(no subject)
A few days ago I was having lunch at a French cafe in Greenwich village and having taken French since grade school, I decided to exercise those linguistic muscles which had been in atrophy for some years. Language is a curious thing. When I say language, I don't mean to confine my usage of the term to merely the words and punctuation of written and spoken language as we have come to understand them in our every day lives. I mean to describe all forms of communication which express the ideas of one individual to another (or others). If you have ever attempted (and I place my emphasis on attempt as opposed to succeed) to speak a foreign language to someone fluent in that language, then you may have experienced that exquisite, awkward dance you engage in; both parties trying to build two sides of the same bridge so that you might exchange that precious commodity that is understanding.
That, fundamentally, is the purpose of all language (and I would argue art, though in this case the distinction is difficult to perceive): to establish an understanding and a vocabulary by which we may exchange ideas or our own approximation of them. Over the years, we have developed standardized systems to expedite the process: the spoken and written word, music, math. It is the latter, which fascinates me the most, as it helps to clearly define a phenomenon which is otherwise more difficult to understand: language preempting thought. If we consider math, the attempt of mathematicians to establish a vocabulary by which they can express complex ideas, observations and theories to others (primarily other mathematicians in most cases) then it is less difficult to comprehend how a system arose. However, there comes a point when the ideas become so complex that mathematicians use the language, math, in order to formulate ideas and solve problems. In this case, the language itself, is being used not only to describe, but to generate new ideas. Now while math and say, French, are by no means identical, fundamentally the premise is the same: both are systems used to propose ideas, problems and solutions. And just like in math, where forgetting to carry a one or the order of operations can affect the outcome of a problem, the same can be said, for spoken and written language as well.
That, fundamentally, is the purpose of all language (and I would argue art, though in this case the distinction is difficult to perceive): to establish an understanding and a vocabulary by which we may exchange ideas or our own approximation of them. Over the years, we have developed standardized systems to expedite the process: the spoken and written word, music, math. It is the latter, which fascinates me the most, as it helps to clearly define a phenomenon which is otherwise more difficult to understand: language preempting thought. If we consider math, the attempt of mathematicians to establish a vocabulary by which they can express complex ideas, observations and theories to others (primarily other mathematicians in most cases) then it is less difficult to comprehend how a system arose. However, there comes a point when the ideas become so complex that mathematicians use the language, math, in order to formulate ideas and solve problems. In this case, the language itself, is being used not only to describe, but to generate new ideas. Now while math and say, French, are by no means identical, fundamentally the premise is the same: both are systems used to propose ideas, problems and solutions. And just like in math, where forgetting to carry a one or the order of operations can affect the outcome of a problem, the same can be said, for spoken and written language as well.