Language

Cool Hand Luke in the Panopticon

A world of informational transparency will necessarily be one of deliriously multiple viewpoints, shot through with misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories and a quotidian degree of madness. We may be able to see what's going on more quickly, but that doesn't mean we'll agree about it any more readily. — William Gibson, "The Road to Oceania," The New York Times, June 25, 2003

3:49:48 PM # Google It!
categories: Language

The Great Communicators

Jim McGee writes

One reason that kids learn languages so readily is that they really, really want that cookie up on the counter and they have yet to learn the strange idea that mistakes are bad. Success or failure is about whether they manage to get the cookie.

The Little Sister is a cookie monster. While the Big Sister enthusiastically adopted the sign for "more", the Little One much prefers to remind you verbally. Either method has the desired result.

The Big Sister's linguistic skills are fantastic. She has a knack. Lately I've noticed that she has discovered the foibles of English conjugation: there are exceptions. While she used to except correctly, now she's conjugating verbs according to pattern. She knew, now she knowed.

Yet we understand.

Language requires two, a listener as well as a speaker. It links thought to action. And it is precise inasmuch as the action is the desired result. That is understanding.

12:29:25 PM # Google It!
categories: Family, Language