Essay on The Power Of Language

Language is an object that is central to human lives as it is perhaps the most significant cultural tool that separates humans from any other species (Evans, 2014). As language is multimodal, it is often described as a combination of words, sounds, gestures and images created by the mind, used in context with the assistance of objects, actions and interactions (Gee & Hayes, p. 7, 2011). The topics discussed in this essay will demonstrate the importance of language as both an object and as a social process, as a teacher’s approach to diversity in the classroom can be either damaging to a student’s educational experience or uplifting and positive.

On May 25th of 1961, President J.F.K. made it the public goal of the United States to successfully send a man to the moon and to bring him home safely. It was then, according to some scientists, that N.A.S.A. adopted a policy of, “If you can’t make it, fake it” (Moffet). The space program tried, and failed, for 9 years trying to achieve this goal before having to resort to plan B.

Language is often defined  as a system of communication, a way for humans to interact with one another. Language itself can hold a great amount of power. It can express one 's emotion, show love or hate, and could give meaning. For example an object has no identification unless the power of language is wielded to provide it a name based on its ability and function. Language often has a great influence on culture and religion. This is shown greatly in the cultures of the Hebrews and the Greeks which are known for their famous texts “Genesis” and “The Metamorphoses”, two pieces of literature that explains the creation of man from different ways of belief. The book of “Genesis” from the Hebrew Bible is used in the practice of  Judaism and Christianity and is the most well known text of this culture. It is also believed to be the very first book written in the Bible. “The Metamorphosis” is a story taken from what is called Greek Mythology, where multiple Gods are believed to exist and each of them holding power over different things. Both texts use the power of language in different ways to express emotion and bring things to life.

What is the meaning of language? How big the role of language in your life? Have you ever realize the impact of language in your life? In my opinion, language is not as simple as people seen in general. Usually the way people see language just as a tool for communicating with others. For me, behind the general usage of language, it also has a big role in our life because a language has the power to stand and show each person’s identity. Inside the Gloria Anzaldua’s essay “How To Tame A Wild Tongue” and Amy Tan’s essay “Mother Tongue” claim that language is an identity. Because they show that language which they commonly use to communicate since the day they were born, showing who are they really are. Language as identity is very arguing phrases, it can be approach from a different perspective. This thing is exactly what are both of these essays are trying to do by approaching differently and using a different tone. Their life and experience give an impact to the way they interpret that language is an identity, and it also seen in each of their essays.

During the 1960’s, President John F. Kennedy proposed a challenge that the United States could get a man on the moon within the decade. On July 17, 1969 NASA launched their Apollo 11 mission, piloted by Michael Collins. The goal was to get man onto the moon. It took the spacecraft 72 hours to enter lunar orbit. On July 20, man landed a spacecraft on the moon. 7 hours later Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped out onto the moon surface. As the now famous statement goes, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” said Armstrong. For the next few hours Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent their time collecting samples and performing tests. On July 21, they launched off the moon and started their trip back home. This

President Kennedy said, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”

“We will safely send and return an American to the moon before the end of the decade”.

1960s, Kennedy created a nationwide goal for us to be on the moon within ten years;

September 12th, 1961, the day known as day that a choice was made by the USA. “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” (Great Speeches Volume 27: John F. Kennedy, 2012). President John F. Kennedy delivered this infamous speech in the football stadium at Rice University in Houston, Texas on that very day. President Kennedy’s reason for his delivery of this speech was to address the state of our Nation’s Space Effort. The citizens of the United States of America were in quite a state of disappointment due to NASA, or as it was known then NACA (National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics), also how the United States were losing the “race in space” against the Soviets. In order to address this issue President John F. Kennedy developed a well thought-out plan. On May 25th, 1961, JFK proclaimed before Congress that “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him to safely to the earth.” (Kennedy, 1961). Kennedy then went on to address the nation about the need for space exploration through his Rice University speech. Not only did he understand the importance of reaching the same level as the Russians but surpassing them. Why would that be so important? National pride for the American people. Russia had managed to get an upper hand in the space race by successfully launching Sputnik 1 and

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space [1].”

After years of planning and preparation, NASA could finally send a man to the moon. Both in preparation and completion of the many missions, they found

In May of 1961 President Kennedy famously challenged the U.S to go to the moon and back by the end of the decade. In 1961 there were several challenges that had to be overcome in order to meet this goal. We didn’t have rockets that could get there, we didn’t have guidance systems that could point us in that direction, we didn’t how the human body would react in space, and, of course, it was going to be very expensive. However, in July of 1969, we met the President’s challenge. Apollo 11 landed on the moon and two Americans walked on the moon for the first time. After Apollo 11, we visited the moon 5 more times. The last time was in December of 1972. That was 45 years ago. It’s time to go back!

The article Is Language the Key to Human Intelligence? , Written by David Premack a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, explains how humans have displayed their intelligence through language, unlike animals whose language, (any) hasn’t evolved at all. Premack uses examples such as grammar and syntax of the human language and explains the uniqueness and evolution of language over time. He claims humans have humans have six symbols system: “two that evolved- the genetic code and spoken language- and four that we invented: written language, Arabic numerals, music notation, and lab notation (a system for coding choreography)”. One word that he puts emphasis time over time is Recursion (“makes it possible for the words

This essay analyses the role of the language in colonized land by English empire. More in specific, how the colonial and post-colonial poems dealing with this powerful tool which is ‘language’. I will take in consideration Derek Wolcott. Drawing thought two of his poems, I am going to point out the way he uses ‘language’,

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” – Benjamin Lee Whorf