Language

Read the quote below. Then, write a minimum of two responses to it, or another student's comment. As you read the quote, think about how this idea can connect to other ideas and perspectives. This wiki will be due at 11:59:59 on Sunday, 9/5!

"Speech is but a broken light upon the depth/Of the unspoken" ---George Eliot J. Olivas:So does anyone know if this is a poem of some sort? I'm thinking it might be because of the "depth/Of". If so can the other part of it give of more of an understanding of what George Eliot was trying to say? ﻿M.Getch: When I sit down to type this, when I sit down to write anything I know I'm going to be touching on things inside of myself trying to root through it and dig up what is worth looking at and observing. In the same way I must understand that because language is limited and reality is not there will always be a gap. That gap is filled with the unknown, an unknown which must be experienced and cannot be told. I can make someone listen to what I have to say, but if they can't relate that to themselves then it isn't worth anything. In the same way words that describe the indescribable leave a lot to the imagination. There us a scene from "waking life" which illustrates this point. media type="youtube" key="vF5kgdWSmyw?fs=1" height="385" width="480" A. Castaneda: Unregardless of the importance of the words or phrase of an indivual when spoken to another, once it is perceived differently the meaning of the word/phrase was like if it wasn't once mentioned. It was if the importance of the word/phrase drowned to its deepest meaning. As well, it relies on the most inner self of a person which determines the value they place on that certain phrase. M.Getch: I agree Andrea consider the difference between when I say porcelain and bombazine, both are pleasant words, however bombazine is actually a cloth designed for mourning. In the same way language can be misinterpreted. G.Yanez: I agree with both of you: Getch and Andrea. Language is something by which we as humans attempt to describe things that have certain meaning, however we cannot fully convey the meaning of something to others, since we will never be able to know if the meaning that some people hold for certain things is same that others have. N.Cuevas: Language is the best method for communicating. However, it is the most inefficient method for understanging someone because when I say something, someone else will perceive this concept differently based on experiences and language itself. G.Yanez: I wouldn't say that it's the best way, it is just that we haven't discovered a better method to communicate. J. Olivas: So Yanez, do you think in the future we might have, for example, chips that transport our exact thoughts to other or something along those lines? And if so how do you think that impedes and encourages knowledge? L. Silva: I believe so Mr. Olivas. Chips that will transport our exact connotation degree of the term. This way we can express how strong we feel about a certain topic. C.Wilson-Patterson: Words unspoken have little to no value. Your speech has great value and should be used when you want the light of depth to be expressed to a particular person or audience of people. C.Wilson-Patterson: The broken light of speech can be repaired if meaningful,thoughtful,purposeful words are spoken into the lives of others to help one to reach their full potential. E. Gutierrez: I agree with Ms. Cuevas in that everyone interprets language differently. For example, as i read Mr. Yanez's comment in agreement to Mr. Getch and Ms.Castaneda, an alarm went off in my head when i realized Mr.Yanez used Mr.Getch's surname but used Ms.Castaneda's first name.The first interpretation my brain made was that Mr. Yanez meant to show respect only to Mr.Getch by using his last name and not Ms.Castaneda's. After realizing that my mind often pays far too much attention to minute details, this could easily be explained by an informal reference to both parties by use of first name and nick-name, however my mind did not perceive it this way until i took into account who commented and their relations to whom they addressed. E.Gutierrez: A broken light can never reveal the contents of an opaque cave in entirety. This quote addresses that language is limited and can never be used to describe absolutely everything there is because the words to describe the indescribable do not exist yet, or because of a lack of necessity, never will. M.Getch: Have any of you heard the song Street Spirit by Radiohead, that song is so seperated and discontent, Thom Yorke said that its like that because the actual concept is to much for him to handle. If he thinks about it to much or if people understand the song they'll break down. That is what that quote means. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">K. Shareiff: To the first comment of Mr. Getch, I do think that language is limited; however, we can describe anything. Now whether or not it is thoroughly specified or if we can take the meaning of what is said verbatim that is another question. People tend to see things as finite, but there is always a way to do anything; whether it be communicating or anything else, we just have to take on the challenge at hand. There is always a way. So, is language limited? To lesser degree yes, but to a greater degree no. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">K. Shareiff: To Mr. Guttierez, don't you think that since your brain picked up on the minutiae said by Mr. Yanez that that is at all relevant to his liking of Ms. Casteneda? Why did you just undermind what you took as for true? Maybe subconsciously he is misogynistic or he sees women as inferior. This is detrimental to your interpersonal relationship and can tell you a lot about Mr. Yanez. I think that we must accept the cues of intuition or understanding and interpet them. Who is/are there to say that maybe your cue didn't get misconstrued? There are great reasons for the daily minutiae of lives; but like all things they are left to interpretation. Sorry Mr. Yanez~ L. Silva: The quote is stating that language is nothing but a speck of what can be spoken of, though language also presents a barrier for what can be talked about or descibed since we haven't developed specific words in order to describe these certain topics.