2308. The speaking of spirits among themselves
Spirits speak among themselves, it is true, but I have discussed with spirits how their speaking is done, whether by a kind of articulation of words, like the speech of people on earth. They had thought that they also spoke articulately, as if by sounded words, but after weighing the matter more carefully, they instructed me that it was not done by words, by enunciating words, or still less sounds, but by mental images resembling those shaped by words. For it is well known that when people hear another speaking, they are only paying attention to the sense of the words, not to the words themselves. Everyone is aware of this from their own experience, from the fact that they are hearing the sense of the words directly, that is, the images shaped by the enunciated words.
When spirits speak in these mental images amongst themselves, they no more reflect on the words and the articulation of words and sounds than people on earth whenever they are paying close attention to the meaning of the words; so spirits, because they do not reflect on the words, cannot but suppose they are speaking the same way as people on earth do.
2308. CONCERNING THE SPEECH OF SPIRITS WITH EACH OTHER.
That spirits speak together is true, but how their speech is carried on [fit], whether by a species of vocal articulation, like man's speech; concerning this I spoke with spirits. They supposed that they also spoke articulately, and, as it were, by words of sound; but when it was more considered I was instructed that [it is] not by words [and] the articulations of words, still less by sound, but by ideas similar to the ideas which are formed through words. For it is known that man when he hears [anyone] speaking, attends only to the sense of the words, therefore not to the words, as anyone may know from his own experience; therefore (that he attends) immediately to the sense of the words, that is, to the ideas formed through articulated words. Spirits when they speak together through such ideas do not reflect on the words and articulations of words and sound, any more than man whenever [he speaks], since they attend closely to the sense of the words. Wherefore spirits, because they do not reflect thereupon, cannot suppose otherwise than that they speak just like men.
2308. De Loquela spirituum inter se
Quod spiritus inter se loquantur, verum est, sed quomodo loquela eorum fit, num per speciem articulationis vocum, sicut loquela hominum, de eo cum spiritibus loquutus sum, putarunt, quod articulate quoque loquerentur, et quasi per voces soni, sed cum id magis expenderetur, instructus sum, quod non per voces, articulationes vocum, minus per sonum, sed per ideas, similes ideis, quae formantur per voces; nam notum est, quod homo dum loquentem audit, quod attendat solum ad sensum vocum, ita non ad voces, quod quisque ex propria experientia nosse potest, proinde statim ad sensum vocum, quod est, ad ideas formmtas per voces articulatas: spiritus cum ideas tales inter se loquuntur, non magis reflectunt ad voces, et vocum articulationes et sonum, quam homines quandoque, cum attente intendunt sensui vocum, quare spiritus, quia non reflectunt super ea, non aliter putare possunt, quam quod similiter loquantur ac homines