i believe in the power of words essay

Essay on The Power of Words

Students are often asked to write an essay on The Power of Words in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on The Power of Words

The power of words.

Words are more than just a means to communicate. They have the power to inspire, motivate, and change perspectives.

Words Inspire

Words can inspire us to achieve great things. They can encourage us to strive for success and never give up.

Words Motivate

Motivational words can help us to overcome challenges. They give us the strength to keep going when times are tough.

Words Change Perspectives

Words can change our views. They can help us see things from a different angle, opening our minds to new ideas and possibilities.

250 Words Essay on The Power of Words

The influence of verbal expressions, words as catalysts of change.

Words can instigate revolutions and inspire social change. Historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi utilized the power of words to galvanize masses, leading to significant societal transformations. Equally, in literature, authors use words to challenge prevailing norms, stimulate thought, and foster empathy.

The Destructive Power of Words

Conversely, words can also be destructive. They can perpetuate stereotypes, incite hatred, and trigger conflict. Words used irresponsibly, without consideration for their potential impact, can cause irreversible damage.

Words in the Digital Age

In the digital age, the power of words is amplified. Social media platforms provide a global stage where words can spread rapidly, influencing millions within seconds. This underscores the need for responsible communication to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

In conclusion, the power of words is undeniable. They shape our perceptions, influence our actions, and define our society. As such, we must wield them responsibly, understanding that our words can either build bridges or erect barriers. The choice is ours.

500 Words Essay on The Power of Words

The essence of words.

Words, the basic building blocks of communication, are more than mere symbols or sounds. They carry immense power, shaping our thoughts, actions, and the world around us. They can build bridges or erect walls, heal wounds or inflict pain, inspire revolutions or maintain status quo.

The Constructive Power of Words

The power of words in interpersonal relationships.

In interpersonal relationships, words can nurture bonds, express love, and foster understanding. A well-chosen word can mend a broken relationship, while a harsh one can irreparably damage it. Words have the power to validate someone’s feelings, making them feel seen, heard, and understood.

However, the power of words is not always positive. Words can also destroy. They can breed hatred, instigate violence, and perpetuate stereotypes. Hate speech, for instance, uses words to marginalize, intimidate, and dehumanize certain groups, leading to social division and conflict.

The Power of Words in Politics and Society

The responsibility that comes with the power of words.

Given the power of words, it is essential to use them responsibly. This means being mindful of the potential impact of our words on others, striving for accuracy and truthfulness in our communication, and using words to promote understanding, respect, and peace.

Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Words

In conclusion, words are not just passive carriers of meaning. They are active agents in shaping our reality. They have the power to create and destroy, to heal and hurt, to enlighten and deceive. As wielders of this power, we have a responsibility to use words wisely and ethically. The power of words is a testament to the power of human communication and the profound impact it can have on our individual lives and society at large.

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Kenia Sedler

My literary journey in classical self-education.

Orwell’s 1984: On the Power of Words to Affect Thought

• Science Fiction

1984  is book #269 from The Literary Project .

I recently re-read George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel 1984 . It had been at least 15 years since I had read it the first time, and so I remembered little. In diving in again, I was struck by Orwell’s masterful ability to demonstrate the power of words and their importance to a liberal state–for a democratic society and individual freedom. It is a power that, I believe, most of us–myself included–tend to seriously underestimate.

To drive this concept home, Orwell invented a fictional language: Newspeak. It is the official language of Oceania, the totalitarian state within which 1984 takes place. It is a highly abbreviated version of Standard English, a language built chiefly by eliminating words so that what is left is only the ability to express permissible–or, “Orthodox”–ideas. Words that can be used to express unorthodox thought are completely stripped from the language, so that expression–and even thought–that is against the Party’s principles is impossible.

Winston Smith is our protagonist, and towards the beginning of the novel his “comrade” Syme sits down with him at lunch and discusses his work: he is on an enormous team of experts compiling the Eleventh Edition of the Newspeak dictionary.

Syme explains:

“You think, I dare say, that our chief job is inventing new words. But not a bit of it! We’re destroying words–scores of them, hundreds of them, every day. We’re cutting the language down to the bone.”

He goes on in more detail:

“It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words. Of course the great advantage is in the verbs and adjectives, but there are hundreds of nouns that can be got rid of as well. It isn’t only the synonyms; there are also the antonyms. After all, what justification is there for a word which is simply the opposite of some other words? A word contains its opposite in itself. Take ‘good,’ for instance. If you have a word like ‘good,’ what need is there for a word like ‘bad’? ‘Ungood’ will do just as well–better, because it’s an exact opposite, which the other is not. Or again, if you want a stronger version of ‘good,’ what sense is there in having a whole string of vague useless words like ‘excellent’ and ‘splendid’ and all the rest of them? ‘Plusgood’ covers the meaning, or ‘doubleplusgood’ if you want something stronger still. Of course we use those forms already, but in the final version of Newspeak there’ll be nothing else. In the end the whole notion of goodness and badness will be covered by only six words–in reality, only one word. Don’t you see the beauty of that, Winston?…”

His disdain for the complexities of the Standard English language, “Oldspeak,” is evident:

“…In your heart you’d prefer to stick to Oldspeak, with all its vagueness and its useless shades of meaning…”

That sentence, with its description of shades of meaning as “useless” made an impression on me. I had to put the book down for a second to ponder on it…and I came to equate Standard English as we know it today (and really any language in the world that isn’t Newspeak-like), as being a language for human beings , for expressing all that encompasses the multi-faceted human condition; whereas Newspeak reduces the human down to an automaton machine, who’s primary goal in speaking is efficiency in its exactitude.

And then Syme reveals the true purpose of Newspeak, the reason for holding efficiency above all else:

“Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime* literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed will be expressed by exactly  one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten…”

(*Thoughtcrime is unorthodox thinking, all of which is against the law in Oceania.)

“To narrow the range of thought.” Although we usually think of the spoken or written word when we think of language, isn’t the purpose of language  truly  to create ideas and order our thoughts? The expression of an idea from one person to another is actually secondary, because the idea must be developed first before it can be expressed. Innovations, creative visions, worldviews…are all developed in our  minds . And although we do receive most of our thoughts and ideas from the world outside of us initially, all of those ideas were originally hatched inside of someone else’s mind. And once their ideas enter your mind, you can, in turn, turn them around and around and make them into something new by synthesizing all the concepts you hold in your head, which are only there because of the language that you know. This is why limiting words actually would result in a narrowing of thought.

