Language Allows Hypothetical Thought

According to Wood (2010), language enables us to think hypothetically because we use symbols.  This means that we can predict things that will happen even though we have not experienced them yet.  For example, right now you can hypothetically predict what will happen in class tomorrow.  Sara will probably write the day's agenda on the blackboard, greet the class and ask how everyone is doing, and then proceed to talk about the chapter using a PowerPoint slideshow.  Through the use of symbols, we can imagine and plan for our future, allowing us to set goals and face the challenges that come along the way.

            The second semester of my sophomore was very difficult for me.  I was enrolled in sixteen credit hours including two science classes and two labs to go with them.  I had hockey practice three nights a week and games almost every weekend, along with the responsibility of being the team treasurer.  Above everything else, I was working twenty hours a week at a lab, beginning many mornings at 5 o’clock AM.  I usually just felt exhausted and extremely stressed out.  However, I knew my hard work would pay off.  I just needed to get through these tough science classes and I would have a somewhat easier schedule for the rest of my UNL career.  I knew that practicing hockey all week would lead to a season I would never forget.  I knew that putting so much time into my research would help me get into graduate or medical school.  By setting goals and thinking about the future, I was able to keep working hard and get through some of the biggest challenges of my life. 

            It is interesting to me that language is so much more than verbal communication.  The symbols used in language form your very thoughts and enable you to think about what has happened and what will happen.  They enable you to remember where you have done and plan what you will do.  I used language as a tool to persevere past my problems without even knowing it.  Although this concept can be useful, it does have limitations.  Planning and setting goals for the future does not guarantee the desired results.  Hard work and determination are usually required to achieve these goals.

References

Woods, J. T.  (2010). Interpersonal communication: Everyday encounters. (7 ed.).  Boston, MA:

Wadsworth, Cengage Learning