by Cynthia Clampitt

Language matters—probably more than you imagine. Language is the thing that makes us different from animals. It is also what makes it possible to think. Scientists are now demonstrating this, but the Greeks understood this thousands of years ago: the Greek word logos means both “word” and “reason.” We get our word logic from this root. With no words, there is no thought.

But words are more than that. They are our history and our heritage. They create our societies. Without knowing our language, we lose who we are.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here are the thoughts of a wide range of writers and thinkers on why you want to learn language well and use it well. Continue reading Words And Reason: Language Matters →