BRANCHES OF LANGUAGE

by Jorge D. Lomboy



Language is weightless in its dimensions, in its magnitude and in its size.  It has no color, race or creed.  It is not a monopoly of anyone.  It is not subject to patent. For as long as one can talk, speak, chat and open his mouth, there is where language begins.  Language is unstoppable, uncontrollable, unpreventable and indispensable.  One can stop a river from flowing but no one can stop the human mouth from running in a free society of people born free.  Language is round-the-clock activity and a 24/7 dessert.  It is all-embracing to be fascinating and far-reaching to be overwhelming.

Language is occupational to make people preoccupied in its various branches of language.  The first branch of language is barracks language.  This branch of language is rough and tough.  It is short and blunt, it is direct and brisk, and it is loud and clear and open.  This branch of language demands discipline and obedience.  It is masculine in manner of communicating what needs to be said and what needs to be done.  This branch of language orders everyone to obey before complaining.  This branch of language belongs to the military and is the preoccupation of soldiers and sailors and servicemen from top to bottom.

The second branch of language is commercial language.  This branch of language is loaded on television, radio, internet, print and billboard.  This branch of language is the bulk of business activity.  It is the language of the markets including the New York Stock Exchange.  This branch of language fills our garbage cans every day.  Responding to this commercial language in a positive way takes us to go broke because this branch of language doesn't stop asking for money.  It doesn't stop seeking to know our assets and liabilities and it doesn't stop tempting us with credit cards and credit lines.  This branch of language belongs to business.  It is the occupation of businessmen and the preoccupation of brokers, dealers, importers, exporters, merchants, marketers, market makers, sellers, traders and suppliers.

The third branch of language is political language.  This branch of language is mainly blah, blah, blah.  This branch of language makes us feel good when it is positive, it makes us feel bad when it is negative.  This branch of language consists of double talk and double dealing.  It is full of sweet nothings to be worth a grain of salt.  This branch of language is where questions of credibility arise frequently because it is tongue-in-cheek.  This branch of language belongs to politics.  It is the occupation of politicians and the preoccupation of bureaucrats, counselors, demagogues and public officials to include congressmen, senators and presidents who are all elected officials from the lowest to the highest.

The fourth branch of language is spiritual language.  This branch of language is divine.  It is eternal and sacred.  It is truth.  Spiritual language is the word of God.  This branch of language is the gospel that is written in stone.  This branch of language does not treasure words in barracks language, it does not treasure money in commercial language and it does not treasure power in political language.  It treasures the soul and the spirit that were never born and will never die.  This branch of language belongs to religion.  It is the occupation of clergymen and the preoccupation of priests, pastors, ministers, bishops, cardinals, rabbis, gurus and all other missionaries and ecclesiastics.  This branch of language does not lie, it can only be misunderstood.

The fifth branch of language is legal language.  This branch of language is either specific or vague, either clear or ambiguous.  It is specific when it relates to the principle "expressio unios est exclusio alterius" which means express mention of one thing excludes all others not mentioned.  It is vague when there is room for different meanings.  It is clear when there is no room for interpretation.  It is ambiguous when it is understood in different ways because of variable meanings.  This branch of language listens to logic and reason, it appeals to articulation and persuasion.  This branch of language belongs to law.  It is the occupation of lawyers and lawmakers and the preoccupation of lawyers, judges, jurists, justices, counselors, councilors, decision makers and all other law and legal personnel.

The sixth branch of language is educational language.  This branch of language is informational and instructional.  This branch of language is what listening and learning are all about.  This branch of language is found in schools, colleges and universities where assignments, books, lessons and lectures are given.  This branch of language is the academic source of knowledge.  This branch of language promotes literacy and dispels ignorance.  It broadens understanding and challenges the mind as well as expands the imagination.  This branch of language has nothing to do with barracks language, commercial language, political language, spiritual language or legal language.  This branch of language begins with the alphabet and generalization of knowledge and ends with the specialization of inter-disciplines as we learn to know more and more about less and less.  This branch of language belongs to education.  It is the occupation of educators and the preoccupation of teachers, tutors, instructors, mentors, professors, deans and lecturers.

The seventh branch of language is social language.  This branch of language covers just about anything in general.  It includes glib talk, idle talk, loose talk, straight talk, shop talk and street talk.  This branch of language is as juicy as orange juice.  It is a part of gossip and backbiting and bad-mouthing.  It is as miscellaneous as fruit salad and is often observed in social gatherings.  This branch of language is seen and heard in gossip, rumor, bluffing and palavers.  This branch of language also consists of exchange of pleasantries.  They are the words of people out to socialize.  This branch of language belongs to society at large.  It is the occupation of socialites and the preoccupation of partygoers, social climbers, name-droppers, networkers, influence peddlers, warmongers and troublemakers. 

Our calling and our line of work will tell to which branch of language we belong.  We are preoccupied with our own branch of language.  The soldier specializes in barracks language, the businessman specializes in commercial language, the politician specializes in political language, the clergyman specializes in spiritual language, the lawmaker specializes in legal language, the educator specializes in educational language and the socialite specializes in social language.  Each branch of language has its own share of experts, specialists and masters of occupational language.  We defines ourselves with our occupational language when we become articulate.  Speak what language you will, you cannot say anything but what you are.  People enjoy talking in their branch of language as if it were throwing a turtle in the river.

Commercial language ranks first in getting us to become heavily in debt, driving droves of people to insolvency and bankruptcy.  Political language ranks first in a pattern of deception and betrayal that cause people fooled all of the time to lose trust and confidence for the words are soaked in water.  Social language ranks first in glib talk, idle talk, loose talk, shop talk and street talk to gaining popularity due to exposure.  Barracks language ranks first in brevity where one joins the military as a boy and comes out as a man.  Educational language ranks first in broadening knowledge and understanding of our rights and obligations.  Legal language ranks first in the battle for interpretation, logic and reason.

Spiritual language ranks first in all branches of language not only because it is the most enduring truth written in stone but also because it is the VINE that provides nourishment and vitality to all other branches of language.