What is Language?

[ Ted boasted ]

I can mark different phases in my development and intellectual history by the evolution of my thoughts on Language.

I'll expand some thoughts in installments.

Here is an anecdote about a child's philosophy of language. It would have been around 1987, when Emelda was 10, that she came to me with an angry question --
"Am I a Roman Catholic or not ?!?!"

I perceived this 10 year old was confused and irritated about the religious eclecticism and informality she experienced in our household.

I am fond of telling young thinkers -- one can not "be" an abstract noun.

To be continued ...