Language article

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1. Choose 1 QUOTE from the list above and comment on it with your own personal thoughts and real- life examples.

"Man is the animal that speaks. Understanding language is thus the key to understanding man" - Thomas Szasz

I really like this quote mostly because it calls us animals, and I think we need to be reminded that we are animals, just like all the others. When I hear this quote I start thinking biologically that we have a huge vocal range unlike most other animals, which is why we are able to make so many different sounds. This quote also says that all of our knowledge is pretty much based on language which I believe is pretty true. Language is culture which fuels knowledge.

2. Choose 1 LINKING QUESTION. Comment on it with your own personal thoughts and real-life examples from the world or your experiences. Find a related article or video that would support your answer, and describe how it does. You can research on your own or use the HANDY DIIGO LIST of almost 100 sources to help.

Does the way you describe something affect how you feel about it?

In Psychology, we read about a study where the Psychologist would tell the paricapents (of the study…) about a car crash and then he would ask them how fast they thought the car was going. The thing is, he would use different words each time for example, the car smashed into the other car, the car bumped the other car, the car mutilated the other car……….

3. CHOOSE TEN of the 20 proposed Blog Questions and answer them thoughtfully, providing examples as you go. Relate it to your own experience. Try to find other articles or videos that would support your answer and post along with it. (The more resources you have later, the better)

1. How much could you know about the world if you had no language or means of communicating with other people?

You would have to find everything out on your own, and a lot of that information ends in death, so learning those lessons wouldn’t be helpful to you because you’d be dead. Like knowledge like, what happens if you get bitten by a rattle snake? Some things you need to be told.

 

2. What are some examples of words that have entered the English language as a result of the computer revolution?

Tech Savvy, Trolling, Lol, Sexting, Le Sexy time, Derp………ya……….

 

5. To what extent is your use of languages accompanied by images? Does every word conjur up an image or only some of them?

Words that have an important meaning to me, conjure images. I think though it’s true especially with colors. If you see words that are colored purple, but read yellow, it’s a bit confusing.

10. Birds fly and planes fly. Since fish swim, why don't we say that submarines also swim? What do submarines do?

Submarines dive. I think we don’t say they swim, because swimming is for living things.

11. What would be the advantages  and disadvantages of everyone in the world spoke a common language? What would be gained and what would be lost?

We would be able to easily communicate and it would probably help with trade and peace, but we would lose culture because languages are closely entangled with culture. It would also make making fun of people from other contries hard because they would understand you…..

19. Do you agree with the old rhyme "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me"? In light of the effects of cyberbullying, how might you analyse this quote?

I think this is a load of crap because names hurt really bad. People commit suicide because of things they were called. Words are like ninja killers, because they can have so many meanings based on how they were conveyed, that you never really know if they hurt someone or not.

3. Try to define as precisely as possible these words: a. triangle    b. love     c. table  What is the difference? Which was easiest to define?

Triangle= 3 sided shape Love= a strong positive emotion one feels towards other physical things or beings Table= a Standing surface used to hold objects. The table was the hardest to define…..

7. Do you think communication would be improved if we got rid of vague words?  DO you think vague or ambiguous words sometimes serve a purpose?

I think communication would not improve if you get rid of vague words. Vague words work because if you use a more powerful or descriptive word, it shows that the thing you are describing is important enough that you use a more powerful/less vague word.

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