Because writing has become so important in our culture, we sometimes think of it as more real than speech. A little thought, however, will show why speech is primary and writing secondary to language. Human beings have been writing (as far as we can tell from surviving evidence) for at least 5000 years; but they have been talking for much longer, doubtless ever since there have been human beings.

When writing did develop, it was derived from and represented speech, although imperfectly. Even today there are spoken languages that have no written form. Furthermore, we all learn to talk well before we learn to write; any human child who is not severely handicapped physically or mentally will learn to talk: a normal human being cannot be prevented from doing so. On the other hand, it takes a special effort to learn to write. In the past many intelligent and useful members of society did not acquire the skill, and even today many who speak languages with writing systems never learn to read or write, while some who learn the rudiments of those skills do so only imperfectly.

To affirm the primacy of speech over writing is not, however, to disparage the latter. One advantage writing has over speech is that it is more permanent and makes possible the records that any civilization must have. Thus, if speaking makes us human, writing makes us civilized

Normal human beings ...........

Câu hỏi liên quan

• The word "scrutinized" in the fourth paragraph could be replaced by .............

• The passage supports which of the following conclusions?

• Who doesn’t usually wear suits and ties?

ZUNIA12

• The word “Here” in the passage refers to__________.

• According to the author, blacks in King's neighborhood were involved in all the following businesses and services EXCEPT .......

• What is the passage mainly about?

• What is the main idea of the passage?

• What does the passage mainly discuss?

• In the paragraph 2, the word “accomplishments” can be best replaced by ..............

• What does the passage mainly discuss?

• What were "steady sellers"?

• If you have a desire to travel, when does the writer suggest that you do it?

• When did the the Pilgrims make a difficult trip to across the ocean from England?

• What does the author mean by staring that, "At interpersonal levels, tone may reflect ideas and feelings over and above the words chosen" in lines 8- 9?

• According to the passage, a fair division of labour is that ...................

• The main idea of the passage is that in America's frontier days ..............

• Which of the following can be inferred from the first paragraph?

• Why are there white rings on each end of the football?

• According to the passage, approximately how many non-native users of English are there in the world today?

• Which word is similar in meaning to the word “glue” ?