It’s an easy language to learn, a lot like watching stars.

It’s not translatable into human words, but that doesn’t mean it’s not readable by humans.

Even writable. I bet you could do this.

It fits well with other languages, such as the language of water.

And when you’ve finished speaking it, you remember.

If you were to snap it into pieces, it would still be there.

I remember the world before I became literate. What a beautiful, physical place it was.

I also remember stars. Some nights I go out and they’re still there. So am I.

This is no simple language. It can be very complicated.

Just don’t try to decipher it, that’s all. As soon as you do that, you don’t speak it.

Or read it.

Against this, our languages, Swedish, English, German, Urdu, Kwakwala, Secwepemçin, and French, to name a few, are … well, they’re like leaves, too.

And mean as much, or as little. As if meaning was a goal!

Meaning is human language having its way with us.

Fortunately, we can speak other languages, and read them.

I know why this is not taught in school.

You can’t teach this in school.

You can’t teach it.

You don’t have to. Your students know it already.

You just have to take everything else away, and there it is.