how are thought put into words?

Answer 1

I've heard a couple different people state that, if humans have any purpose, it is to name things. Naming things is what we are best at. We develop a language from birth. Words are incredibly important to us, naming things and coming up with proper terms are essential to our mental processes.

Thought comes before words. An infant can recognize its mother before it can understand or say the word "mama." People who lose their language abilities, such as with aging, will grasp at the concept but forget the word (you know, those things that you cut paper with, they're shiny, they make 'em for lefties, what are they called...?" There is a rare disorder where people are incapable of connecting words or symbols to the concepts they represent (they can't learn words or talk or read), but they demonstrate clearly that they understand the concepts of things- they will pick up a pair of scissors and immediately use them to cut paper.

I think Noam Chomsky is the most famous theorist on how the human mind creates language. In fact, he's so famous that I've only heard his theories by hearsay, so you should go find his writings yourself. Make sure it's on linguistics and more specifically Universal Grammar; he is also a sociologist so you need to sort the relevant stuff out of his sociopolitical writings.

We can look at animals and the "words" they use. The highest animals, such as chimpanzees, can use sign language. Humans (such as Deaf people) use sign just like Hearing people use words, by the way- motions with hands is how they name concepts. We'll see higher animals that are capable of doing this, lacking complex speech articulators. Other animals have other ways to express themselves vocally- such as the simple mating call of a bird. Does the bird have the concept of mating in its head when it calls, or does it only vocalize by instinct without really understanding why? What is going through a dog's head when it barks at an intruder? Perhaps this is not the best answer for you, but it gives you something to think about.

Even though concepts precede language, there are also many people who say that complex thought is impossible without language. Certainly we cannot teach or communicate complex ideas to each other without language- but some say that we cannot think complexly without thinking in words. Perhaps it is true and perhaps it is not. I know I've had thoughts that have been difficult to put into words. Mathematicians can think entirely in equations that are impossible to express in natural language- what do you think about that?

And then, finally, why is it WORDS we use to name things? Why is it random jumbles of sounds formed by the movements of our vocal chords, lips, and tongue? Deaf people have no choice but to use sign (which can be quite iconographic- a word represents the concept by copying it, such as "flying hands" representing a bird), but all hearing cultures have chosen to express themselves through random clusters of spoken sounds. I guess Noam Chomsky would just say that that's the way our brains are designed.

Answer 2

Put into writing to become a words.

Answer 3

Speaking of choice of words, I find it very interesting that you say "you"/"your" and not "we"/"our". Are you saying that you are exempt or that you are perfect? >> UPDATE: Indeed? Isn't your question entirely about "nitpicking small things"? After all, the thrust of your screed is "careless words". If you are going to lecture us on the use of "careless words", be prepared to have a mirror shone back upon you for your own.

Answer 4

say whats on your mind keep it real