And it was a mess. Bits with a sense of identity. Conserved in certain fundamental ways. Well-defined internal semantics. And the bits became words and dwelt among us.
Words exist in a universal namespace.
They have relationships with each other. They take on different characteristics depending on who their neighbours are. For it is not good for words to be alone. Propogation occurs in a finite amount of time in an open universe, not instantaneously in a closed loop. And the words were given power to go forth into all the world and subdue it.