A prelinguistic thought is a thought that takes shape before it is formulated in language.
Prelinguistic thought is a traditional concept in philosophy and cognitive science, although its precise meaning varies by context.
In Chapter 17 of 30 Philosophers, I explore prelinguistic thought through my Time Trail Raw exercise. The idea is simple: stop narrating your thoughts with your inner voice and explore the thinking taking place without words. Our thinking can involve imagery, feelings, sensations, memories, and anticipations that are not always adequately expressed through language. When we put our thoughts into words, language helps organize and communicate them, but it can also reshape what we’re thinking.
Modern cognitive science supports the distinction between thinking and language. In speech production, conceptual preparation can occur before the selection and organization of words. And much human cognition, including complex reasoning, can occur without language. Prelinguistic thought is not necessarily a complete thought waiting to be translated word for word. It is the conceptual activity that can precede linguistic expression.