We must use it to convey meaning that reveals our deepest values, our very core, as human beings.

FORBES: Leadership Storytelling 3.0: From Arithmetic to Calculus

Before they can convey meaning they have to craft the similes.

FORBES: SciFi Book Club: Embassytown - Latterday, Formerly and the Ambassadors

But consider this: having common languages across cultures certainly accelerated how we communicated with each other, but as we can still see, the real trick is the ability to convey meaning.

FORBES: Thinking Ourselves Forward

Businesses know how important this is, and rely on their brand strategy to convey meaning and impact in the shortest time possible, driven to do this by an Internet society short on time and shorter of attention.

FORBES: How To Brand Yourself On A Small Budget

By definition symbols convey meaning, and people therefore tamper with them at their peril (witness the mixed emotions of race and tradition when the Confederate flag is flown in the South, or the horror when some white supremacist burns a cross or daubs a swastika).

ECONOMIST: Old Glory��s strength

And you have to play with the words to convey your meaning in the limited space.

FORBES: Want to Make the World a Better Place in 2012? Send a Tweet

In the process of sharing language skills, we learn correct pronunciation as well as the cultural nuances needed to convey and understand meaning.

FORBES: Language Learning Helps Businesses Compete Globally