Byrnesys Blabberings

I have been thinking about writing today and had a realization that writing is in fact a form that language that I increasingly enjoy. I am certainly not the worlds most natural writer, anyone who has met me face to face will know my primary language function is certainly verbal, but I have grown aware of the differences between the two forms of language, written and verbal.

Because I am a naturally inclined to be a talker I have the misfortune of writing in the way I would speak. Some might say this is a good thing, but I am not entirely sure. verbal communication is quite transient, you say something and immediately it is gone, it is far less exact and concrete than written words. If you go too far in one direction whilst speaking it is quite easy to balance what you have said later in that conversation. Verbal communication in short leaves a lot of space for correction and has a dialectic quality by it’s very nature.

This, you may say, is surely a good thing? I would agree to a point, but after spending the last few years reading and studying theology and attempting to write in an academic theological fashion I have realized there is much to be said for the written word as distinct from the verbal. Written words allow a depth, intensity and detailed account and discussion to take place, you can cover much more ground in writing, as the trail is clear to be seen. Fairly short paragraphs of writing would some times take longer periods to say verbally because there would be a need to re-iterate a foundational point which is not required in writing.

This is why I enjoy the written as much as the verbal, because it allows for succinctness,and for a collage of ideas to become a mosaic instead of a group of chaotic thoughts.

What do you think? What do you enjoy about these two forms of communication?