Syme then goes on to paint a frightening future:

“By 2050–earlier, probably–all real knowledge of Oldspeak will have disappeared. The whole literature of the past will have been destroyed. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron–they’ll exist only in Newspeak versions, not merely changed into something different, but actually changed into something contradictory of what they used to be…The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact there will  be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking–not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”

“There will  be no thought.” …Terrifying.

So think now to all those times you’ve heard friends and relatives lament the fact that English has too many synonyms. Although they are almost always not synonyms in the true sense, but rather elegant inventions to express slight differences in nuance, many people are frustrated when reading works with “fancy” words that they need to look up; and they seem to think the author only uses them to “show off.” Of course that may be the case in some instances, but more often than not the author is making a conscience choice to use one word over another in order to truly express their thoughts more exactly. I understand that this frustration with words does not come from a place of wanting to turn our world into a totalitarian state…but this frustration is the epitome of lacking understanding of the importance of words and language, nuance and shades of meaning.

Word are important. Incredibly important. And to these frustrated people…I must insist: elevate yourself. Rather than wishing language was brought down, bring yourself up. Learn new words. Deliberately use them in your speech so that you may learn them well. And as you learn, you’ll find yourself feeling less frustrated and more empowered. At least, that’s how I feel as I do this myself. I know that I have so much to continue to learn, but as I do I feel more and more empowered in my thinking. Perhaps this way, one individual at a time, we’ll maintain an educated citizenry of the free world, and we’ll protect the very tool that protects our civil liberties: our free thought.

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101 This I Believe Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

"This I Believe" essays are a popular genre in the academic and personal writing world. They allow individuals to reflect on their beliefs, values, and experiences in a concise and engaging manner. If you're looking for some inspiration for your own "This I Believe" essay, here are 101 topic ideas and examples to get you started:

• I believe in the power of kindness.
• I believe in the importance of self-love.
• I believe in the value of hard work.
• I believe in the beauty of diversity.
• I believe in the strength of resilience.
• I believe in the magic of music.
• I believe in the healing power of nature.
• I believe in the importance of education.
• I believe in the power of forgiveness.
• I believe in the importance of empathy.
• I believe in the value of honesty.
• I believe in the power of hope.
• I believe in the importance of family.
• I believe in the beauty of art.
• I believe in the strength of community.
• I believe in the power of perseverance.
• I believe in the importance of gratitude.
• I believe in the value of friendship.
• I believe in the beauty of simplicity.
• I believe in the importance of mindfulness.
• I believe in the power of positivity.
• I believe in the importance of communication.
• I believe in the value of laughter.
• I believe in the beauty of love.
• I believe in the strength of faith.
• I believe in the power of creativity.
• I believe in the importance of integrity.
• I believe in the value of curiosity.
• I believe in the beauty of vulnerability.
• I believe in the strength of courage.
• I believe in the importance of authenticity.
• I believe in the value of compassion.
• I believe in the beauty of acceptance.
• I believe in the strength of self-expression.
• I believe in the power of self-reflection.
• I believe in the importance of self-care.
• I believe in the value of independence.
• I believe in the beauty of solitude.
• I believe in the strength of teamwork.
• I believe in the power of imagination.
• I believe in the importance of discipline.
• I believe in the value of responsibility.
• I believe in the beauty of freedom.
• I believe in the power of change.
• I believe in the importance of adaptability.
• I believe in the value of balance.
• I believe in the beauty of imperfection.
• I believe in the strength of vulnerability.
• I believe in the power of self-awareness.
• I believe in the importance of self-compassion.
• I believe in the value of self-acceptance.
• I believe in the beauty of growth.
• I believe in the strength of transformation.
• I believe in the importance of resilience.
• I believe in the value of perseverance.
• I believe in the beauty of forgiveness.
• I believe in the strength of love.
• I believe in the power of gratitude.
• I believe in the value of kindness.
• I believe in the strength of unity.
• I believe in the importance of trust.
• I believe in the beauty of authenticity.
• I believe in the strength of integrity.
• I believe in the power of communication.
• I believe in the importance of collaboration.
• I believe in the value of teamwork.
• I believe in the beauty of creativity.
• I believe in the strength of innovation.
• I believe in the power of education.
• I believe in the importance of lifelong learning.
• I believe in the value of critical thinking.
• I believe in the beauty of curiosity.
• I believe in the power of adaptability.
• I believe in the importance of flexibility.
• I believe in the value of patience.
• I believe in the beauty of perseverance.
• I believe in the strength of determination.
• I believe in the power of self-discipline.
• I believe in the importance of self-control.
• I believe in the value of self-improvement.
• I believe in the beauty of self-care.
• I believe in the strength of self-love.
• I believe in the power of self-acceptance.
• I believe in the importance of self-awareness.
• I believe in the value of self-reflection.
• I believe in the beauty of self-discovery.
• I believe in the power of self-confidence.
• I believe in the importance of self-respect.
• I believe in the value of self-esteem.
• I believe in the beauty of self-compassion.
• I believe in the strength of self-empowerment.
• I believe in the power of self-actualization.

These are just a few examples of the many topics that you could explore in your own "This I Believe" essay. Remember, the key to a successful essay is to choose a topic that is meaningful to you and to communicate your beliefs with honesty and clarity. Good luck!

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This I Believe Essay

This i believe essay generator.

In the realm of personal expression and introspection, the “This I Believe” essay stands as a testament to the power of individual beliefs and narratives. Rooted in the context of personal experiences and convictions, these essays provide a platform for individuals to articulate their core principles, values, and perspectives. Through the use of various literary devices and elements , authors craft narratives that illuminate their unique outlook on life. In this article, we will delve into the definition of a This I Believe essay, present a step-by-step guide on how to craft one, address common questions, and explore the essence of this expressive form.

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What is a This I Believe Essay?

A This I Believe essay is a written composition that encapsulates an individual’s personal beliefs, values, and philosophies. Often reflective and intimate in nature, these essays offer readers insight into the author’s subjective understanding of the world. They provide an opportunity to explore the depth of one’s convictions, making use of various literary devices and characteristics to convey a sense of authenticity and sincerity. Through the exploration of individual experiences and convictions, these essays aim to connect with readers on a personal and emotional level.

How to Write a This I Believe Essay

Step 1: choose your core belief.

At the heart of your essay lies your core belief. Choose a belief that holds personal significance and represents your worldview. This belief should be something you feel passionately about and can articulate convincingly.

Step 2: Develop a Compelling Context

Create a context for your belief by providing background information. Explain why this belief is important to you and how it has shaped your experiences and outlook on life. A relatable context will engage your readers and make your essay more relatable.

