"Language of any kind acquires meaning for the individual
only as that meaning is shared by a community, even though the individual
speaker is not addressing the community." Eric A. Havelock The Muse Learns to Write page 68
It's incredible how complex the seemingly unpretentious
concept of language is, be it written or spoken. The evolution of both oral and
written English communication is incredibly difficult to grasp on its own. What
Havelock discusses predates that, along with just about every other language.
It really is the stripped down, bare knuckled idea of just what language is and
how it obtains substance.
I found the above quote the most impactful in the reading
because it shed some light on how the idea of mass communication is kind of an
oxymoron. Now I doubt this idea rests at the heart of Havelock's theories, but
it definitely aroused my attention. It really is true that the words and
language would be meaningless if those around us could not comprehend it. As far
as the oxymoron is concerned, his community oriented stance on language having
meaning supports that all effective communication has to serve the masses,
because communication within oneself really lacks purpose.
If I had devised the greatest fifteen minute speech of all
time, one that would bring a sense of enlightenment and answers to all who
understood its meaning, but I had to deliver that speech only to Portuguese
speaking crowd in Brazil, what's the point? Sure that language could have
tremendous meaning to myself, but that really isn't important because I'm not
informing or aiding anyone else. And even if I may be speaking on the most
trivial and unimportant topics, if the audience understands my language, our
language, then there's some meaning.
Words are powerless if there's nobody around to comprehend
their meaning. I believe understanding this idea is crucial to understanding
language and its importance.
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