Bumble 1/21/08 : preclass

Language, is such a bizzare concept.

It is as though human begins are computers. We are programmed throughout our lives. We are conditioned to acquire certain language skills and sure enough we are miraculously able to pull them out and use them when we want to express something. How did this all begin? It is incredible that we are able to retain information, translate signs, make connections with signifiers and communicate with other human beings.

What is even more incredible to me though is thinking about the use of non verbal communication. We are able to communicate across generations, cultures, races, nations and still are able to make sense out of each other. It is also amazing though how every nation and culture makes different meaning out of hand gestures and eye contact. While eye contact is a symbol of respect in America, it is a simple of disrespect and threat in many other countries. That is why the study of signs and language and communication practices are so crucial, particularly when attempting a business transaction with someone who might interpret signs differently. Why do we all interpret things the way that we do? It is an after though to see a billboard with a half naked girl on it for a shampoo commercial. If we were to step back and actually look at what that billboard were symbolizing and communicating would we accept it so effortlessly?

Another interesting aspect of the Saussure reading relates to what we had discussed in class about pulling in our past knowledge of the world and our past literature and knowledge bank in our minds. It is almost impossible to understand something without our history of things to compare it too. All to often we make references to compare, but what if we have never experienced the? Our language skills would be entirely different. Saussure says that when thinking about how to articulate something, we “think first of its property of standing for an idea…” (Saussure 7). Automatically we try to think of how to describe something. I hope that through being able to stand back and look objectively at texts that I will work on my ability to express myself much more clearly, because it will force me to think of unique ways of describing things as opposed to relating it to past experiences. Each word has a value, and I want to learn how to master the use of the value, how can I analyze what each word is worth and what it symbolizes? Also, do words mean the same thing to me as they do to others? It is clear that our background and past experiences, our throwness into this world affects what and how we understand something. Even a hug can mean different things in different contexts. While in some places it can trigger a feeling of love to someone else it might trigger a response of sadness or pity, because they are relating it to a past experience that they have had that shaped how they value that sign or word.