Step 3: Employ Effective Literary Devices

Incorporate literary devices to enhance the impact of your essay. Metaphors, similes, and anecdotes can help convey your belief in a vivid and relatable manner. Consider how these devices can strengthen your narrative and connect with your audience emotionally.

Step 4: Craft a Strong Conclusion

Summarize your belief and its significance in your life, reinforcing the message you want to leave with your readers. Reflect on the journey you’ve taken them on and inspire them to reflect on their own beliefs.

Can I write about a commonly held belief?

Absolutely. While it’s important to maintain authenticity, even exploring a cliché belief can be powerful when you provide a fresh perspective or personal context. Your unique experiences and reflections make your essay stand out.

Can I use proper nouns in my essay?

Yes, proper nouns can add specificity and authenticity to your essay. Mentioning specific places, people, or events can help ground your beliefs in real-world experiences.

How can I make my essay more impactful?

Focus on using strong verbs to convey emotions and actions. Instead of saying “I felt sad,” consider saying “I crumbled under the weight of sorrow.” This adds depth to your writing and engages the reader’s senses.

In the realm of personal expression, the This I Believe essay shines as a vehicle for exploring one’s deepest convictions. By carefully selecting beliefs, weaving context, employing literary devices, and crafting strong conclusions, authors can create narratives that resonate with readers on a profound level. Through the power of words, these essays bridge the gap between individual experiences and universal truths, reminding us of the strength and diversity of human beliefs. So, take the plunge into introspection and share your beliefs with the world through the art of the This I Believe essay.

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Write a This I Believe Essay about the power of kindness in everyday life

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The Big IDEAS: What is power?

The Sacred Spell of Words

Power is language.

By N. Scott Momaday

Mr. Momaday is an author, poet and playwright.

This is the first essay in The Big Ideas, a special section of The Times’s philosophy series, The Stone , in which more than a dozen notable thinkers and writers — including Elena Ferrante, Cornel West, Yuval Harari, Gen. Wesley Clark and others — answer the question, “What is power?”

The term “power” is everywhere in our world. Thinking of it, the phrase “word inflation” comes to mind. Much of what we e​n​counter in print, on television and in advertising centers on the concept of power.

But what is that concept? What is power? The truth is that the word bears an impossible burden of interpretation. Definitions are myriad; the dictionary lists an unusual number of meanings. Surely power is what it is — that which enables us to influence, if not indeed determine, the course of our lives.

And it is a word.

Words are powerful. As a writer, my experience tells me that nothing is more powerful. Language, after all, is made of words.

Words are conceptual symbols; they have denotative and connotative properties. The word “power” denotes force, physical strength, resistance. But it connotes something more subtle: persuasion, suggestion, inspiration, security.

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This I Believe

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Celebrating Four Years Of 'This I Believe'

April 27, 2009 • During its four-year run on NPR, This I Believe engaged listeners in a discussion of the core beliefs that guide their daily lives. We heard from people of all walks of life — the very young and the very old, the famous and the previously unknown.

Saying Thanks To My Ghosts

April 26, 2009 • Novelist Amy Tan hasn't always believed in ghosts, but as a writer she's had too many inspirations that she can't fully explain. Now, Tan embraces her belief in ghosts and the messages of joy, love and peace they bring her.

Life Is An Act Of Literary Creation

April 23, 2009 • Mexican-American novelist Luis Urrea used to think that simply being a good observer would make his writing better. But over time, he's come to believe that being a good writer and a good person comes from paying attention to the world around him.

The Art Of Being A Neighbor

April 12, 2009 • A few years ago, Eve Birch was broke and living alone in a dilapidated mountain shack. But a community of people befriended her, shared what little they had with her and showed Birch the value of neighbors uniting to help one another.

Muhammad Ali John Lair/Muhammad Ali Center hide caption

I Am Still The Greatest

April 6, 2009 • To be the "Greatest of All Time," boxing legend Muhammad Ali says you have to believe in yourself. It's a lesson his parents taught him and it has helped him in fighting Parkinson's disease.

Dancing To Connect To A Global Tribe

March 29, 2009 • Matt Harding has been to 70 countries to dance — badly — in front of a camera, and videos of his travels have become an Internet sensation. Harding believes interacting with so many different people challenges him to understand what unites humanity.

My Father Deserves Spectacular Results

March 26, 2009 • Environmental activist Van Jones is a special adviser to the Obama administration. He says his dad, who died last year, would have gotten a kick out of seeing Obama become president. But his dad had high standards, and there is much more work to be done.

The Beatles Live On

March 15, 2009 • Macklin Levine was born more than 25 years after the Fab Four broke up, but at 12, she has a deep appreciation for Beatles music. "As old as the songs are, you can learn a lot about yourself from the lyrics," she says. And the Beatles help her remember her Dad, too.

Finding Freedom In Forgiveness

March 5, 2009 • Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was certain that Ronald Cotton was the man who raped her in 1984. But she was wrong. After Cotton spent 11 years in jail, DNA evidence proved his innocence. Now, the two have a friendship based on their belief in forgiveness.

Work Is A Blessing

March 1, 2009 • When he was 12, Russel Honore got his first job helping a neighbor milk 65 dairy cows twice a day. Fifty years later, the retired Army lieutenant general believes hard work helps build character, strengthen communities and promote freedom.

Seeing Beyond Our Differences

February 26, 2009 • Scientist Sheri White says that despite differences in size, shape and color, all humans are 99.9 percent biologically identical. White believes we should embrace our similarities and honor the differences that make each of us unique.

Historical Archives

Reflections on race: essays from the archives.

February 23, 2009 • Dan Gediman, executive producer of NPR's This I Believe, explores the archives of the original series hosted by Edward R. Murrow in the 1950s. He says the essays shed light on the realities of segregation at the dawn of the civil rights movement.

Gediman explores the 'This I Believe' archives.

The magic of letters.

February 15, 2009 • Chameli Waiba was raised in a village in Nepal and didn't attend school as a child. When she finally learned to read as an adult, Waiba discovered the power words could have to change her life, as well as the lives of others in her rural community.

How To Survive Life's Tests

February 9, 2009 • Kendra Jones assigned her students to write This I Believe essays and decided that she owed it to them to write one of her own. Jones believes toughness, steeliness and even meanness have helped her throughout her life.

Our Awareness Controls Human Destiny

February 8, 2009 • In an essay from 1951 for the original This I Believe series, Margaret Mead says she can't separate the beliefs she has as a person from the beliefs she has as an anthropologist. She says that humans have a responsibility for the entire planet.

