Language Rocks!

Author Stephen King once was asked the question (and I’m paraphrasing) “I’ve always wanted to write but just can’t sit down and actually do it. Any advice?”

His reply: “a writer writes.”

That, to me, is pure genius. Genius most often lies in taking a complex idea and making it simple. It’s all about attitude, in my opinion. If you want to write, start writing. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering stuff. Above all, be yourself and just put something down. If you’re not happy with it, change it. If you think your story, article or blog is going nowhere, just take a break and revisit it when you’re in the mood. Don’t force it. Do it when you want to, you’ll enjoy it more, and the result will be more pleasing to you and your readers.

“See it all, till tomorrow”

Linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt said that language is “infinite use of finite means,” perhaps because it has to satisfy the infinite array of potential human experiences. To me this suggests that the roots of language lie deep within us as a universal well of kaleidoscopic expression, and that speech is not solely a learned or conditioned behavior, but is an essential aspect of the journeying pilgrim within each of us: the inner immortal hero that relishes life’s battles, quietly learns from victory and defeat alike, and suffers human weaknesses while urging onward courageously day by day, life after life, towards the light.

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Spoken language has existed since the earliest times, and all the oldest written texts were originally transmitted orally. This oral transmission requires, by modern standards, superior powers of memory since, for example, the Rig Veda alone comprises almost half a million words. In Plato’s Phaedrus (§274) Egyptian King Thamus tells Theuth, the inventor of writing, of the superiority of memory:

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OK, my next two posts are for the geeks, although I hope anyone with an enquiring mind will derive even a little understanding and put it to good use.

A few years ago I embarked on a study of speech and language, because I wanted to learn as much as I could about current and ancient thoughts on what language and speech are and how they developed. The finished article was originally published in October/November 2003, December 2003/January 2004 in Sunrise, the official magazine of the Theosophical Society with International Headquarters in Pasadena, USA.

This piece is long (6436 words according to MS Word), so I’ll split it into two posts.

Part one deals with the history of language and speech and it’s development, drawing from ancient and modern sources.

Part two addresses how we use speech and language, it’s impact on the world around us, and the ethics involved in their use.

As I’m no expert, this study is by no means exhaustive, and only scratches the surface, but I hope it gives a deeper insight into the amazing natural gifts we call speech and language.

“See it all, till tomorrow”

Ingredients
(Serves 2 big portions)

8-12 large tomatoes
1 small onion
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Tomato purée
Hot chili powder
Olive oil
2-3 bird’s eye chilis
1 bay leaf
Fresh basil, coarsely chopped
Thick cut bacon or smoked suasage (Matteson’s smoked pork sausage is the best)
Double cream
Tabasco (optional)
6-8 oz penne pasta
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Freshly milled black pepper

How to do it!

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I just added a recipes section to Language Rocks!

You’re now asking “what has food got to do with communication?” The answer is it has everything to do. Escpecially these days.

Sharing a meal with friends or loved ones has always been a time not just for eating, but for talking and communicating. “What did you do today?”, “what do you think of this…?”, “did you hear the one about…?”  Today’s busy lifestyles don’t always make this possible, but it’s worth it as it brings us closer together and makes memories.

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Some might call corned beef hash a winter warmer, but I could eat this any time. It’s simple, healthy, will fill your belly, and it’s delicious.

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

1 onion
1 tin corned beef
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 lb potatoes
Olive oil
salt & freshly milled black pepper
Fresh parsley

How to do it!

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There are two things a writer dreads: writer’s block and a blank first page. Both are inevitable, one is an enemy that only nature can fix, but one is a precipice that is scalable, if you are armed with the right attitude and mental equipment.

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I drove my son to swimming training this evening and had a near miss with another car. Rounding a bend, I saw another car on my side of the road, then it swerved into it own lane just in the nick of time. But just before the driver passed me, I noticed something.

But wait…wait…What has this got to do with language?  I’m coming to it…

…Almost before the other driver passed me in a flash, out of the corner of my eye I saw his hand go up in apology, and saw him mouth “sorry.” So…there’s where language comes into this. In a potentially disastrous situation the other driver sorted his road positioning and had the time, and manners, to apologise to me in two ways: both visual, but both using different forms of language.

Everyone appreciates an apology, or should do anyway. It costs nothing and mends broken bonds.

So, what did I take from this? There are many forms of language, not just written. Sometimes a simple gesture can speak volumes and make a bad situation that little bit better. It’s knowing what to say and when to say it that’s important.

“See it all, till tomorrow”

What is Zen? Zen is a branch of Buddhism that combines spiritual philosophy with living life in a natural and spontaneous way. In what way does an ancient spiritual philosophy relate to modern written communication? Well, let’s explore how…

Why do, or should, we write? Well, we write to communicate ideas. OK, so why not just talk to someone face to face? Answer: it’s not always possible, the main reason is geographical location.  The written word circumvents this.

The written word not only makes it possible for us to write a letter, e-mail, text, or internet content, it lasts longer than the spoken word. For sure, “words are dodgy things”, as they can be misinterpreted and taken out of context, but the written word is historically more reliable than the spoken word, partly because it can be referenced from source material.

It’s up to historians and keen amateurs to offer interpretations of meaning. Letters and documents hundreds of years old still exist today in personal and national archives and libraries. They are studied by scholars and the layman day-in, day-out. Every word is pored over and analysed for meaning and intent. If the Internet Archive is anything to go by, doesn’t this mean that every word we write for the internet or any other print medium carries significant weight, not only for the present but for posterity? Of course it does.

So where does Zen come in (what does it mean anyway?) and how does an ancient philosophy fit in with writing in the 21st century…?

“See it all, till tomorrow”