“I used to think… now I think” for Language as a Way of Knowing

I used to think that language gives people the ability to communicate and share thoughts. Without language, people would not be able to communicate and comprehend what others are trying to express. With language, people can interact with one another and are able to exchange knowledge. I also knew that sign language existed, however I only thought that there are only a limited amount of words that can be expressed through sign language. Now I know that sign language is a fully symbolic language that is suitable for giving speeches, for subjects such as mathematics and for flirtation.

After understanding more about sign language, I now think that language is very fascinating. I think that sign language is a very creative way of expressing one’s thoughts and feelings, since no sound comes out of one’s mouth. The person has to use only hand gestures to convey a message, and I find it really hard to believe that some people are able to communicate using this method.

After reading the chapter in the book, I now think that language is a very influential way of knowing, and without it, we will be unable to communicate with each other.