Language, like the mouths that hold and release it, is wet & living, each word is wrinkled with age, swollen with other words, with blood, smoothed by the numberless flesh tongues that have passed across it. Your language hangs around your neck, a noose, a heavy necklace; each word is empire, each word is vampire and mother.
Language is depicted as a living, dynamic entity, shaped by time and experience. Each word carries the marks of its history, enriched by the voices that have spoken it. This idea suggests that language is not static but rather evolves as people use it, embodying the complexities and richness of human experience.
The metaphor of language as a necklace or a noose emphasizes its multifaceted nature; it can weigh heavily on us or serve as a form of identity and expression. Atwood illustrates how words hold power, acting as both nurturing forces and those that can consume, reflecting the duality of language as both a vital mother and a predatory vampire.