A Hope For Bettering Humanity

February 1, 2009 • In an essay from 1953 for the original This I Believe series, Sir Charles Galton Darwin, the grandson of naturalist Charles Darwin, drew on his study of science to say he believed the future of humanity depended on the practice of eugenics.

Listening Is Powerful Medicine

February 1, 2009 • It took a scolding from an elderly patient to get Dr. Alicia Conill to look up from her charts and stop to listen. Conill came to understand the value of listening in the treatment process — especially when she herself became the patient.

America's Beauty Is In Its Diversity

January 29, 2009 • In sixth grade, Alaa El-Saad decided to start wearing the hijab , a religious head covering for Muslim women. Despite some trepidation, she found her classmates supported her choice. Now El-Saad believes being different is part of being American.

Thirty Things I Believe

January 18, 2009 • When Tarak McLain's kindergarten group celebrated their 100th day of class, some kids brought 100 nuts or cotton balls. Tarak brought a list of 100 things he believes. Now a first-grader, Tarak shares his top beliefs about God, life, nature and war.

Inviting The World To Dinner

January 12, 2009 • Every Sunday for 30 years, Jim Haynes has welcomed complete strangers into his Paris home for dinner. By introducing people to each other and encouraging them to make personal connections, Haynes believes he can foster greater tolerance in the world.

Pathways Of Desire

January 4, 2009 • Gina Parosa believes in letting her kids, pets and livestock make their own paths in life. But she also realizes that as a farmer and parent, she sometimes has to step in and set good boundaries — while still being flexible enough to change them.

This Is Home

January 1, 2009 • Majora Carter believes you don't have to move out of your old neighborhood to live in a better one. Carter was raised in the South Bronx and spent years trying to leave. But when the city proposed a waste facility there, she was inspired to fight for her community.

Health Is A Human Right

December 21, 2008 • As an infectious disease specialist, Dr. Paul Farmer has traveled the planet to organize and provide medical treatment for people living in poverty. He believes good health care is vital but just the first step in creating a world free of all human suffering.

Home — Essay Samples — Science — Language — The Power of Language: How Words Shape Our World

The Power of Language: How Words Shape Our World

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 795 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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The essence of language and communication, the complex relationship between language and power, using language to promote transparency, accountability, and equity.

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How to Wield the Power of Words

Start writing to get smart and creative..

Whenever I am in a workflow funk, writing has proven to be a reliable recourse for unlocking my intelligence and unblocking my creativity. Words have power. Naming your thoughts makes them wieldable. And wielding your thoughts is how you master your universe.

Here is a method I developed this morning for turning my thoughts into words and my words into things of value.

Step 1: Get Thee to a Writing Surface

First you need to get into a functional and comfortable position for focused writing. Get to your desk or any surface that is flat, sturdy, spacious, and clear. Your writing space should also be in an environment that is conducive to concentration. You should be in a place that is well-lit and non-distracting, i.e., quiet and still. Such a spot is a place of power.

One incidental advantage of the habit of writing out one’s ideas is that it promotes concentration as almost no other practice does. As one who has written daily newspaper editorials or weekly magazine columns for many years, I can testify that nothing forces one to pull one’s thoughts together more than deciding on a topic, sitting before the typewriter, feeding in a clean sheet of paper, and then trying to frame one’s exact theme, title, and opening paragraph. Francis Bacon summed it up with unsurpassable conciseness: “Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.” – Henry Hazlitt

Step 2: Express Your Thoughts as Words

Place a notepad on that writing surface directly in front of you. Otherwise, the surface should be completely clear. For maximum engagement, singularly focus on as few things as possible.

Put pen to paper, and take notes on your thoughts about a single subject. One way of starting is to write the first word that comes to mind. Give that word its own line to leave space for adding further notes later. See what other word or expression doing that makes you think of, and write that down on the second line. Repeat this process until you have something on every line of your notepad sheet.

As you proceed, try to home in on a theme. As soon as you can, title your sheet based on that theme. A title can help you keep your train of thought from getting sidetracked. When you have something on every line of your sheet, tear it off and place it to the side where it is still visible.

In my experience, “keyword” note-taking in this manner generates the verbiage I need to write linearly and coherently. If the same proves true for you, proceed with the following.

Step 3: Assemble Your Words in Sentences

Place a note book in front of you, and journal. Take the ideas you just developed using keywords, and express them more fully in the form of complete sentences. Do this until you’ve captured the essence of your ideas. Then slide your notebook off to the side in front of your notepad sheet.

In my experience, complete-sentence journaling in this manner matures my thinking to the point where I am ready to extract long-term value from the ideas expressed. If the same proves true for you, proceed with the following.

Step 4: Edit and Rewrite Your Sentences

Place a laptop computer in front of you. Or sit down at your desktop computer with your notebook and notepad sheet. In a word processor (Notion is my app of choice), rewrite your journal entry. Refine your wording. Add elaborations. Insert points you missed.

Return to your journal entry, and use it as a checklist. Go through it line by line. Verify whether you’ve incorporated into your digital write-up everything of value from each line, and then make a checkmark next to that line. Then do the same thing with your keyword notes sheet. Whenever you notice something you missed, work it into your digital write-up.

This is how you can develop any written asset: a memo, a project plan, a how-to guide, etc.

Step 5 (Bonus): Revise for Public Consumption, and Publish

Now that you have created something of value for your own life, consider sharing it more broadly to benefit others, too! Further edit, revise, and rewrite your copy for publication. Publish it as an article or a scripted video in whatever venues you have access to: Substack, YouTube, a podcast, etc. Not only will this benefit others, but it will further benefit yourself. Pushing yourself to make your ideas clear for others will help you understand them better, too.

When we write out our ideas, we are at the same time testing, developing, arranging, crystallizing, and completing them. We imagine ourselves not only making these ideas clear to others, but making them seem as important to others as they do to ourselves. So we try to make what was vague in our minds precise and definite; what was implicit, explicit; what was disconnected, unified; what was fragmentary, whole. We frame a generalization, then try to make it as plausible as we can; we try to think of concrete illustrations of it. And as we do this, we also expose it to ourselves—and sometimes, alas, find that it is empty, untenable, or sheer nonsense. – Henry Hazlitt

Once you’ve completed step 4, creating something publishable can be surprisingly easy. Indeed, I myself just went through the above five steps to create this very essay about those steps. (See the appendix below where I show my work.)

