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FrankieN
Stranger
Registered: 12/27/03
Posts: 99
Last seen: 15 years, 9 months
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Language and Understanding
#3517127 - 12/18/04 12:39 PM (19 years, 3 months ago) |
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For a long time now I've been realizing what an inefficient form of communication language is, especially in written form, I say especially written because voice tones while speaking increase the amount of communication occurring greatly, even more so when face to face, facial expressions, fashion, body language all greatly add to communication. Don't get me wrong, the written word is one of the greatest powers we have, I enjoy reading books and feel I have gained much understanding through reading, but in most instances, people are not setting out to write a book, they do not take the time and effort to clearly express their ideas. Many words are used which have many meanings and are expected to be understood without further description or enough context for them to be interpreted. I read a lot of arguments in this forum, and hear a lot of people disagreeing with each other when I can see that they're arguing not over ideas but the words they use and what they believe there meanings to be, and they don't seem to realize it. I think this is the root to most (if not all) problems in the world, people believing they understand another persons ideas or views based on their communication, while true understanding can not be communicated, at best it can be hinted at or pointed to. I think people need to stop believing that they are understanding that which they are only really assuming or guessing. Understanding is lifelong goal for me which I never expect to reach, no matter what it is an understanding of, can you really say you have a true understanding for anything? Arguing however is a good tool for encouraging better communication and thus understanding but only when viewed as such, which often is not the case. Language is a tool that is never perfect, and hard to use, and should be viewed as such. Does this make any sense, any comments?
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Anonymous
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Re: Language and Understanding [Re: FrankieN]
#3517185 - 12/18/04 01:02 PM (19 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thought is the purest form of communication. But since we're not telepathic, we have to translate our thoughts into body and facial expressions, speech, and written word. Any time we're translating our thoughts in this manner we're putting them through a filter, which of course will distort the pure thought depending on the nature of the filter. Language seems the best translator we have for now, but yes it's still very limited. Another thing is, we're able to communicate much more clearly with people we have rapport with (friends, family, etc.). Frequent communication tends to put people on the same "wavelength," which makes them able to read into the other's words for meaning more easily. But over the internet we're usually communicating with strangers and they often won't get the gist of what we're trying to "say." Try explaining a philosophical idea you have to both a complete stranger and your best friend, saying it in the exact same manner to each, and see who understands you better. It's so easy to misunderstand words when we don't know the person and their personality and their intentions. Look at all the ill-will towards Swami as an example!
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Wysefool
I AM SKELETON JELLY
Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 6,643
Last seen: 7 days, 16 hours
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Re: Language and Understanding [Re: ]
#3517194 - 12/18/04 01:06 PM (19 years, 3 months ago) |
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Earlier I read in here somebody saying the more complicated things get the worse off we become. Why can't we all just be nekkid, mutes, you don't need any words to express love.
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Moonshoe
Blue Mantis
Registered: 05/28/04
Posts: 27,202
Loc: Iceland
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Re: Language and Understanding [Re: FrankieN]
#3517294 - 12/18/04 02:09 PM (19 years, 3 months ago) |
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its absolutely true that language is a flawed form of communication in fact i tend to think that almost all disagreements and violence are not the result of people actually not agreeing with each other but rather serious failures to communicate some better forms of communication might be art and music?
-------------------- Everything I post is fiction.
Edited by Moonshoe (12/18/04 02:10 PM)
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redgreenvines
irregular verb
Registered: 04/08/04
Posts: 38,066
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Re: Language and Understanding [Re: Moonshoe]
#3517348 - 12/18/04 02:30 PM (19 years, 3 months ago) |
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sometimes words are great for corralling thought and chasing it into a fenced area. - then the so called free thinker gets stuck in the matter and understanding might occur, eventually the conversation ends and the gate opens again.
the free thinker is free to wander and graze again.
in this way a good converstionalist is like a cowherd and a fence builder. I need to learn how ride & yell better, my cows go all over the place.
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