Words
Functioning at All Levels
It is easy to think of words and language as only existing at the highest Levels:
- handling distinctive objective references to things (L5)
- allowing for social discourse: conversation and argument (L6)
- permitting subjective awareness and thought processes (L6+L7)
But neither words nor language can be restricted in that way.
Note on Language
To make sense when communicating, a person must provide enough precision and coherence in the use of Terms, Symbols, Signs, Signals & Stimuli. So syntax and pragmatics must have evolved to increase the effectiveness of Meaning.
Combining Meaning-L6 with verbal Terms-L5 provided human beings with a sophistication that was unlike anything else thrown up by evolution. Above all, Meaning-L6 permits:
- thinking i.e. manipulation of ideas via Terms-L5
- planning i.e. describing desired non-existent states and steps to actualize them;
- theorizing i.e. manipulation of imaginary or virtual realities, for fun or as part of a desire to know.
Humanity had leaped across an evolutionary abyss, and other animals could no longer compete.
The use of words at all levels explains
- why they are wholly unsatisfactory as a THEE-name for any Level
- why much writing on communication is so confusing.
In linguistic and communication texts, you repeatedly see sentences like: “«cat» is a verbal symbol—not the actual animal”. Thank Heavens the author warned us!
From THEE's perspective, I wonder: how does the author or reader know for sure that «cat» is the verbal term (PH5L5) for a category of animal? Quasi-philosophical academic statements miss the essential situational and purposive quality of psychosocial reality. Whether or not «cat» is indeed a verbal term for a category of animal depends entirely on:
- the immediate context of the communication
- the specific intention of the communicator
- the language and culture in which the word is used
Practical Example: «Cat»
We will now look at «cat» and other words Level by Level so as to demonstrate that «cat» may not refer to an animal even for an English speaker. You have a chance to think about this for yourself. Develop your answer before you click for each level to see the examples
If you prefer to see it all in an abbreviated Summary Table rather than puzzle it out or read text, click here.
7
|
To be Open
&
Openness |
To activate an experiential state that maintains the potential for sending and receiving meaningful messages. |
Words create a focus, that enables and channels thinking and a flow of ideas. |
The word «cat» might spark an association to «animals» that sparks another to «germs» that sparks another…&c. |
6
|
To Mean
&
Meaning |
To generate a sense of something for a message: the sender embeds and the recipient attributes that sense via contents within a specific context. |
Words are chosen and combined with non-verbal cues for effect in a given context. |
What «cat» actually means flows from who uses the word, where, when, why + how expressed + in what context |
5
|
To Name
&
Term
(syn. label) |
To use something to make specific reference to an object of experience—outer, inner, virtual or imaginary—for use in a social context; or regard it as so doing. |
Words are «L5-terms» syn. names or labels. |
«Bring the cat» might refer to the animal or to the whip «cat o' nine tails». «Cat» is also used as a term to refer to a woman; to a person with that name; and in other ways. |
4
|
To Symbolize
&
Symbol |
To use something to represent and evoke ideas from a different domain of discourse: or regard it as so doing. |
Words are used to make rather arbitrary connections across domains of discourse. |
«Cat» might mean timidity e.g. «scaredy cat» or curiosity «that killed the cat» or heavy rain as in «coming down cats and dogs». |
3
|
To Signify
&
Sign
(syn. signifier) |
To use something to indicate or suggest something else within a single domain of discourse; or regard it as so doing. |
Words are used to indicate or define a domain of discourse. |
«Cat» may signify a loved pet in one family; signify a disease-carrier in another; and signify a noisy intruder in another. |
2
|
To Signal
&
Signal |
To use a specific stimulus or pattern of stimuli to convey a specific content; or regard it as so doing. |
Words are used as signals to have a single meaning &/or specific effect. |
«Cat» used as an abbreviation for Catalogue; or acronym for Computerized Axial Tomography; or a command in Unix. |
1
|
To Stimulate
&
Stimuli |
To use the elemental biological means for sending or receiving any message in a social cotext. |
Words are vocalizations i.e. stimuli that generate sensations. |
Words may be used solely to make a sentence euphonious. Onomatopoeic words rely on a sound sensation echoing the sense. |
Words may be purely verbal stimuli. Some languages use specific words with only one function: to make an uttered sentence euphonious (sound pleasant).
