Linguistics: Importance of Language

Language definitely creates reality within us and around us. All the human progress so far is the direct result of human language because language ignites thinking, thinking creates behaviour and behaviour creates results. This result is the basis of all human activity, development and progress. This is what chimpanzees lack so they cannot make computers. Let me ask you a question!

Why chimpanzees cannot make computers?

The answer is simple:
Human race dominates life on earth because of our way of life, use of things in the world around to extend our capabilities, our complex social structures with its hierarchies and divisions of labor and our ability to conceptualize to learn, to solve problems and so on and so forth.

Look what chimpanzees can do. They can use tools, strip twigs and use them to extract termites from their nests. Chimpanzees can be trained to respond to different symbolic gestures. So if we can build computers why they cannot. The reason is that they lack a larynx and a mouth that allows the articulation of a wide variety of sounds; without these they cannot make computers.

The very concept of building computer would be impossible without speech because even our thoughts are impossible without speech. We cannot conceptualize without the framework that our language provides for perceiving the world around us.

Without this extremely complex system of communication, we could do but nothing. Simple tasks like learning, planning and cooperation require language. Without language, it is impossible to point to any thing in time and space. Language allows human beings to learn and adapt to changing circumstances far more quickly than would be achieved by evolution.

The Power of Language

The power that language gives us is so great that Allah said to the prophet in the Qur’an:

“Read in the name of thy Lord!”

The message of Islam cannot be spread without language. Langauge is one of the most significant gifts of Allah for human beings. In addition, at another place:

“O, Prophet, we have opened your chest for you!”

Language is the source of knowledge, inspiration, revelation, human life and power to create limitless possibilities and realities.

The difference between man and animal is Language.

To some people of Africa, a newborn child is a Kintu (a thing), not yet a Muntu (a person).

Only by the act of learning language does the child become a human being. According to the tradition, we become humans by learning language. Thus, anthropologically, language gives us identity as a human being.