I have found the above method to be a powerful way to “think in ink” and put my notions in motion. I hope you do, too. To unlock your intelligence and unblock your creativity, tap the power of words by following this five-step drill:

• Get situated for concentrated writing.
• Use keyword notetaking as an easy on-ramp into the world of words.
• Use complete-sentence journaling to develop your ideas.
• Use digital word processing to refine your ideas.
• Publish your ideas to refine them further and to be of service to others.

Here are photos of my process in following the above steps to develop this essay about those steps.

Step 1: My writing surface

Step 2: My keyword notes

Step 3: My complete-sentence journal entry

Step 4: My personal “how-to” guide write-up for this process

Step 5: My essay manuscript

This essay originally appeared on Dan’s Substack, Developing Devotion.

More By Dan Sanchez

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Habits of Effective Libertarians

Amy Rees Anderson

The power of words.

Words are a powerful thing. Words can build and lift, comfort and calm, teach and inspire.  To the opposite, words can destroy and demolish, incite and enrage, berate and criticize, embarrass and demean.  It has been said that in an average day a person will speak somewhere between 10 and 20,000 words. Which means we have that tons of chances every day to say something positive or to say something negative, the choice is totally up to us.

There is an old saying that “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Whoever came up with that saying had it completely wrong…what they saying needed to say is “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but unkind words will always hurt me…and a broken bone can heal with time, but the damage done by unkind words might never heal.”  Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of verbal abuse or verbal assaults knows all too well how true this is…

What is important to keep in mind is that people who speak negatively of others are people who first have felt negatively about themselves, they are those who are constantly thinking critical thoughts about themselves.  After a period of time of only seeing the negative in themselves, that person begins to only see the negative in others too, and often times they start to voice that.  They become incapable of seeing the positive, and instead they only complain and condemn.  They wallow in misery themselves and they become determined to make everyone around them feel miserable too.  Often times they may try to mask their unkind words with sarcasm and humor, relishing in the laughter they get at the expense of someone else.  What they don’t realize is that the laughter they are getting is from people who laugh out of fear, not out of admiration, because the last thing those people laughing want is to become next on their list to be torn down.  What it comes down to is this, people who speak negatively are not loved; they are feared.

When we are tempted to say something unkind we have to remember this:  Negative words, once spoken, can’t be pulled back.  We can apologize and try to make amends, but even that won’t make the memory of our words disappear.  Even if the person we offended forgives us, they are likely to remember our words for many years to come and the damage done to their heart may never fully heal.   

Boys flying kites haul in their white-winged birds;

You can call back your kites, but you can’t call back your words.

“Careful with fire” is good advice, we know;

“Careful with words” is ten times doubly so.

Thoughts unexpressed will often fall back dead. But God Himself can’t kill them, once they are said!

-Will Carleton

We have to remember that the words we say reflect the person that we are, whether they are good or bad, they are reflecting what we think and feel on the inside to everyone observing on the outside.  Our words reflect our character.   That goes for both the words we speak as well as the words we write.  In today’s world we see so much of people writing horrible things on Twitter or Facebook or a myriad of other social media outlets.  Bullying is no longer just for the playground, cyber-bullying has run rampant on the web.  And people seem to take more liberty with being unkind in writing then they would dare attempt to verbalize in person. Putting word in written form hurts no less than words spoken, and sometimes it can hurt even more.  When I have come across that type of tearing down I can’t help but think to myself: how miserable must this person who wrote this must be to have taken time out of their day to post something so destructive and degrading about someone else….making that effort takes being a truly unhappy person who wants nothing more than to spread their misery…it’s really very sad.

On the opposite end of the spectrum we have those who use their words in positive ways.  They are optimistic and happy and they look for the good, both in themselves, as well as in others.  They are encouraging and kind and they use the power of their words to build and encourage.  People are drawn to them because they know they will lift them up, give them hope, and inspire them to be better.   These people are loved, and it is easy to see why. I absolutely love people who use the power of their words to do good.  I love learning from them and I love being around them.  They make the world a happier place and they inspire me to use the power of my own words for good.

Here’s to making the world a better place by the power of our words – both spoken and written!  Have a great Monday everyone!  It’s going to be an amazing week ahead…I just feel it!

11 Comments

Some words when spoken…can’t be taken back…

Nothingman by Pearl Jam

This blog has been a great example of positive words. It is easy to see that you are always trying to uplift and inspire. I don’t always comment, but I always read because of that track record.

We need in politics man who oblige something to recite, not men who require something to get.

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You are so awesome! I don’t think I’ve read through something like this before. So great to find somebody with a few genuine thoughts on this subject. Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This site is something that is required on the internet, someone with some originality!

What’s up to all, the contents present at this site are actually amazing for people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows.

This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that hellped me. Many thanks!

Absolutely Beautifully!Words are a biblical fact and truth of how Wounderful God is.

Absolutely Beautifully!Words are a biblical fact and truth of how Wonderful God is.

I like your article. Thank you

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39 “This I Believe” Essay

The history of ‘this i believe’.

by Tanya Matthews

This I Believe is an exciting media project that invites individuals from all walks of life to write about and discuss the core beliefs that guide their daily lives. They share these statements in weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered .

The series is based on the 1950’s radio program This I Believe , hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. Each day, some 39-million Americans gathered by their radios to hear compelling essays from the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Harry Truman as well as corporate leaders, cab drivers, scientists and secretaries — anyone able to distill into a few minutes the guiding principles by which they lived. Their words brought comfort and inspiration to a country worried about the Cold War, McCarthyism and racial division.

Eventually, the radio series became a cultural phenomenon. Eighty-five leading newspapers printed a weekly column based on This I Believe . A collection of essays published in 1952 sold 300,000 copies — second only to the Bible that year. The series was translated and broadcast around the globe on the Voice of America. A book of essays translated into Arabic sold 30,000 copies in just three days.

[The NPR series This I Believe can be read and heard here . In addition, the website and organization This I Believe houses thousands of essays written by famous people, such as the ones mentioned above, and everyday people like you and me.]

As a college student in 2020, you are faced with turbulent politics, socioeconomic issues, and ethical dilemmas that will challenge you to take a stand and contribute to the local, national, and global conversation around you. The purpose of this writing task is not to persuade you to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, it is to encourage you to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from your own. Fifty years ago, Edward R. Murrow’s project struck such a chord with millions of Americans. It can do so again today…with you.

Video Resources for Generating Ideas

Dan gediman on writing a “this i believe essay”.

Read Cecelia Munoz’s essay “Getting Angry Can Be a Good Thing” referred to in the previous video here .

