Symbols: Cross any Boundary at L4
Function & Name
Symbol is the THEE-name for: «something in one domain of discourse, which represents and evokes ideas from one or more different domain of discourse.»
Symbols can ramify and connote very widely which naturally affects their significance and content in any message. But this is effectively controlled by socialization within a group, and symbols express this affiliation.
The receiver may view certain things as symbols-L4 in the same manner.
Choice of Formal Name
«Symbol» is often said to refer to something that represents «something else»
i.e. much as semiologists use the term «sign». There is certainly a sharp distinction between stimuli which represent nothing, and something that does represent. However, THEE demands greater precision through differentiation of what is represented:
- Signals-L2 represent «something else» that is a specific pre-agreed message. The notion of 'denoting' (i.e. plain direct meaning) would apply here.
- Signs-L3 also represent «something else» more broadly but within a relevant bounded arena. This could be denoting or connoting.
- Symbols-L4 take the next step in generalization i.e. representing «something else» in any arena at all. This is 'connoting' i.e. expressing indirectly by convention, association or other method of implication.
See more on naming THEE entities in the Hub.
Properties
The expression and understanding of Symbols-L4 depend on the sender (or user) of the symbol and recipient (or noticer) of a symbolsharing an experience of living within a particular culture or an enduring group (large or small).
Symbols-L4 are conventional. They are indirect and connote widely, but they are not experienced as confusing, surprising or ambiguous. Removing all boundaries to the transfer of significance between things, in any domain of life, creates an enormous potential for confusion. This is avoided, however, by cultural standardization. History and etymology can usually explain the usage, but that is for language specialists. No-one cares in everyday communicating.
Symbols-L4 express the sender's or recipient's group affiliation. They are the royal road to making sense of a group's psychosocial reality. Once you know them thoroughly, you know the group and may well be treated as part of the group. This likely applies to groups of all sorts that endure: from a family, through associations, and up to nations.
Examples
Verbal
We can say of a person "He slept like a log" while we do not say "He slept like the pyamids" or "like a sandbank"
In French, a trial of strength is referred to as "bras de fer" (literally "arms of iron"): why not "shoulders of granite" or "fists of titanium"? A close race is described as "neck and neck" in English, but in French you are "coude a coude" (i.e. elbow to elbow): why not "eyebrow to eyebrow"?
Symbols are so standardized in a society that they tend to come across as clichés in quality writing. To quote Jack Handy: "How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak".
Non-verbal
- Nations may create a musical anthem or fanfare as a Symbol-L4.
- Religions use shapes like a crescent or a cross as a Symbol-L4.
- Companies may choose a particular image to serve as a Symbol-L4.
Culture Shock
On beginning to live in a foreign culture, a period of culture-shock invariably ensues. The shock flows from being flooded with new stimuli. There is an utter inability to recognize, understand or use the signals, signs or symbols implicit in those stimuli, and handled continuously and effectively by locals. The result is:
- experiences of confusion
- doing the wrong thing
- offending people
- feeling offended
- inability to get even simple things done
- helplessness and frustration
and usually
- over-paying and being exploited.
Phrase books, with their well-meaning sentences, vocabularies and advice, offer almost nothing to help this. However, once you master signals-L2, signs-L3 and symbols-L4 used by the natives, the shock subsides. After a couple of years, you come to wonder exactly why it was so difficult at the beginning. This applies even if you never master the language. (Remember: we are exploring simple communicative events here, not language.)
Errors & Failure
Errors occur for all of the reasons already noted for lower level elements of communication.
In addition, the sender may assume that the recipient is aware of the symbol-L4's usage, when that is not the case. The recipient of a symbol-L4 may also misunderstand due to being from an alien culture, literal-minded or insensitive.
THEE Note
In all THEE Primary Hierarchies: At L4, the form taken by the entity generalizes, crosses many or all systems or domains, and may organize them in some fashion.
Starting from L1 with Stimuli as the mechanism, we noted at L2 the Signal that is used to specify a direct learned meaning, then at L3 came the Sign, which suggests a variety of meanings indirectly and within a single topic/domain.
Now with the Symbol at L4, Communication allows for meanings from any topic to be applied to any other topic. In other words, there is a general coverage.
Puzzle: What's in a word?
Communication texts often tell us that "a word is a symbol". If you think so too, then re-think from this THEE perspective. See how this seemingly innocuous and obvious assertion is misconceived and evidence of mental confusion. If you are curious, jump ahead and examine «words» and what they can do and be.
Puzzle: Don't the best writers, like Shakespeare, use new and unexpected symbols?
Yes, they do. But they are engaged in using language and require metaphors to bring their writing alive. «Using language» is far more complex than using one communicative element. It necessarily involves using all the elements, and in a variety of ways. We are only half-way through the fundamental elements (i.e. communication tools). Clarification of these must be completed before we can properly consider distinctive ways to use language as explained here.
- Now move to the 5th level: which typically completes all the actual elements.
Originally posted: 18-Apr-2011; Last updated 25-Sep-2011.