India, Sept. 11 -- All languages are beautiful. There are words in each that draw us towards the beauty hidden within them. For me, some of the most fascinating words are also among the simplest: Why? What? Who? Where? When? How?

They are probably among the words every child discovers intuitively while beginning to explore the world around them. Why is the sky blue? Where does the sun go at night? How does an aeroplane remain in the air? Who decided that this should be called a table? The questions may appear absurd to an adult. To the child, they are perfectly reasonable. The universe is new and deserves an explanation.

Then, somewhere along the way, something changes. A parent, tired after a long day, responds impatiently to the tenth...