Language; are words really needed?

   In my opinion, language as a system makes sense. It helps us to communicate with each other to achieve goals, build relationships and share our ideas. It then also makes perfect sense to say that words have no value unless they have been given a designated value by those of a community. As de Saussure points out, words are just sounds produced by us until they are given a higher purpose; they organize the free floating ideas we have in our heads. What de Saussure's account on semiology does neglect to address though, are the innate sounds and expressions that all human beings seem to understand. Although these are not a spoken language, they are a form of communication. This unspoken language may even be more essential than our spoken languages because they can be understood across all languages.
   While in class, we debated whether there were some instances in human communicate that disprove de Saussure's idea that language and words are arbitrary to those that formulate them. What then, becomes of the universal emotions and body language that we all speak. In order for us to communicate that we may be scared or upset, we do not need to say "I'm scared" or "I had a bad day". For most of us, it is easily understood just by paying attention to a person's facial expression, how they are presenting themselves that day, or even in certain sounds they make. No spoken words or language needs to be communicated for humans to understand this in one and other, meaning that language does not necessary need to be based on what groups construct it and give it value. Another point to be made could also be that this non-verbal language may give more meaning and depth to the languages that we do use. As I sit here and listen to my favorite song playlist, I realize how deeply connected I can be to the words used in music and I think this comes from my ability to connect nonverbally with the language through these emotions. This then, might be the key to our nonverbal communication; we react the same way in certain situations via the emotions that we all share, which makes this nonverbal communication universal.
   Although the ideas put forth by de Saussure are enlightening to the systems of language, I can't help but feel that they are very black and white. Humans find ways to communicate non-verbally just as often as they do with spoken language and to make this communication work as normal language does, there must be some sort of system that can also be further explored.