Distinct
names for concepts changes them for me because it takes away a sort of
appreciation for those things. Instead of describing those concepts, I’m
coerced into using that specific word to define the idea. Aside from the
appreciation I’m robbed of, defining expressing concepts in one word also
changes them in that it makes it easier to communicate. The way it changes my
perception depends on what age I’m referencing when making these assertions.
Growing
up in a Spanish-speaking household and it being my first and only language up
until grade school, it was challenging for me to communicate certain ideas with
my English-speaking classmates because I frankly didn’t know the name of the
concept. I remember avoiding talking about certain things in effect of not
having any misunderstandings or embarrassing moments. For example, I cleverly
avoided using the word “pregnancy” when referring to my teacher’s bulging
belly. Instead, I would call it “the baby” or “your big stomach”. Learning the
actual term for pregnancy changed me in that I could communicate more
effectively with everyone.
Conversely,
being older and much more proficient in English, it’s nice to learn names for
concepts, but at the same time it also takes away the magnitude of the emotion sometimes
tied with concept. As is the case for the Brazilian word “cafuné,” there’s something I like almost as
much as I like the feeling about describing how great of a feeling it is when
someone caresses your hair/head. Or another word like the Portuguese word
“saudade” which is the fervent feeling of wanting something deeply cherished,
but is gone. Saying “I have this deep-rooted sentiment which stems from my loss”
seems more effective in speech than “saudade.” Being forced to describe a
concept gives it a more powerful meaning than by simply calling it by its name.
Essentially,
learning the name for a term changes it for me in that I am no longer forced to
use it by description. Having a name for a concept definitely changes how it’s viewed
and how effectively one is able to communicate. The basis of that point of view
depends on one’s proficiency of the language and personal preference in
commnication.
Before reading your blog I, myself was unsure of how to answer this question, but now that I have read your answer/blog, I agree that the appreciation of the word is lost when using distinct names for concepts. On the contrary, I also feel that all those words on that list were absolutely beautiful. I find it so interesting that all these different cultures/languages thought that these concepts were so important and deep that they needed a distinct name for them. Those words are so powerful to sum up a paragraph worth of feelings and emotions in one single word. Like I said earlier though, the complete appreciation of the word is lost, but to me its only lost if one does not have the full understanding of the word. If one does not use the word the right way or does not know the complete definition, then the richness and power of the word is lost. On the other hand, when the word is used correctly and to its full potential, the magnitude of that single word can move mountains compared to a paragraph of explanations. For example the English word, love, means to have a deep affection for or to put that someone or something before oneself. I could go on for paragraphs about the true meaning behind the word love, but we all know that when one puts the three little words together, I, love, and you; these words can form unbreakable bonds, break hearts, and travel though time and space. One word or name for a concept can be more powerful than paragraphs and paragraphs of explanations.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with words changing the way something is seen, and I love how you talked about "the baby" as opposed to "pregnancy". I had similar antics when I was a child, but it was when I was trying to communicate with my grandfather who only spoke Italian. I never really took it upon myself to learn Italian or to try to make communicating with him less of a hassle, but it forced us to sort of create our own language, and to me that's the most special thing about it. To the two of us, everything was happy go lucky because we never really had to face emotions or "hash" things out. We simply pointed and played with whatever was available. After he died, the things that we had preoccupied ourselves with seemed different to me, as though they carried his spirit inside them. It's the same as learning the name of something and seeing it differently, but to me they did have their own meaning, as do the words in the list. In English, those words mean nothing to us because there is no direct translation, just as the games my grandfather and I played had no name or translation with out explicit description. While not all words have such concrete definitions, neither do meanings. What truly matters is how the word is seen, and to what extent does it mean something to you. To the deaf man, it all meant a new beginning, while to me when I was a child, it meant that no matter what we spoke, my grandfather and I would always have that connection.
ReplyDeleteI agree that defining words does change the meaning however it does not always take away from the power of it. There are some words that hold a more powerful meaning to them, whether that be because what the word entails is difficult to explain or that the word carries more meaning to it due to the standards of society. For example, the word love describes a feeling so powerful it could never be explained by words. And also saying something like "she has been with a lot of men" does not have as much power as saying "she is a slut" and the same goes with any curse word in that context.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading your blog I never gave much thought as to the meaning of words and what actually knowing the name to certain things changes. Defining or simply trying to eplain what you are talking about has so much more feeling and passion because you actually have to describe the thing that you are talkin about so other will know what you are trying to say. For instance in english the word love can mean many different things. I love my boyfriend but i also love my mom. Those are very different type of loves. Only describing it will actually express the specific way that i love them each. But I also feel like describing things could also give a less powerful approach to something. For instance saying '' Shes really bitter and mean'' would be less harsh than saying "yeah shes a bitch". But overall I agree with what you are saying.
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