Abstract
<jats:p>This article explores silence as a dynamic communicative category whose functional and semantic characteristics vary significantly across different stages of human development. Drawing on linguistic, psychological, and sociocultural theories, the study analyzes the age-related specificities of silence in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Silence is examined not only as the absence of speech but as a meaningful semiotic mechanism that reflects emotional states, cognitive development, identity formation, social adaptation, interpersonal roles, and cultural norms. The article demonstrates that silence shifts from being a developmental and observational tool in childhood, to a psychological and identity-driven strategy in adolescence, to a pragmatic and interaction-regulating resource in adulthood, and finally to a contemplative and wisdom-oriented phenomenon in old age.</jats:p>