Big Gringo: Anatomy of Language Learning

Monday, April 10, 2006

Anatomy of Language Learning

Why, after 9 months in the womb, don't babies come out talking? Why is it, do you think, that babies take 18 months to 2 years to learn how to even begin to speak words? And why is it that we are designed so well for listening and observing - 2 ears, 2 eyes - and yet it is so rare to feel heard and there are so many that thirst to be noticed?

Why? What do you think?

P.S. Yes, I did just put my daughter to sleep. She fuels all my significant thinking these days. The questions still stand.

3 Comments:

At April 10, 2006 1:00 PM, Anonymous said...: It's because most people are to wrapped up into their self. Nothing else matters, but whats going on with them and all their problems and misshaps. They forget that God put other people on this planet. One of the greatest gifts God gave us, was the gift of choice. Unfortunatly most people miss use that gift and choose to be self absorbed. And truly believe the whole world revolves around they're wants and needs. I'm sure this sounds very bitter of me to say these things,but it's what I believe. I'm not a perfect person myself and never will be. Nobody is except God. Thru all the abuse and neglect I indured as a child, I know the feeling of not being heard or noticed and walked around on this earth a very angry and hurt woman. About 3 years ago I finaly woke up, and saw I was'nt the only person that felt the way I did, and they had indured the same kind of problems I did. My ears and eyes began to open and I actualy listen to people and what they have to say and how they feel.I now help people, as much as I'm capaple of doing. And its all because I listened to God, and actualy heard what he had to say. When I read your blog and decided I'd send a comment back, I realy had intentions of just writing a simple little comment,but I ended up getting a little deep and personal with my life. I realy hope you enjoy reading my comments. This is only my opinion about your question, and you know what they say about opinions. Sinecerely, Sheri
At April 11, 2006 3:42 PM, Chris H. said...: Perhaps it is because, like so many other things, language and learning a language is an inherently relational process. As infants we learn our words from those closest to us, and through this teaching we are given the power to relate to those around and to ourselves. Words like beautiful, hansome, smart, fast, clever, love, and many others are how we are ment to understand ourselves and those around us. We learn in order to name and hence relate, as is clear in the Genesis story. However, often, too often, we are only given painful words, hard words, sharp words, evil words, or sometimes no words at all. Too often what was supposed to help us build a connection to our world was broken, twisted, or left incomplete. And as a result we cannot name and we cannot relate. We go unseen and unheard because we never learned the words to make ourselves seen and heard. We go about invisible, because we never learned the language, the words, to make us visible.
At April 11, 2006 8:27 PM, Garrett said...: But...children arrive from the womb "trusting machines." Perhaps that's why Jesus used them as an example of faith.