Distinguish Communicative Elements

Step 3: Discover the Centres & 
Step 4: Determine their Names

We now clarify whether the dynamic duality conventional vs new exists as opposite poles within a level, or whether the duality is intrinsically synthesized or fused (called 'balanced') within the level. Clarification generates «Centres» which need THEE-Names. You can see the pattern without names now by clicking Closedhere.

We have to examine all 7 levels. Because we can take them in any order, I usually take the easiest first. All proposed names are provisional.


L5: Terms : Naming

Naming evidently contains two polar opposite Centres.
ClosedWhy?

These two Centres are named:
Unfamiliar terms-L5U   &   Conventional names-L5C.

L7: Openness : Being Open

Openness contains one balanced Centre.
ClosedWhy?

This single balanced Centre is named: Openness-L7B.

L2: Signals : Signalling

Signalling contains one balanced Centre.
ClosedWhy?

This single balanced Centre is named: Explicit Content-L2B.

L6: Meaning

Meaning evidently contains two polar opposite Centres.
ClosedWhy?

These two Centres are named:
New meaning-L6U  &   Usual meaning-L6C

L4: Symbol : Symbolizing

Symbols contains one balanced Centre.
ClosedWhy?

This single balanced Centre is named: Symbolic Connotations-L4B.

L3: Sign : Signifying

Signs and their significance evidently contain two polar opposite Centres.
ClosedWhy?

These two Centres are named: 
Subjective significance-L3U  &   Informed significance-L3C.

L1: Stimuli : Stimulate

Stimuli contain one balanced Centre.
ClosedWhy?

This single balanced Centre is named: Communicative Stimuli-L1B.

Step 5:  Identify Dominating Centres

Having clarified the Centres, we have to determine dominance in those levels which are bipolarMeaning-L6, Naming-L5, Signifying-L3.  Which pole has more weight when communicating in a particular situation?

L6-Meaning

Is the usual meaning most readily accepted or is a new meaning?   Which of these carries the day in a discussion or argument?

Drawing on my experience with discriminating differences in social life and developing explicit but somewhat unusual meanings-L6 that require their own specific names-L5, I can confidently assert that the usual meaning normally trumps. ClosedMore... 

L5-Names

Are invented names-L5U (e.g. a neologism or an atypical term) more readily accepted and understood than a conventional term-L5C? Or vice versa?  Which do we default to?

This one is easy: conventional terms-L5C are far more appealing. By contrast, invented or obscure terms-L5U, especially technical jargon, seem clumsy, ugly or even repellant. Journalists, for example, use scientific concepts loosely in order to make their prose easy to read.

ClosedExample

L3-Signficance

Does subjective significance-L3Utake precedence over informed significance-L3C? Or is it the reverse?

Informed significance-L3Crequires us to accord with official, standard or objective knowledge, whereas  subjective significance-L3U is about bringing to bear our own sense of a situation. This depends on our experience and our knowledge, as well as using any conventional knowledge that we might be aware of.  We may listen to experts and absorb a lot, but we invariably give our own interpretations and understandings precedence. Probably because it is what we have to depend upon when experts aren't available.

See the pattern developed by this analysis: Closedclick here.


Next Step 6

Now that all Centres are named and dominance is determined in the bipolar levels, it is necessary to clarify mutual influences between the Centres.

THEE Note:Closed This is the lengthiest and most difficult part of Tree development: Step 6 in the standard method. The first channels to be identified are those joining the two poles in a bipolar Level.

Originally posted: 8-Nov-2013. Last updated: 14-Mar-2016.