Perception of the power of language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Perception of the power of language - Essay Example The power of language therefore depends on an individual’s perception which encompasses a collaboration of values, beliefs and experiences that person has encountered in one’s life. In this regard, the essay aims to proffer one’s personal perception of the power of language. By initially providing a definition of the term language, one would eventually delve into the role that language played in life. UniXL, an education and career information portal, defines language as â€Å"a system of communicating with other people using sounds, symbols and words in expressing a meaning, idea or thought. This language can be used in many forms, primarily through oral and written communications as well as using expressions through body language† (UniXL, par. 2). When differentiated with communication, per se, tool of verbal communication using words to express the message being relayed. Communication, per se, is defined as â€Å"â€Å"process of transmitting thoughts, feelings, facts, and other information† through verbal or non-verbal means (Delaune and Ladner. 475). Verbal messages are messages communicated with the use of words and language. These messages can either be spoken or written. Non verbal communication, on the other hand, is the process of transmitting messages without words, that is, through body language (Delaune and Ladner, 480). Mead (1934) averred that â€Å"language makes it possible to replace behavior with ideas. Non verbal communication in conjunction with social interaction assisted in the development of the human potentials of language† (87). Language for me has been recognized as a crucial tool to facilitate understanding. Aside from one’s native tongue, it has been inculcated that English, as the international language understood by majority of people around the world, should be embraced as a second language where skills must be honed, both in communication and in writing. Teachers in primary