Module IⅡ.Language Unit Two Language and Thought In-depth Reading Pre-reading Questions: 1.How much do you know about Jean Jacques Rousseau? 2.What means of communication do you know? On the Various Means of Communicating Our Thoughts Jean Jacques Rousseau 1 Speech distinguishes man among the animals;language distinguishes nations from each other;one does not know where a man comes from until he has spoken.Out of usage and necessity,each learns the language of his own country.But what determines that this language is that of his country and not of another?In order to tell, it is necessary to go back to some principle that belongs to the locality itself and antedates its customs,for speech,being the first social institution,owes its form to natural causes alone. 2 As soon as one man was recognized by another as a sentient,thinking being similar to himself,the desire or need to communicate his feelings and thoughts made him seek the means to do so.Such means can be derived only from the senses,the only instruments through which one man can act upon another.Hence the institution of sensate signs for the expression of thought.The inventors of language did not proceed rationally in this way;rather their instinct suggested the consequence to them. 3 Generally,the means by which we can act on the senses of others are restricted to two:that is,movement and voice.The action of movement is immediate through touching,or mediates through gesture.The first can function only within arm's length, while the other extends as far as the visual ray.Thus vision and hearing are the only passive organs of language among distinct individuals. 4 Although the language of gesture and spoken language are equally natural,still the first is easier and depends less upon conventions.For more things affect our eyes than our ears.Also,visual forms are more varied than sounds,and more expressive,saying more in less time.Love,it is said,was the inventor of drawing.It might also have invented speech,though less happily.Not being very well pleased with it,it disdains it; it has livelier ways of expressing itself.How she could say things to her beloved,who traced his shadow with such pleasure!What sounds might she use to work such magic? 5 Our gestures merely indicate our natural unrest.It is not of those that I wish to speak. Only Europeans gesticulate when speaking;one might say that all their power of speech is in their arms.Their lungs are powerful too,but to nearly no avail.Where a Frenchman would strain and torture his body,emitting a great verbal torrent,a Turk will momentarily remove his pipe from his mouth to utter a few words softly,Module II. Language Unit Two Language and Thought In-depth Reading Pre-reading Questions: 1. How much do you know about Jean Jacques Rousseau? 2. What means of communication do you know? On the Various Means of Communicating Our Thoughts Jean Jacques Rousseau 1 Speech distinguishes man among the animals; language distinguishes nations from each other; one does not know where a man comes from until he has spoken. Out of usage and necessity, each learns the language of his own country. But what determines that this language is that of his country and not of another? In order to tell, it is necessary to go back to some principle that belongs to the locality itself and antedates its customs, for speech, being the first social institution, owes its form to natural causes alone. 2 As soon as one man was recognized by another as a sentient, thinking being similar to himself, the desire or need to communicate his feelings and thoughts made him seek the means to do so. Such means can be derived only from the senses, the only instruments through which one man can act upon another. Hence the institution of sensate signs for the expression of thought. The inventors of language did not proceed rationally in this way; rather their instinct suggested the consequence to them. 3 Generally, the means by which we can act on the senses of others are restricted to two: that is, movement and voice. The action of movement is immediate through touching, or mediates through gesture. The first can function only within arm’s length, while the other extends as far as the visual ray. Thus vision and hearing are the only passive organs of language among distinct individuals. 4 Although the language of gesture and spoken language are equally natural, still the first is easier and depends less upon conventions. For more things affect our eyes than our ears. Also, visual forms are more varied than sounds, and more expressive, saying more in less time. Love, it is said, was the inventor of drawing. It might also have invented speech, though less happily. Not being very well pleased with it, it disdains it; it has livelier ways of expressing itself. How she could say things to her beloved, who traced his shadow with such pleasure! What sounds might she use to work such magic? 5 Our gestures merely indicate our natural unrest. It is not of those that I wish to speak. Only Europeans gesticulate when speaking; one might say that all their power of speech is in their arms. Their lungs are powerful too, but to nearly no avail. Where a Frenchman would strain and torture his body, emitting a great verbal torrent, a Turk will momentarily remove his pipe from his mouth to utter a few words softly