“This I Believe” Essay with Animation

“This I Believe” Essay Ideas

Prewriting Activity

1) analyze others’ statements.

Consider the following statements, written in response to the question What Have You Learned About Life? Highlight any sentences that resonate with you. Talk about them with a partner or group, explaining why. 1. I’ve learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back. – Age 9 2. I’ve learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up. – Age 14 3. I’ve learned that although it’s hard to admit it, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me. – Age 15 4. I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it. – Age 39 5. I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don’t know how to show it. – Age 42 6. I’ve learned that you can make someone’s day by simply sending them a little note. – Age 44 7. I’ve learned that the greater a person’s sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others. – Age 46 8. I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. – Age 48 9. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die. – Age 53 10. I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. – Age 58 11. I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. – Age 62 12. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision. – Age 66 13. I’ve learned that it pays to believe in miracles. And to tell the truth, I’ve seen several. – Age 75 14. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. – Age 82 15. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch—holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. – Age 85 16. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. – Age 92

2) Compose Your Own Statement

Write down a sentence that expresses what YOU have learned about life. Maybe it is similar to one of the statements above; maybe it’s completely different. Whatever it is, write it down.

3) Freewrit e

Now free-write about your sentence. Include at least two examples / experiences that you have had that support why you think this way.

Personal Statement/Philosophy: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why do you believe in this statement? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name two experiences that you had that would support the statement: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What does this say about yourself or your personality? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After your life experience, how have you come to the conclusion that this should be your statement? How have your beliefs changed, if at all? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How has the event effected your relationship with a person, place, or object? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How does your statement apply to you today? (How you view yourself & society) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAYS

Sample #1: america’s beauty is in its diversity.

written by Alaa El-Saad,  high school student,  as heard on NPR’s Tell Me More (2009)

America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I believe in the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be different, and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.

The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim and keeping my head covered is a sign of maturity and respect toward my religion and to Allah’s will. To be honest, I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be an individual, not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the reaction that I’d get at school.

I decided on my own that sixth grade was the time I should start wearing the hijab. I was scared about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or even be scared of me and pull off my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no acceptance for being different.

On the first day of school, I put all those negative thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but inside I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.

I was wrong about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions—respectfully—about the hijab, and why I wore it.

I did hear some kid was making fun of me, but there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, we never really talked much—and she stood up for me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.

Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the beauty of America. I believe in what America is built on: all different religions, races and beliefs. Different everything.

Sample #2: The Essentials to Happiness

written by Alexxandra Schuman, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

As a child, I was generally happy; singing and dancing to my favorite songs; smiling and laughing with my friends and family. But as far back as second grade, I noticed a “darkness,” about me. I didn’t enjoy engaging in many things. I didn’t relate to my peers in elementary school because they appeared so happy, and I didn’t have that ability to achieve happiness so easily.

In middle school things in my life began to get even worse. I began withdrawing from everything I once enjoyed; swimming, tennis, family. I hated going to sleep knowing I had to wake up to another day. I was always tired. Everything was horrible. Finally, midway through eighth grade, I was told I had a chemical imbalance; diagnosed with clinical depression and put on medication. It took months for me to feel the effects of the medication.

When I began to feel happy again, is when I realized that I had to take the responsibility for getting better myself, rather than relying on medication and therapy alone. Aristotle said, “To live happily is an inward power of the soul,” and I believe that this quote describes what I had to do to achieve happiness. Happiness is a journey. Everyone seems to need different things to be happy. But I believe people are blinded from what truly makes one happy.

Growing up, we’re encouraged to be successful in life; but how is success defined? Success and happiness are imagined now as having a lot of money. It is so untrue. Recently I went to Costa Rica and visited the small town of El Roble. I spent the day with a nine-year old girl named Marilyn. She took me to her house to meet her parents. It was obvious that they were not rich; living in a small house with seven children. The house was cluttered but full of life. Those who have decided that success and happiness comes from having money and a big house would be appalled at how utterly happy this family from El Roble is. People say that seeing things like that make you appreciate what you have, but for me, it made me envy them for being so happy without all the things I have.

“The essentials to happiness are something to love, something to do, and something to hope for,” a quote from William Blake sums up what I believe people need to realize to be truly happy in life. People need love; I feel they need their family and their friends more than anything in the world. People need work to do, something to make them feel they are making a difference in the world. People need to know that more good is to come in the future, so they continue to live for “now” instead of constantly worrying about the bad that could come. And most importantly people need to know that happiness is not something that happens overnight. Love and hope is happiness.

Sample #3: Find a Good Frog

written by Delia Motavalli, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

I believe in finding a good frog. It seems that all throughout childhood, we are taught to look for a happily ever after. “And they all lived happily ever after”; isn’t that the conclusion to many children’s films? When I was a kid I always thought of that as magical; but now really it just seems unrealistic. And it teaches us that what we want is a fairytale like they have in the storybooks. We all want to be Cinderella who gets swept off her feet by the hot prince; we want to live in the royal castle, right? But I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing for us to seek. Now I’m not saying I believe in being pessimistic, but I do believe in being realistic; it’s something I got from my mom.

My mother and I always have our best conversations in the rain. We sit in the car, neither of us wanting to brave the rain to get to the house. So we sit. We watch droplets race down the windshield, listen to the rain strike the roof of her little blue Honda, and feel the heater on full-blast rushing at our feet (just the way we like it). I don’t know why, but sitting in the car, we always talk more than normal. There was one rainy day when my mom told me something that is going to stick with me forever. Earlier that day she and my dad had been arguing about something; I can’t remember what. So she said, “Don’t spend your life looking for Prince Charming. Instead, find yourself a really good frog.”

At the time, I found this thought really disheartening. Who wants to think that you’ll never find Prince Charming? You’ll never get to be Cinderella? Another thought that struck my mind: if my mom says there’s no Prince Charming, then what’s my dad? A frog? I asked her, and she replied with, “Of course! If he were Prince Charming, he wouldn’t snore, would be able to cook, and we would never argue. But you know what? He’s a damn good frog.” Of course, being young, I didn’t think of the meaning behind what she was saying. I was too busy thinking of it literally, visualizing my mom as a princess and my dad in frog form.

But a few years later, I understand the value of my mom’s words. You can’t expect everything to be perfect. Let’s be completely honest; if you wait your whole life for your prince with flowing hair, statuesque features, and a white horse, you’re going to be lonely. I think that the point of finding a good frog is you accept something that’s great, flaws and all. It’s so easy to be picky. You can find the one tiny thing that’s wrong, and that one tiny thing is what you can’t get your mind off of. But in life, we can’t afford to wait years in vain for perfection. So I think that a good frog, an amazing frog, the best frog you can find is what we’re really looking for in this world. Don’t laze through life waiting for a happily ever after, because I don’t think you’ll be very happy with the outcome.

