Language and what have you

Sometimes it’s silent. There are a thousand words expressed with the folding of one’s arms, the slanted arch of the eyebrow, and the crossing of one’s legs. A smile, a tear, a gasp, a sigh, a wink, a stuttering blink – Language, it’s not always words spoken; it’s also the mannerisms and posture of those that are communicating. A cat, for instance, with a purr or a hiss announces its contentment or fear. Language is also constantly evolving. It is a global phenomenon that spans cultures and species, and as the world changes so does the way the world communicates.

Language isn’t exclusive to humans; it is expressed by all creatures great and small. Primates, for example, are capable of learning and using sign language. Dogs and horses learn commands through training. Parrots mimic spoken words, and my cousin’s parakeet was even taught to speak his name on command. These are all instances of animals understanding the human language, but they also have their own communication style. A dog will wag its tail in happiness and/or excitement, and they will growl or bark to incite fear. A horse will snort and shuffle from hoof to hoof when it’s nervous, or nay when they’re ready to move. Birds chirp and sing to attract mates, and so on and so on. Plants, as well as water molecules, also seem to have an understanding of language and the emotions within the spoken word. Amit Goswami, PH. D. appeared in the movie, “What the Bleep Do We Know,” and discussed an experiment done with water. Bottles of water were taped with the words: Love, hate, happiness, and sadness. What scientists discovered as the bottles were spoken to with the corresponding emotion was that the shape of the molecules changed according to how they were spoken to. Following this suit are the flora and fauna species of the world. Plants appear to flourish when kind words/tones are expressed towards them. All these instances of “speech” suggest that while it is the human language being spoken; it is also apparent that there is a “universal” language that is understood by all living things.

In the United States language has changed as technology continues to evolve at warp speed, and too, Pop Culture pervades everyday living/speech. The US is a melting pot of irreverent references and peoples. Music, Movies, Television, and the Internet seem to flood the horizon with a constantly moving ticker-tape of new slang. WTF, LOL, OMG – are examples of abbreviated speech. Instead of formulating sentences people now speak in code. An example of a television show changing how we speak is Matt Groening’s, “The Simpsons.” Merriam-Webster’s dictionary in 1993 added Homer’s catch phrase, “D’oh,” to its archives. A once nonsensical expression is now considered an interjection and is “used to express sudden recognition of a foolish blunder or an ironic turn of events.” As The Simpsons has broken every record for longest running show, it will continue to influence language in the States.

Another influencing factor that coincides with Pop Culture is the number of ethnicities living within the US borders. Hispanic phrases and the African Vernacular have inundated language due in part to the Rap and Hip-Hop music scene, and also films. Filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, John Singleton, Spike Lee, and Tyler Perry reveal to audiences of every color/race a way of speaking they may have never heard before. Hispanic filmmakers Pedro Almodovar, Robby Rodriguez, and Guillermo del Toro have done the same for the Spanish speaking communities. These directors as well as Kevin Costner, who directed Dances With Wolves. This film and the movie Windtalkers are celluloid illustrations of Native American languages. These filmmakers show that the US does encourage the use of minority languages within its borders.

The encouragement of using minority languages seems a bit obvious as the United States of America is a Nation of immigrants, founded by immigrants. This fact implies that there is no earthly reason to ever suggest to any minority to ignore their heritage or culture. If an Irish-American wants to continue to use Gaelic when they speak then so be it, and the same goes for a Portuguese speaking family from Brazil. Yes, the majority of Americans speak English, but this country prides it’s self on its freedom of speech. That being said, if a man/woman/child wants to speak their native tongue, no one in this country has the right to tell them that they can not do so. This is also the reason why English should never be implemented as this nation’s official language. An official language discourages freedom of speech. If one is being told what and how to speak, than that same person is now excluded from this country’s first inalienable right. And once one is a citizen of the US, whether they are a minority or majority, they are entitled to this right.

Silent, loud and proud, English, Spanish, or Primate – Language is a universal form of communication that excludes no one thing. It is an entity that matures and expands within and because of the culture it is a part of. Space, facial expressions, eye contact, raised hunches, canine hisses, a laugh, a tear, a hug, a warm “hello,” a harsh “good-bye” – not one species on the planet is without a form of language or communication. Language is a creator, and without it everything is nothing.