Does Language Hinder Our Progress? (verse)

[Seyorni]

Originally Posted by +Xausted

Since it has more 'words' than any other language, it can express things more accuratly. Thats all

English is generally conceded to have the most extensive vocabulary, but there's a lot more to language than lexicon.
There are languages with no words at all, but I don't think that fact alone hinders their ability to express things.

[ThePhoenixSisters]

Does Language Hinder Our Progress?

Language hinders our progress only in so much as our definitions lock in our (creative/insightful) thought processes.
One who is open to ever new meaning (interpretation), will voyage (progress) where the prescribed/authorized mind cannot even begin to imagine.

Nyx

[lunamoth]

Language is the boat, not the sailing.

[Ozzie]

Originally Posted by mball1297

I love languages, and have studied many of them, along with linguistics. They are a great tool to communicate with each other. I've been wondering, though, whether the use of arbitrary symbols like words hinders our process of understanding the universe, or at least narrows it down. It seems to foster the process of mistaking signs for things signified, and promotes a superficial understanding of everything. Does it ever really allow us to break free from its grip?

Just wanted to get some thoughts and ideas. I don't see this as so much a debate as a discussion of ideas, but I thought it might be prudent to place it in the debate section.

Since you just want some thoughts, here are some.

• language is your only progress.
• words are never arbitrary symbols, either they signify something concrete or their meaning is arbitrary in context without necessarily being symbolic of anything.

Cheers

Ozzie

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Ozzie

Since you just want some thoughts, here are some.

• language is your only progress.
• words are never arbitrary symbols, either they signify something concrete or their meaning is arbitrary in context without necessarily being symbolic of anything.

Cheers

Ozzie

Thank you. If you don't mind, I have one question. Don't you think that the word "pen" is an arbitrary sign for the concrete object? If not, then why does each language have its own different set of sounds for the same object? OK, so that's two questions, but they're really one bigger question.

[Bishadi]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

No, it's full of metaphors to help reveal the truth within.

So metaphorically speaking; then each situation can be grounded to physical realities?

Meaning; will the seven head dragon eating all them seals may not really to happen?

sure hope you are correct; maybe we should all have faith in the wisdom of the language adjustments to the original works.

kind of cute putting wisdom in the same sentence with 'faith and hope'....

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by Bishadi

Meaning; will the seven head dragon eating all them seals may not really to happen?

In the anticipating it might. Depends on the reality you've constructed for yourself in words and symbols.

Originally Posted by Bishadi

sure hope you are correct; maybe we should all have faith in the wisdom of the language adjustments to the original works.

I don't have a copy of the "original works" so I would know what "adjustments" there were.

"All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear . . . and disregards the rest." - Paul Simon, "The Boxer"

[Ozzie]

Originally Posted by mball1297

Thank you. If you don't mind, I have one question. Don't you think that the word "pen" is an arbitrary sign for the concrete object? If not, then why does each language have its own different set of sounds for the same object? OK, so that's two questions, but they're really one bigger question.

The word pen is never arbitrary to you in reference to a physical pen. Your use of the term to describe a pen is perfectly arbitrary to others in context (consider foreign language speakers looking at the same pen).

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Ozzie

The word pen is never arbitrary to you in reference to a physical pen. Your use of the term to describe a pen is perfectly arbitrary to others in context (consider foreign language speakers looking at the same pen).

OK, I just disagree, unless I'm misunderstanding you. My calling the thing a pen is arbitrary because I could just as easily call it a yumjo or a rinbret.