The impact of words

In this first chapter, it’s Language and its interpretation (The impact of words) that will interest us. It is obviously the first step to be able to better understand every following step.

Here, we will first study the Language, what it represents semantically and its inherent complexity. Secondly, we will focus on the relation that the language maintains with the representation and mental interpretation before finally and thirdly, point out the place of the power of the influence.

1. Language

Talking about language, will require whole books, conferences, discussions and debates to hope only figuring out the tip of the iceberg. And we are not going to launch into today, not going to pretend having an exhaustive approach ; only – and it is already a lot – an overall view to study the next with more understanding of the general subject. 

The idea, for now, is to get an idea more or less precisely about what Language is, to puzzle out some aspects in relation to, in order to get into position with some food for thought to explore more and to call into question, over and over. 

You will not find the truth throughout this course, you will not settle on a way of thinking ; but you will have an interesting outline that will enable you to explore many future avenues, over and over. 

So, let’s just explore first avenues now, with an interesting point to express: as we see in the introduction, meanings can be found underlying its first connotation. There is the word, its pronunciation, its first meaning, and also its deep meaning, which can be figured out between the lines (and requires a capability of reflection and interpretation). Let’s glance at this video, which makes an inventory of the different definitions about language that have been given over time ; first in regard to Noam Chomsky conception, secondly, according to Dell Hymes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlaSslaNDuQ.

Also, this article, wrote by Harvard University, draws up an inventory of many features about Language, in an approachable way, that could be great to take note of, even just in peeking into:   https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/adam/files/what_is_language.ppt.pdf

As said before, the approach isn’t exhaustive at all ; just a few seeds to enable you to think and to shape your own opinion. 

Watch the sequence of Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve in 2016, in the Powerpoint.

We can pass now to the next, still in a theoretical approach: the question of associating language and interpretation; which means language and Mental Representation. 

2. Mental representation 

Here is an analogy.

When you see a movie, read a book, contemplate a painting, listen to music, you receive it according to your sensitivity, your history, your understanding, skills, knowledge : basically, according to who you are. The artistic work is never able to change with the passing time, neither in being watched or heard by this or this person. 

And yet, everyone could feel this or that, like or not and so on : in front of one and unique artistic work, there exists a countless look on it ; as well numerous as the number of people. 

It is because it depends on the Mental Representation proper to each. In other words, the spectator, lector, auditor, is an active participant to the process, and in that way, he becomes responsible for the interpretation of the artistic work.

Why “analogy”? Because the purpose today doesn’t concern artistic work ; but language itself, words themselves, communication, sharing. But it works in the same way ; there is what it is, what it’s said or shared from one perspective, and from another perspective, there is the receiving and so the interpretation. 

It is, be that as it may, the Mental Representation. It takes into account knowledge and skills proper to each; it is subjective. 

Here is a short video about the subject : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pZTavpju90. 

You can also peek into the Wikipedia page, full of references and quotations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_representation

There is another article to look into, according to the layout, because it is loaded with references also: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mental-representation/#RepresentationalAnd we can pick from it one straight sentence, claiming that the Mental Representation is a “mental state, such as thoughts, beliefs, desires, perceptions and imaginings”. 

It is, of course, a complexe subject bound to lead to the reasoning of the interpretation. But we can already figure out, from this thematic, if the relationship between language and interpretation – the reader’s/spectator’s mind -; can work one without the other, and if these two notions work in a compatible way. 

And from this relationship, another notion comes out of: the one of Influence. 

It is not an interpretation, but it is in a straight relation; and it is what we are going to see in the next subsection. 

This video could also be interesting : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj0yud4wv74

3. Influence 

To start, look at these 2 videos, part 1 and 2, about Influence and the necessity to blend in and stand out things and information at the same time : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxfcaY86jpw ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahDaXGE27EU

As we noticed, and as videos bring to light, our own behaviour as human beings is all the time shaked up, altered, according to many factors – environment, people, history, traumatism -; and it’s because of that that we are never neutral or unbiased. It is the principle of Mental Representation. 

So, in line with that, when we place ourselves as a person who shares some information for a large public, you can be sure that our words will have an effect on people’s mind. It is what we call Influence ; and it is not only attributable in the journalism field, but also within a family, society, friends. 

And because all these influences transmit themselves, most of the time, through the language; it is really important to become aware of the link between language and interpretation/the public’s mind, precisely because from this link, influence of our way of thinking, writing, and sharing can spread.

We cannot omit to make them in relation because the value of everything depends all the time on a contextualisation according to who’s receiving the information ; the influence won’t be the same as the case may be. 

And of course, we cannot be suitable for everybody, and that is again not the purpose, but we can however shine a light on our language – choice of words, tone, way of speaking ; in taking the influence aspect into consideration very diligently.

It was so far a theoretical approach, but you’ll be able to more figure out the idea with some 

more concrete examples in the next chapter. 

So for now, answer the Quiz and open the Powerpoint with the hands-on in relation to this first chapter. 

And let’s evolve from these pragmatic and semantic explanations to the next chapter where we’ll deal with words in depth, in focusing this time upon their meaning and significance behind, and the responsibility that we develop because of that. 

Useful link

There is the trailer of a movie called “Arrival” from Denis Villeneuve that came out in 2016 which is worth a watch when it comes to the topic of communication and language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g