Don't let it bother you that the languages ([3|4]) and ([9|11]) consist only of commands. If you are inclined to say that they are theref[l|o]re incomplete, then ask yourself whether our language is complete; whether it was complete before the symbolism of chemistry and the infini[s|t]esimal calculus were embodied in it: for these are,

as it were
so to speak

, suburbs of our language. (And with how many houses or streets does a

town
city

begin to be a

town
city

We
One

can regard ou[t|r] language as an onld

ancient
old

town
city

, a quarter ˇthe center a maze of narrow alleys and squares, old and new houses, & houses with additions from various periods; and all this surrounded by a mass of new suburbs with straight and regular streets and uniform houses.

houses.
One can easily imagine a language which consist[e|s]d only of commands and

dispatches
announcements

ˇreports in battle. – Or a language which consist[e|s]d only of questions and an expression of affirmation and of denial[.|–] [A|a]nd countless othersˇ things. – And to imagine a language means to imagine a way of living.

(2015–) Wittgenstein Source Bergen Nachlass Edition (WS-BNE). Edited by the Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen under the direction of Alois Pichler. In: Wittgenstein Source, curated by Alois Pichler (2009–) and Joseph Wang-Kathrein (2020–). (N) Bergen: WAB.