Daily Reflection
A language is not just words. It's a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It's all embodied in a language.
—Noam Chomsky
Today we continue our study of language, approaching from yet another vantage point. I believe that one could draw a direct line from Montessori, to Wittgenstein, to Chomsky. Each of these thinkers orbited this problem (what is language?) while also doing incredible work in other fields.
The fact that such successful polymaths like these all consider language a foundational and exciting field is one of the reasons I wanted to make sure to share it with you. I’ve come to see an interest in the study of language as a mark of one’s ability to be genuinely curious and ask good questions about any topic.
Chomsky remains even in our time a prolific thinker, still engaging in history and political dialogue from a deeply moralistic and principled perspective. He was even the subject of a Netflix documentary covering his analysis of the United States from a historical/ethical perspective.
He is a scholar with deep soul invested in his work.
Similar to Montessori, Chomsky observed the innate ability of young children to understand and absorb language. He went a step further to hypothesize the Language Acquisition Device (LAD)—a yet to be identified component of our minds pre-programmed for language. He believed this LAD was attuned to a universal grammar which helped us absorb and utilize our mother tongue.
Yet again, empirical observation has led scientist and philosophers alike to conclude that the capacity for language and its basic parts is a universal human phenomenon that emerges naturally from within a child.
Just like a bird obeys its instinct to fly, so too does a human being obey its instinct to speak, to communicate, to connect.
Today, consider this special duty, the privilege of speech, communication, and connection. Each time you open your mouth, you are performing a sacred ritual, an ancient tradition, a holy practice of being human.
If you’d like to learn more about Chomsky, his work, and language check out this earlier TPP article!