The Quality of our Language Determines the Quality of our Life.

Our ability to use language effectively is essential to our success in life. Equally important is the quality of that language.

That may sound like older generation ranting about how text-speak isn’t real words or established authors grumbling about the lack of craft in flash famous young adult or fan fiction novels but there is something far deeper at stake than simple grousing about ‘younger folk these days’. We think in language thus, the quality of our thoughts depends on the quality of our language. If ‘we think, therefore we are’ then how we think has immense power over how we live.

The job interview, the entrance exam, the first date, getting the exact items you want from a drive-through can either go well or poorly depending on our skill with language. Verbal, non-verbal, written, it all counts. Some people have a natural talent for language, some don’t. Either way our aptitude with language of any form, as with all skills, requires training and practice.

But our skill only gets us so far unless the quality of our language is equally sound. While there is definite truth in the adage about the craftsman who blames their tools there is also a solid truth in ‘a craftsman is only as good as their tools’. Even a master carpenter will only be able to achieve so much with only a…