The power and importance of language

Stories that have been passed down for generations were put into writing as a way of preservation. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

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PAULA HENRY-DURU

Communicating is the universal means by which we interact with loved ones, friends and strangers alike. We speak, write, sing, sign, draw, and act, and through all these methods we try to get a message across to others.

Language is important because without it so much knowledge would be lost. In probably every culture on Earth, stories have been passed down for generations, whether as ancestral stories, folktales, myths or legends. However without physical copies, stories are made vulnerable and can be lost through time. In this case, written language is preferable for long-term passage of information.

Written language takes the stage in online articles, books, subtitles and closed captions in movies and videos. It goes beyond words, and includes pictures, symbols, texts and digital writing as well. With technology, most of our writing now is done on phones or keyboards, where we send emails and text messages but this doesn’t make

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them any less impactful.

Sign Language is another form that allows us to communicate with each other. Although this form of language is primarily used by members of the Deaf and Hardof-Hearing Community, anyone can learn it to make communication with others a richer and fuller experience.

Humans also communicate through art. We paint, take pictures and make films. We carve sculptures, and craft jewelry, we choreograph dances and design clothes. This form of communication seems to be at the basis of language. It’s on the principle of ‘show don’t tell’, and humans have been communicating like this for millenia.

Dating as far back as 60,000 years ago, art has been found as paintings and engravings on cave walls and is often thought to be at the beginning of human art and language development. Cave art consisted of humans and/or animal drawings created to tell a story, and that’s not so different from what we do now.

From bold displays like graffiti on walls to tiny tattoos on fingers, we express ourselves in a bid to communicate with others. Art is the language that speaks for itself; even if we can’t properly explain what we mean in our creations, somehow people understand and connect to it on their own.

Whether it's in-person or through a screen, the power of language is undeniable and the proof is there in monumental speeches and in poems that can move one to tears. Besides all the damage that can be done with language, I truly believe that at its core, language is a beautiful thing and this is why it’s so important: it brings us together and gives us a way to share knowledge and even parts of ourselves to others.