I mean that, however much native intelligence the brain was born with, if the brain has not mastered the expressive use of concrete language--that is, speaking--by a certain age, then it will be forever closed to the manufacture or understanding of abstract language. The developmental time when this can happen will have passed, never to be recalled. The brain must be able to create and use phrases like "I want some Jello" before the age of seven, or else it will *never be able to conceive of or comprehend* phrases like "Language is our mutual struggle to discuss objective truth." Mia