Language

Introduction

This assignment is an approach to “language”, which is present in all human dimensions; both in activities of his intellect, and in interaction with the surrounding environment. Language, broadly speaking, is the overall capacity of humans to symbolize reality, develop thinking and communicating through any means. We discuss why we are sometimes prisoners to the language we use while on the other hand, treat language as a medium that liberates us. We took the examples of certain autobiographies to see their effect, had they been written in the third person language instead of first person approach. The least part of the discussion aims to evaluate the usefulness of online writing and reading (using internet as a medium) in formal education.

Discussion

Language and Liberation

Like all the other debates, the argument over whether thought controls language or language controls thought is ultimately improvable. In few instances, we see that thoughts control the way we speak and content we deliver through the use of language. In other instances we see that language tends to control our expressions and cognitive directions. The influence of linguistics on the formation of thoughts has been a concerning argument among many linguists and analysts. The theory of Sapir - Whorf was and still much debated, suggests that language, including vocabulary, models and symbols, not only facilitate the process of guiding thinking and even control the way of thinking (Brooks, p. 233-242). Hence, through this viewpoint, we can suggest that language indeed liberates the human mind and frees it from thought that continually build inside. In our view too, language shapes the structures of thought and not the individual instances.

People, who do not understand their own social situation and surroundings, remain prisoners of the dominant culture imposed on them. These people do not know how to tackle with their experiences to say what they mean. For them, language creates an imprisoning feeling where their actual thoughts remain suppressed or neglected. On the other hand, for people who know their social standing and cultural edge, use language as a tool to express their opinions at the right time. The timing and the way of expression, controlled by the speaker is an added requirement for an effective use of language in an attempt to free the human mind.

Writing Autobiographies in “Third Person”

An autobiography is the story of a life: the name implies that the writer will somehow attempt to capture ...