October 22nd, 2019

Wordbending

Is it our purpose, when communicating, to deceive — or is it to develop a true and deeper understanding? Although it is thought and affirmed that it is normal social behaviour to convey good and useful information, that to lie is immoral and in certain circumstances criminal, nevertheless our use of language gives plenty of evidence of a stronger impulse — to cover the facts with words that do not tell it as it is. So what of this phenomenon — which we’ll call ‘wordbending’?  In some cases there is artistic merit or symbolic significance in the employment of a word or phrase that does not literally point to its true meaning and this makes a valuable contribution to the beauty of a language.

Cats and dogs falling from the sky

As an example: ‘raining cats and dogs’ has no intention to deceive; the metaphor is rather colourful and innocent.  There is also the idea of ‘variety use’ that suggests it is entirely normal for people to employ words with ‘artful ambiguity’ in order to promote a softer exchange of information, where non-verbal communication is of greater consequence and both parties are aware of the subtle uncertainty they are leaving in the air. Courtship is full of this. (So is sabre rattling).

Ethnic Cleansing

Yet there are other seemingly gentle discrepancies that bend the truth and cause some confusion because they lack clarity, accuracy or sensitivity to the listener. ‘Back in 5 minutes’ usually indicates a much longer period of time — and a person is actually quite unable to decipher the message reliably. The phrase ‘ethnic cleansing’ is repellent, partly because it refers to a shameful and terrible crime, and partly because it has been contrived to suggest to the unconscious mind a meaning entirely opposite to its true meaning; it is not cleansing at all, it is genocide and stains humanity profoundly. ‘Spin doctoring’ is another phrase that rankles. Doctors are good people who are under oath to serve their patients’ needs, whilst ‘spin doctors’ are often today seen by the public, not entirely unfairly, as professional deceivers — whose primary purpose is to cover the facts, and dress them with a rosy tint.

Thoughts are formed around language

It is assumed that the way we think and the language we use are interdependent, because the processes of mind require language in order to formulate ideas. So concepts unfold as a language unfolds. A feeling can be felt as a feeling and yet, to understand it, we need thought. A sensation can be perceived as a physical stimulus, yet to codify it, we need thought — and thoughts have to be formed around language. It’s beyond the scope of this article to enter the debate about the way mind actually handles language.

Wittgenstein & Chomsky

Those interested will no doubt become familiar with the various works of linguistic giants like Ludwig Wittgenstein (who developed ideas about the relationship of thoughts expressed in language to the actual state of affairs in the world), Noam Chomsky (the ‘Newton’ of modern Linguistics), and their colleagues. For example, Piaget in his study of the stages of a child’s learning discovered that the earliest function of speech is more to do with symbolization — an inner experience — than with the outer expression of communication. 

Bertrand Russel

Bertrand Russell is quoted as saying ‘Language serves not only to express thought but to make possible thoughts that could not exist without it’. Sapir (echoing Wittgenstein’s ‘the limits of my language mean the limits of my world’ claimed that the world is perhaps even created by language and stated: ‘…the real world is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group. No two languages are sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same worlds with different labels attached.’ With his most promising student he came up with the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis of Linguistic Determinism: Language determines the way we think.

Corrupted Thinking

From this it can be reasonably suggested that if language is corrupted then thinking cannot be otherwise. If there is no clarity in our language then we can’t speak clearly. We are thereby somewhat deprived of the main tool by which we develop ideas and formulate our thoughts — in the exchange of views and opinions during conversations. It’s true that this lack of clarity can be overcome by vigorous disciplines of mind, such as is necessary in professional education for example, and yet for most people such corrective mental exercises are not undertaken. So how can any reality other than an uncertain one be built upon such uncertainty?  ​

No Means Probably Not

Most people would probably — for all practical purposes — have No to mean ‘probably not’, because that’s what it meant in real terms when they learned it from Mum and Dad. If Mum said ‘No’, although from her tone and actions we can see that what she meant was ‘perhaps I will if you continue to badger me’, then for us that’s what No means. If Dad said ‘Sorry’ with clear indications that gave out something more like: ‘I suppose I have to apologize for the sake of form, but really I feel no remorse for what I did’, then for us that’s what Sorry means. Despite dictionary definitions, these corrupted meanings are the deepest impressions we have to build on, and they form the basis of what we think, say and do. More than this, we also came to learn that ‘people don’t say what they mean’ and ‘to be normal like Mum and Dad, I have to bend my words too’.

Thought is Creative; Words Matter

Thought is creative…Words have real importance. Words matter. The mind and body respond to what they hear the voice saying, so we can talk ourselves into illness or good health, poverty or wealth, misery or happiness according to the specific words that we allow to grace our speech. It is tempting to complain to your husband ‘You never take me out!’ or to your child ‘You little nuisance!’ or to yourself ‘I am stupid!’ and yet it would be wiser to refrain from negative messages of this type. Such curses as these can and do actually, though very subtly, influence life circumstances to lead to the fulfilment of the complaint. We shall all eventually reap what we have sown.        ​

False Speech Leads to Confusion

The words we speak change the atmosphere around us. Even our thoughts do that. People respond to that atmosphere even more than they respond to the actual words – so the life that we experience has a lot to do with what we think and what we say. If, even in jest or good humour, we say what we do not truly think, then we give off a confused and confusing atmosphere, which if continued generally, creates a life of confusion. We don’t want it. We need to care more about the importance of the words we use, and train ourselves to speak true and clear. This is what makes for a true and clear life. This is what we do want. False speech leads to confusion in one’s thoughts, to self-deception and to ambiguous life circumstances that are stressful.

Clearer Words, Peaceful Society

It is both physically and psychologically healthy for us to speak clearly and truly. The misuse of words can easily cause misunderstandings between people, which very often lead to tension and perhaps eventually conflict. It is the normal thing to feel insecure when confused or deceived and left in ignorance; this insecurity is a danger that threatens peace. It is often profoundly dangerous. To move towards a more peaceful society, we need to become clearer and more straightforward in our speech and thoughts.

Mavis the Wordbender ​

Mavis goes into her butcher with a piece of meat she bought yesterday, slaps it on the counter with a huff and a puff says ‘I wouldn’t feed that to my dog!’ What does she mean? We can find 7 different interpretations…which one do you think is really what she meant?
​
No
“This dog meat isn’t suitable”
Hello
 “I am offering information about my dog’s culinary preferences”
Thanks 
“You’re the kind of friendly fellow that can take a joke”
Goodbye
“… and you can forget my future custom!”
Please
“I want this exchanged for a piece of better quality suitable for my husband and me”
Sorry
“You are a scoundrel! I blame you”
Yes
“It’s too good for my dog, I’ll eat it myself”
If you chose Please then probably you are right, and you get special bonus points for mind reading; if Sorry — it seems that you already understand the dysfunctional expressions of the 7 Words.