The Essence of Language
Language. We all need it and we all use it every day. Without language, people would be lost in a world of confusion and non-communication. Everything we say, everything we write and everyone we interact with needs language as a vessel for communication. Language is the tool that helps us get our message across to others. Language and a good understanding of its principles is essential in this world of information technology and constant communication.
I have developed a passion over the years for language and in particular, language editing and writing. I cannot imagine a world without text, without speech or without communication. Language not only allows us to communicate with each other, but it enables us to convey emotion. Through words and speech, we are able to tell each other when we are upset, when we are happy or when we are sad. We voice our opinions, we debate ideas and we express our wants and needs. Language enables us to do all this and so much more. The way I see it, language is really the social glue holding our interactions with others together. Non-verbal communications do play a huge part, but I'll leave that to the field of Psychology…
Whether language is formal, informal, elevated in style, confusing, simple or whether it’s the pseudo-language found in SMSes or on the pages of Facebook and Twitter, it is still language.
The English language and all its intricacies inspire me every day. It is these intricacies and the constant learning process that makes up the use (and sometimes abuse of language) that I am interested in. When I see a well-written, well-edited piece of writing or when I hear well-spoken speech, I feel as if something has been achieved by that person. It is more than just an achievement in constructive and effecive communication. It is a work of wonder or a piece of art that has been carefully composed. Yes, it is true that most people don’t give a second thought to the messages they are sending out there. I do. I care about what I write, what I edit, the messages that I personally convey and the messages that I convey on behalf of others.
Perhaps you do too?