Language and Thought
Relating Thoughts to Language Language is defined to be words that are used in a structured way so that it could be used as a way of communication between people. It can be spoken, written or even understood through body gestures. Thoughts on the other hand, are the things that runs in a person’s mind. Our thoughts and ideas are shared with other people through language. People often use language to express what they are thinking of. Thoughts are not necessarily need to be spoken, they can also be written down or analyzed. This quote “Thoughts is not merely expressed in words; it comes into existence through them” by Vygotsky basically means that thoughts do not exist until they are spoken or used by people in any form of language. For example, if a person has a new idea related to a specific subject, this idea doesn’t come into existence unless the person uses language to express it.
People need to communicate with each other using language to express their thoughts. Thus, thoughts and language are strongly related to each other. In some cases, a barrier might be found in expressing thoughts through language. That might be due to lack of words or finding the exact word that expresses what a person is thinking. Also, the different spoken languages might cause a barrier or a misunderstanding between two people. For example, a Western man and an Arab man might face difficulties with using language because both of them use language differently. That might stop them from expressing their thoughts to each other.
Teachers in school explain their thoughts to the students through language. The IB math teacher for example, always gives the students an example that she thought of to explain her lesson. Apart from the book, she also shares her own thoughts and ideas to give us a better understanding of the lesson. In IB math, thoughts are not expressed through spoken or written words. They are usually expressed through different symbols that makes sense only after using
People need to communicate with each other using language to express their thoughts. Thus, thoughts and language are strongly related to each other. In some cases, a barrier might be found in expressing thoughts through language. That might be due to lack of words or finding the exact word that expresses what a person is thinking. Also, the different spoken languages might cause a barrier or a misunderstanding between two people. For example, a Western man and an Arab man might face difficulties with using language because both of them use language differently. That might stop them from expressing their thoughts to each other.
Teachers in school explain their thoughts to the students through language. The IB math teacher for example, always gives the students an example that she thought of to explain her lesson. Apart from the book, she also shares her own thoughts and ideas to give us a better understanding of the lesson. In IB math, thoughts are not expressed through spoken or written words. They are usually expressed through different symbols that makes sense only after using
Cited: Kurz, Laura. Thought is not merely expressed in words; it comes into existence through them. 24 Oct. 2011 < http://toknow-11.wikispaces.com/message/view/Hand/44881868> "language." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 04 Nov. 2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/language>. "thoughts." The American Heritage® Stedman 's Medical Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company. 04 Nov. 2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thoughts>.