Examples from the ‘This I Believe’ Website

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude by Sarah Adams

They Lived Their Faith by Charles Henry Parrish

Returning to What’s Natural by Amelia Baxter-Stoltzfus

The Birthright of Human Dignity by Will Thomas

Remembering All The Boys by Elvia Bautista

I Am Still The Greatest by Muhammad Ali

A Goal Of Service To Humankind by Anthony Fauci

My Life Is Better by Abraham

Give Me a Waffle by Brenda

The Little Things by Sophie Crossley

You can also browse thousands more This I Believe essays by theme .

Prefer to Listen to Get Inspiration?

Check out This I Believe’s Podcast Series

4) Drafting

Assignment guidelines + suggestions and tips for drafting.

1. While the examples you’ve been given can serve as a model, it is essential that each of you write about a personal belief or philosophy that you feel strongly about. 2. Tell a story. Personal experiences are the corner stone of a good essay. Your story doesn’t have to be a heart breaker or even a major event, but it must be something that has affected how you think, feel, and act. List your personal experiences that you intend to use as evidence below: 3. Be concise. Avoid repetition. This essay should be between 500 – 650 words. When read aloud, it should take roughly four minutes. 4. Name your belief. It is essential that you can name your belief in a sentence or two. Focus on one belief only. This is your thesis. Write it here: 5. Be positive. Avoid preaching or persuading. You aren’t trying to change the way others think or act. Write about what you believe, not what you don’t believe. 6. Use the first person. Speak for yourself. Avoid using we or you. 7. Let your voice shine. Use language that sounds like you. Read it aloud as your revise. Keep making changes until your essay sounds like you and captures the essence of your belief.

5) Peer Review

Once you have written your first draft, arrange for your essay to be edited by a peer, using the following Peer-Editing Checklist: Writer’s Name: ________________________________________________ Peer Editor’s Name: ________________________________________________ Use your PENCIL or PEN (NOT red or green) to make corrections. Remember, this essay is a work in progress. You are not done writing! Look for ways to improve what you’ve already written. Tick each step if it has been completed. _____ 1. Read the paper backwards, one sentence at a time. Check for spelling errors. Use a dictionary, a friend, or a spell checker to find the correct spelling. _____ 2. Check for capitalized proper nouns and the first word of each sentence. _____ 3. Skip a line between each paragraph. _____ 4. Every sentence should have end punctuation. _____ 5. Check commas. Are they only used for compound sentences, a list of items, an introductory word or phrase, direct address, setting off interruptions, separating adjectives, or in dates? Do you need to add commas? Make sure you do not have commas separating complete sentences (i.e. comma splice errors that create run-on sentences). _____ 6. Apostrophes are used only for contractions and to show ownership. _____ 7. The use of more complex punctuation (dashes, hyphens, semi-colons, parentheses, etc.) is done correctly. _____ 8. Have you used commonly mixed pairs of words correctly? Check these: they’re/their/there, your/you’re, it’s/its, a/an, to/too/two, are/our/hour, and others. _____ 9. Read the paper backwards one sentence at a time. Check for sentence fragments and run-ons and correct them. _____ 10. Did you stay in present tense (such as is, am, do, take, know, etc.) or past tense (such as was, were, did, took, knew, etc.) throughout the entire essay? _____ 11. Did you stay in first person (I, me, my, we, us, our) or third person (he, him, she, her, they, them, their) throughout the entire essay? _____ 12. Was there adequate use of specific details and sensory details? Were the details clear and relevant to the statement? _____ 13. Is the overall purpose/philosophy clear? _____ 14. Does the conclusion make you go, “Wow!” “Cool!” “I never thought about it that way,” or any other similar reaction? Other suggestions for the overall content of the piece: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This I Believe by Tanya Matthews is licensed by CC-BY-SA

“This I Believe” Essay Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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MY PERSONAL COMPASS ESSAY: The Power of a Smile

• by Clifton B. Parker
• October 07, 2005

I believe in the power of a smile. A smile can be a subtle twitch of the jaw muscles or a large grin with both rows of teeth showing much like a third-grader on picture day.

Smiling is contagious. One of my goals every day is to smile, whether to myself or to someone else, even a complete stranger. I have a neighbor, an elderly Chinese woman, I have no clue as to what her name is, yet every day when I leave my house I see her on her morning walk and we smile to each other. I once was on the W-line bus on my way to campus and I smiled to a person sitting across from me. I later realized the person was in one of my classes and I introduced myself as the guy that smiled to her on the bus. This person and I have become the closest of friends. I recently had a friend pass away, Johnny Napier, and at his funeral his parents had put up his senior portrait from high school. This was no ordinary senior portrait, however; it was Johnny smiling with a set of joke teeth in his mouth. Johnny's parents knew it was the way Johnny would have wanted us to remember him because he had the power to bring a smile to the faces of his family and friends.

Smiling is what grounds me; it stabilizes and makes me feel more in control every day. It reminds me that, despite the fast pace of life, I must always remember to be happy and appreciate the little things in life. Smiling helps me overcome times of fear, anxiety and nervousness. Smiling helps me express to others my proudest moments. Smiling helps me convey love for others. Sometimes, when no words can be spoken, a smile is all that is needed to fill the air.

The smile is a universal sign of happiness. I believe it is the ultimate connection between all humankind. No matter how big or small, if a smile is genuine it creates an ineffable feeling in the atmosphere. I believe in the power of a smile to make the saddest of circumstances a little better. I believe in the power of a smile to enrich the happiest experiences in life. I believe in the power of a smile to transcend all barriers between individuals and to create special moments in life.

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Speaking, writing and reading are integral to everyday life, where language is the primary tool for expression and communication. Studying how people use language – what words and phrases they unconsciously choose and combine – can help us better understand ourselves and why we behave the way we do.

Linguistics scholars seek to determine what is unique and universal about the language we use, how it is acquired and the ways it changes over time. They consider language as a cultural, social and psychological phenomenon.

“Understanding why and how languages differ tells about the range of what is human,” said Dan Jurafsky , the Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor in Humanities and chair of the Department of Linguistics in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford . “Discovering what’s universal about languages can help us understand the core of our humanity.”

The stories below represent some of the ways linguists have investigated many aspects of language, including its semantics and syntax, phonetics and phonology, and its social, psychological and computational aspects.