Sometimes words are largely drowned in surrounding noise: words then become indistinguishable stimuli. For any word to be used at higher Levels, it must be distinctively perceived as a stimulus-L1 via vocalization or clear print or unambiguous touch pattern.
Words may be verbal signals: it is common for words to give an unambiguous message. e.g. Ready, Set… in the context of a race. In the case of «cat», as in «Cat No. Q3596» within a supplies context, the word «cat» is an abbreviation for «catalogue»; and «CAT» in «CAT Scan» within a medical context is an acronym that unequivocally refers to Computerized Axial Tomography. «CAT» is also an acronym for Civil Aviation Training, and «cat» is a command in Unix that leads to the opening of a file.
Some languages have words that give specific messages, for example a special word may exist whose function is to indicate that the sentence is a question: e.g. «mai» in Thai.
Words may be verbal signs: i.e. a word may be a sign of something else within the domain of interest, often in association with non-verbal stimuli. Example: A person calls to a friend who is crossing the road to go to an important meeting: "Be careful!" Does "Be careful!" refer to the traffic? or to handling the meeting? Unless you know the state of the traffic &/or ask those involved, you (as an outsider) cannot know its significance.
Look at «cat» in "They let Johnny play—but with a cat!?" If Johnny is highly allergic to cats, then «cat» may be part of a sign-L3 suggesting to the other that «they» are not to be trusted.
Words may be verbal symbols: but using «cat» as the term for an animal does not make it a symbol-L4. (Using «cat» as a way to refer to a particular species of domestic animal makes it a term-L5.) However, I'm sure you all know what "curiosity killed”: it was “the «cat»" (not a dog or bird or friendship or chances &c). «Cat» is used as a symbol-L4 here: it has nothing to do with any animal but represents someone putting themselves in danger by being nosey. «Nosey» is another symbol-L4: I spontaneously used it to create a bond or sense of affiliation with you—but if you are not conversant with English, you are an "outsider" and it may be difficult to grasp.)
Words are verbal terms: words make excellent labels-L5 or Names for categories. So it is not surprising that new words/terms appear all the time.
«Cat» can certainly be the term-L5 for a certain type of animal. Of course «cat» may also be used as the term-L5 for a type of whip if «the cat» is a Cat o' Nine Tails); «Cat» is also the name-L5 of a programming language; and «cat» is a sponsored top-level domain name (for Catalan culture). Although most terms-L5 are indeed words, they may also be mathematical symbols e.g. the square root of minus one is represented by the term « i ».
Just as terms-L5 depend on and include lower Levels, verbal terms-L5 are essential in the two higher Levels…
Words are intrinsic to meaning-L6. Words are generally expected to be meaningful i.e. having some intrinsic «sense» or «purpose» or «reference». As well as nouns (things) and verbs (processes), the meaning-L6 intrinsic to a word may relate to its role in ensuring a sentence is grammatical—which is important to ensure that the correct meaning-L6 of the whole sentence is communicated.
Particular words may carry unusual or highly emotive meaning-L6 in specific contexts. So any communication of significance requires careful selection of words and construction of phrases and sentences to get the meaning-L6 across.
Words are involved during states of openness-L7. Words come into consciousness so that they may be transformed or associated in unusual or surprising ways. Words with their meanings-L6 are manipulated during thinking and when considering possibilities. The image of the relevant words might be relevant; and antonyms or word-play may be usefully generated.
See the above explanations in a matrix.
Other Review Options ►
Originally posted 27-May-2011; Last updated 25-Sep-2011.