Last Updated on October 9, 2023 by Editorial Team
Human beings are unique in having a language to communicate. Other species make sounds of various kinds but it is humans only that have a structured language used to express ideas and emotions. This ability to form words in mind, and speak and write prolifically is called linguistic intelligence.
This specialty serves the need to reach out to people or demonstrate expertise through presentations. Writers, poets, orators, etc. are known to be linguistically intelligent exceptionally. Let’s explore in this post what linguistic intelligence looks like through some examples.
Is linguistic intelligence a necessity?
Howard Gardener (1983) proposed that intelligence is a composite construct[1]. It means that a person’s entirety of intelligence lies in its ability to recognize assess, and respond to several types of stimuli present around. For example, a person having spatial intelligence may not be called intelligent if he is not able to warn others of the dangers he assesses due to this ability.
Linguistic intelligence, therefore, is important to comprehend cues and messages. It also encompasses abilities to express, communicate, and demonstrate knowledge, and therefore, is a necessity. It is one of the 9 types of intelligence, as Gardner stipulates.
Examples of linguistic intelligence – tell-tale signs
We may call anybody linguistically sound basis a few qualities he demonstrates. On a shallow inspection, anybody who comes across as well composed in the expression of ideas seems to be dexter in linguistics. Examples of linguistic intelligence are:
- Dexterity in oral and written communication: You all have a few people around you who speak well and you feel glued to their narration. Similarly, you become a fan of someone’s writing by the way it ignites your thoughts. These are nothing but demonstrations of linguistic expertise.
- Grip over public speaking: Oratory skills make it easier for people to keep themselves pulled through their speech. Leaders make great speeches and can influence people only by their way of moving the audience through a powerful selection of words.
- Fondness for jokes, poems, and books: You appreciate a work when you have an eye for it. A linguistically sound person feels drawn to jokes, poetry, literature, and even podcasts in technologically advanced times.
- Deep interest in word games: When you find a person buying a newspaper and shooting straight to the crossword puzzle section, you are actually seeing a language lover.
- Expertise in debates: The ability to read write, and gain information from literary sources helps develop an opinion. It allows for putting up a great debate.
- Inclination towards learning languages: Intelligence of languages, word formation, and expression reflects in the desire to learn other languages. People with exceptional linguistic skills try to learn more languages and become masters at those.
- Clarity in their way of expressing thoughts: The choice of words is such that they communicate clearly what they are feeling. As a listener, you are able to make out clearly whether the person is happy, sad, or angry from the words spoken. Thus, language is an outcome of the cognitive processing ability of the mind too[2].
- Better imagery of thoughts: The ease of processing information and eloquence in expression augment imagery building. You will find descriptions vivid, almost close-to-real, and sometimes, even larger than life. That is why, story-telling capabilities are quite pronounced representations of language knowledge par excellence.
- Knowledge of similes, metaphors, tongue-twisters, etc: There is an ease of playing with words, and they appreciate various ways the ideas are expressed. It is not only about the knowledge of verbatim explanations, the people with pronounced reading and writing abilities love reading between the lines. Their comfort with drawing inferences and looking for exemplary presentations is quite evident.
Developing linguistic intelligence: What it takes
Inclination towards languages, and expressing the self is quite easily identifiable. As a parent, you may find your child comfortable with people. Such children conduct themselves well, have pronounced self-advocacy skills, and are mostly seen leading the group. A few others may be close to the perfection level but may require reinforcement of language skills. It can be done by:
- Encouraging to read: You can provide the child with books on topics that interest them. Reading is one of the most effective ways of developing language. Articulation of thoughts comes from textual resources and trains the mind to write things in a semantically approved manner.
- Playing word games: Play games where the participants need to tell derived meanings from phrases, or jumble up letters, find synonyms, antonyms, rhyming words, etc. Having fun with tongue twisters can also drive the mind to bring more juice into narratives.
- Story-telling: Story-telling is a wholesome exercise that teaches how to form a central idea and develop it into a complete narrative. Drive learners’ minds into thinking about how stories can end in different ways and what lessons one can learn.
- Writing a diary: It is quite an interesting exercise that allows kids to be more cognitive of the self, events, emotions, and approach. By writing the events of the day, learners can identify various emotions they come across, retrieve information from their memory, and make decisions for the future. All these activities demand justifiably strong explanation capabilities, which by practice lead to enhancing linguistic proficiency.
- Develop a personal lexicon: Make a habit of reading articles, news pieces, or stories. While doing so, point out the words that intrigue you. Write their synonyms, and antonyms and use them in a sentence in a notebook. It helps you refine your word choice, and comprehension skills, and become an impressive writer.
Career choices to apply linguistics intelligence
Having exceptional prowess to express through writing and spelling is a boon. It creates various career opportunities where the skills can be put to the best use. You can fill in for the people who are needed to teach and enable fluid communications. A few best choices can be:
- Language coach
- Writer
- Poet
- Playwright
- Translator
- Assignment help providers
- Teachers
- Political leaders, etc.
Conclusion
Developing linguistic intelligence is the first requirement to attain positions of authority. If you find a gap in the ability to express, training the mind to learn this art is advisable. Having said that, learning disabilities are a reality and these interfere with language development and expression abilities. Even such people can get requisite aid from assistive technologies and reach out to people by bypassing usual ways of expressing linguistic skills.
References
- Robert J. Sternberg, in Thinking and Problem Solving, 1994
- Linguistic and Cognitive Skills in Sardinian–Italian Bilingual Children, Maria Garaffa et al, Frontiers in Psychology, 2015
I am Pratiksha Bhatt, Bachelor of Life Science, and Masters in Management Studies. I have done certification courses in early education counseling. I am a writer, a mother of a child with spelling difficulties which drove me to alternative resources of education like manipulatives and participatory activities. My areas of expertise are learning difficulties, alternative learning methods, and activity-based learning.