Understanding stereotypes

Stanford linguists and psychologists study how language is interpreted by people. Even the slightest differences in language use can correspond with biased beliefs of the speakers, according to research.

One study showed that a relatively harmless sentence, such as “girls are as good as boys at math,” can subtly perpetuate sexist stereotypes. Because of the statement’s grammatical structure, it implies that being good at math is more common or natural for boys than girls, the researchers said.

Language can play a big role in how we and others perceive the world, and linguists work to discover what words and phrases can influence us, unknowingly.

How well-meaning statements can spread stereotypes unintentionally

New Stanford research shows that sentences that frame one gender as the standard for the other can unintentionally perpetuate biases.

Algorithms reveal changes in stereotypes

New Stanford research shows that, over the past century, linguistic changes in gender and ethnic stereotypes correlated with major social movements and demographic changes in the U.S. Census data.

Exploring what an interruption is in conversation

Stanford doctoral candidate Katherine Hilton found that people perceive interruptions in conversation differently, and those perceptions differ depending on the listener’s own conversational style as well as gender.

Cops speak less respectfully to black community members

Professors Jennifer Eberhardt and Dan Jurafsky, along with other Stanford researchers, detected racial disparities in police officers’ speech after analyzing more than 100 hours of body camera footage from Oakland Police.

How other languages inform our own

People speak roughly 7,000 languages worldwide. Although there is a lot in common among languages, each one is unique, both in its structure and in the way it reflects the culture of the people who speak it.

Jurafsky said it’s important to study languages other than our own and how they develop over time because it can help scholars understand what lies at the foundation of humans’ unique way of communicating with one another.

“All this research can help us discover what it means to be human,” Jurafsky said.

Stanford PhD student documents indigenous language of Papua New Guinea

Fifth-year PhD student Kate Lindsey recently returned to the United States after a year of documenting an obscure language indigenous to the South Pacific nation.

Students explore Esperanto across Europe

In a research project spanning eight countries, two Stanford students search for Esperanto, a constructed language, against the backdrop of European populism.

Chris Manning: How computers are learning to understand language​

A computer scientist discusses the evolution of computational linguistics and where it’s headed next.

Stanford research explores novel perspectives on the evolution of Spanish

Using digital tools and literature to explore the evolution of the Spanish language, Stanford researcher Cuauhtémoc García-García reveals a new historical perspective on linguistic changes in Latin America and Spain.

Language as a lens into behavior

Linguists analyze how certain speech patterns correspond to particular behaviors, including how language can impact people’s buying decisions or influence their social media use.

For example, in one research paper, a group of Stanford researchers examined the differences in how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online to better understand how a polarization of beliefs can occur on social media.

“We live in a very polarized time,” Jurafsky said. “Understanding what different groups of people say and why is the first step in determining how we can help bring people together.”

Analyzing the tweets of Republicans and Democrats

New research by Dora Demszky and colleagues examined how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online in an attempt to understand how polarization of beliefs occurs on social media.

Examining bilingual behavior of children at Texas preschool

A Stanford senior studied a group of bilingual children at a Spanish immersion preschool in Texas to understand how they distinguished between their two languages.

Predicting sales of online products from advertising language

Stanford linguist Dan Jurafsky and colleagues have found that products in Japan sell better if their advertising includes polite language and words that invoke cultural traditions or authority.

Language can help the elderly cope with the challenges of aging, says Stanford professor

By examining conversations of elderly Japanese women, linguist Yoshiko Matsumoto uncovers language techniques that help people move past traumatic events and regain a sense of normalcy.

Sunday School Lesson for Teens: The Power of Words Proverbs 18:21

Every day, we’re surrounded by words—whether it’s through texts, social media, conversations, or what we say to ourselves. Words have the power to build people up or tear them down, and as teenagers, you’re constantly bombarded by the opinions and words of others. But what does God say about the words we speak and hear? The Bible teaches that words carry incredible power, and how we use them can either bring life or destruction. In this lesson, we’ll discover how God wants us to use our words to reflect Him and encourage others.

Bible Reading 1: Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Explanation for Teenagers:

• This verse highlights the enormous power of words. What we say can build someone up (life) or tear someone down (death).
• Every time you speak, you’re making a choice. Are your words helping or hurting?
• The words we love—whether positive or negative—are what will shape our relationships and lives.

Youth Group Discussion Questions:

• Can you think of a time when someone’s words really encouraged you? How did it make you feel?
• Have you ever experienced words that hurt you deeply? Why do you think words have such a lasting impact?
• Do you think the way you speak to your friends, family, or on social media reflects this verse? Why or why not?

Bible Reading 2: James 3:5-6 (NLT)

“In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire.”

• James compares the tongue to a spark that can start a wildfire. Something as small as our words can cause big consequences—good or bad.
• This verse reminds us that even though our words may seem small, they can spread quickly and have lasting effects on the people around us.
• Being careful with our words isn’t about being perfect, but about being mindful of the impact we can have.
• Have you ever said something you regretted that caused harm? How did you try to make it right?
• Why do you think James uses the image of fire to describe words? What does this teach us about the responsibility we have when speaking?
• What are some practical ways you can avoid using your words to start “fires” in your relationships?

Bible Reading 3: Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

• Paul encourages believers to speak words that are helpful and build others up. Our words should be life-giving, not destructive.
• This means we need to be intentional about how we communicate. Whether you’re joking with friends or in an argument, ask yourself: Are my words helping or hurting?
• When we build others up with our words, we’re showing them God’s love in a powerful way.
• How can you start using your words to build people up, especially when it’s hard?
• What’s the difference between saying something true and saying something in a loving way?
• Can you think of someone in your life who needs encouragement right now? How could you use your words to lift them up this week?

Youth Group Game: “Compliment Battle”

• Objective : The goal is to “battle” by giving each other creative, uplifting compliments.
• How to Play : Divide the group into pairs. Each pair takes turns giving each other the most genuine and creative compliments they can think of. The catch is, the other person must respond with “I receive that!” before giving their own compliment.
• Winner : After a few rounds, the rest of the group votes on who gave the most encouraging and creative compliments.

This game not only lightens the mood but gets everyone practicing using their words to encourage and uplift each other in a fun way!

Closing Prayer

Dear God, thank You for showing us how powerful our words can be. Help us to use our tongues to bring life, encouragement, and hope to those around us. Forgive us for the times we’ve used words to hurt others, and give us the strength to speak words that reflect Your love. Let our conversations this week be filled with kindness and truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Power of Words (Proverbs 18:21) Sunday School Lesson

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