This instrument is not a physical weapon developed and used by nations. Some dedicate their lives to understanding it better. Others think they wield it well and end up fooled. It is an instrument that can be harnessed by a toddler, a woman, a native, or one who is unfamiliar. Many would claim this instrument is a defining characteristic of the human race. It is my preferred instrument to use when dealing with conflict or disagreement. To quote the English poet and novelist, Angela Carter, "the instrument of domination and liberation" is Language.
Language is generally defined as "the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way." I will ascribe to this definition for the purposes of this post, although language could refer to the methods in which organisms other than humans communicate with each other.
Since humans have been humans, we have used language to communicate. As we have spread across the earth, our languages have become diversified. Language adapts to the time and situation it finds itself in. It is a tool that we harness to emote and explain ideas we have. Across time, leaders have harnessed the power of language to inspire their people to wonderful, or horrific, deeds.
The more one studies language, the more elusive it seems. The more we try and pin it down, the more we realize its need to be free. Language is only useful when it can be properly understood. With each year, new slang comes rolling through our phones and mouths. Some people are devastated by it. They claim that is dirties the language and makes it more difficult to understand. But the fact of the matter is language has no pure form. Every dialect that has been formed since the beginning of human communication has been an attempt by the user to utilize their language more effectively to describe their situation. Slang, accents, contractions, and any other form of language derivation is a step towards a more inclusive and complete language. Given enough time, humans will have a word for every thing we can see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.
Language has some really interesting capabilities. Like I mentioned earlier, how a leader speaks could influence the way those they lead view them. The way a leader speaks also has an impact on how that leader perceives themselves. If a leader is egotistical and always speaks as if they are the smartest in the room, soon they will come to believe that. If a leader speaks with humility, they will soon emulate that. If a leader speaks in a certain way (as highlighted in this TED talk) they can elicit a certain response from those they are speaking to. They can recite a powerful, short phrase and incite a memory of a simpler time. They can say the powerful line "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," (FDR) and become one of the most beloved US presidents of all time. A leader could say "One people, one nation, one leader," and command a reign of terror through Europe with his people behind him. Language shapes the way we think and act (TED talk).
Language is pivotal to our life. We should dedicate time to learn it, and learn it well. We should be able to understand rhetoric when we hear it. We should be able to cut through the fluff of language and understand the true meaning and purpose of what is being said. We are too smart to be duped by linguistic tricks. Language is our tool. If we use it correctly, it is a tool of liberation for thousands who are enslaved. If we ignore it, someone else will use it as a tool to dominate and enslave us.
Thanks for reading.
"Language serves not only to express thought, but to make possible thoughts which could not exist without it." -Bertrand Russell
Here is another fascinating TED talk about Body Language.