The Power of Language

Language is one of the most important things in our world. It is used in many different ways, whether it be good or bad. Language is extremely powerful. It is, after all, how we communicate for the most part.

Language can be either empowering or disempowering depending on how it’s looked at. A perfect example would be for new students. I have had a handful of new students in my classes from a foreign country. So far, all of them have not been able to speak English. This is extremely disempowering to these people because English is our main language. If they want to communicate effectively, they will have to adapt to their surrounding and pick up a new language.

Now when I look at it from my standpoint, it can be empowering. I say this because it makes me feel powerful and at a higher level when I have to help someone with something, especially when it’s as important as learning a new language. I love taking a challenge that’s not only going to help me, but more importantly another person.

I remember my freshman and sophomore year when I took Spanish class. There were already a handful of students that could speak it fluently. This was very intimidating to me because I had no knowledge of that language, thus it was an extremely disempowering experience for me. Now when I look at it vice versa, it was empowering to those who already knew Spanish. They had a head start and knew almost everything about it.

Language is used by every age person out there, whether it be an infant or an elder person. Although, they do tend to use language and communication in a much different way. The biggest way I can tell if a baby wants something is when it either reaches for something, or simply starts whining and crying. An elder person will communicate just as teens and middle age people do for the most part. The only real difference is that the elders have a broader range of knowledge, and therefore will use bigger and more complicated words.

Another type of communication is done through body language. Body language is another type of communication that is used every day whether you realize it or not. This is a very important type of communication, especially for those who are either deaf or can’t speak the same language. I use this for communicating with those students who don’t speak English. I will use hand signals and try to point at certain objects to either get my point across, or to try to figure out what they’re trying to tell me.

It would be great if everybody’s knowledge of language was equal, but unfortunately that’s not how it works. Every person has to stride to be the best they can be. I know that the harder I study I a language, the better I will become, just as it is for anyone else. I have been through years and years of English classes so I know this from personal experience.

Language will always be one of the most important forms of communication. We will continue to use it for centuries and probably millenniums to come. I guess we won’t be here to find out, but I believe as time goes on the different types of language and communication will become more advanced.