As a very young boy, i wondered what the world would be like without language. Language has been a wonderful instrument which humans use to communicating and expressing their feelings to one another.
Have you imagined a world without language? We have thousands of languages. How human brains are structured to fully grasp these different languages is truly marvellous!
In Nigeria alone, we have more than 600 dialects. There are dialects that people from same tribe (e.g Yoruba) do not understand. I am an indigene of Ijebu which is a region under Ogun State, Nigeria. The capital of Ogun is Abeokuta yet i do not understand Abeokuta language.
The above is an instance of the beauty of life. We can speak any language if we are ready to learn it.
While in the university, i was introduced to the debate on the existence of African philosophy (a discussion for another day). This debate centers on 'what makes a philosophy African'?
The West did not deny the fact that we have capacity to reason rationally but argue that African cannot have a philosophy they can call their own. As a scholar of African philosophy, i do not really blame them.This is because they failed to understand that what we call Western philosophy is not an holistic philosophy but philosophies. Different countries are known for different things. The Greek have Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and these people have different views about the world. Americans are known for pragmatism. Pragmatism is a movement that looks at practical or cash value of anything to ascertain its truthfulness. What we have among these cultures is called philosophies.
On that basis, Africans cannot have a philosophy! What we have is philosophies. The Yoruba people have their philosophy, the Akan of Ghana have their philosophy, Mande people in The Gambia, Guinea, Mali and Zulu people in South Africa also.
The problem with African philosophy is the problem of orality. Nothing says a philosophy must be documented before it can be called philosophy. Both text and orality are crucial to the continuous existence of our philosophies. Can philosophy or any discipline be taught without writing or speaking?
You couldn't have human society without language. John Maynard Smith
Can we call anything rational without language? If there was nothing like language, would you have been able to know what you know? Would the world be any different from what it is now?
Without language can we know about Socrates, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Imhotep, Confucius, Budha, Kwasi Wiredu, etc. Without language, can there be a school? If there is, how would we be taught things there?
Without language can there be inventions, technology, development? How will husband and wife understand each other? Without language, can there be a religion? Without language, how would we judge human actions?
Language permeates every aspect of our existence. We use language for almost everything. Without language i wont be able to communicate with you through text like i am doing right now or through spoken words.
If you do not understand this language, you can translate it to read it. You will still be using language to do so but without language, how can you judge me as rational human being? Remember i must have communicated with language that you understand (or translated) before you can judge me as a rational or irrational being.
Do you think a world without language is possible? If yes, how? Your take on this topic would be highly appreciated.
