Consider the view that spoken language is more important than the written form.
This is one of the easier questions to attempt for this year, as it is just a simple comparison between the spoken language and the written form.
So what are some of the benefits of the spoken language?
- We are able to decipher from the intonation the mood of the person delivering the speech. Written language is just presented in a very neutral form, which makes it hard to decipher the mood of the person. The tone is harder to pick up through written language, and interpretation can always be inaccurate. Through speech, we can always tell if the speaker is being sarcastic or even exasperated with us.
- Spoken language is able to bring up the emotions of the speaker better, enabling the speaker to connect with his audience on a more personal level compared to the writer. In fact, many politicians are great oratory speakers who can rally the crowd together for a common purpose. Examples of politicians who are charismatic and convincing are Lee Kuan Yew, Obama and even Hitler.
- Spoken language is a very economic form of writing that allows one to express their thoughts, similar to the written form. Spoken language through the advancement of technology can be easily edited especially if they are expressed through videos. This is similar to the written form where proofreading makes it easy to edit flaws and inaccuracies in writing.
What are some of the benefits of the written language?
- Written language is deemed to be more personal in the context of courtship than speech. It appears to be more sincere to girls as it shows careful thought in the choice of words when crafting a love poetry compared to an oral declaration of love. After all, actions speak louder than words right?
- Written language in the form of books/ letters is a good way of passing down information from generations to generations, especially in areas in where technology is not easily accessible.
