Human beings do not live in the objective
world alone, nor alone in the
world of social activity as ordinarily understood,
but are very much at the mercy
of the particular language which has become
the medium of expression for their
society. It is quite an illusion to imagine
that one adjusts to reality essentially without
the use of language and that language
is merely an incidental means of solving
specific problems of communication or reflection.
The fact of the matter is that the
‘real world’ is to a large extent unconsciously
built up on the language habits of
the group … . We see and hear and otherwise
experience very largely as we do because
the language habits of our community
predispose certain choices of interpretation
world alone, nor alone in the
world of social activity as ordinarily understood,
but are very much at the mercy
of the particular language which has become
the medium of expression for their
society. It is quite an illusion to imagine
that one adjusts to reality essentially without
the use of language and that language
is merely an incidental means of solving
specific problems of communication or reflection.
The fact of the matter is that the
‘real world’ is to a large extent unconsciously
built up on the language habits of
the group … . We see and hear and otherwise
experience very largely as we do because
the language habits of our community
predispose certain choices of interpretation
Edward Sapir
‘The Status of Linguistics as a Science,’ Language, Vol . V, pp. 209-210 (1929)
(Source: languageandhistory-rz.wdfiles.com)
“Even in ordinary life you feel the futility of words. And if you don’t feel the futility of words, that shows that you have not been alive at all, that shows that you have lived very superficially. If whatsoever you have been living can be conveyed by words, that means you have not lived at all.
When for the first time something starts happening which is beyond words, life has happened to you, life has knocked at your door. And when the ultimate knocks at your door, you have simply gone beyond words.” ~ Osho, Tantra: The Supreme Understanding
via lazyyogi
