We create our world out of language. Once we put a word to something, we have lifted up this something from the background, given it color and edges. This is why we are desperate to know the name of our disease—for then we fence it, put a handle on it, control it. Language, conversation and persons are of one cloth. Our existence depends on the openness of others to say our name and mean us, to recognize us in conversation. A traffic signal performs its function and is a traffic signal only because of the language and agreements of humans. More subtly, the same is true of a spoon, a hand, an eye, a porcupine, a brick wall.
:- Doug.
