts that really hit me, but for some reason I find a lot of interest in the potential of never understanding or knowing language on that level.
Rahem,
I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I loved what your mother had to say about the number of languages one knows–and you tied this comment into the podcast with powerful effect. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. If you enjoyed that podcast, I encourage you to listen to other episodes. That podcast never fails to blow me away!