Summary — On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death of M. Merleau-Ponty, the author of this work analyses the theme of the French thinker: the word and silence. I. Language is placed in the horizon of corporeity and is a vehicle of intersubjective communication. II. A clear distinction is made between the Spoken word and the speaking word as the fundamental basis of speaking and saying. III. The signifying word conducts itself in necessary silence as a time of probation and preparation for the living language. IV. Both the human world and the cultural world are full of language, which is discovered only in an attitude of active listening. The spoken cogito and the silent cogito present themselves as two structural moments of man as a philosopher and as a writer.