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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Most Anything > Philosophy & Theory

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  #1  
Old 13-02-2019, 08:10 PM
taoistscholar_v2 taoistscholar_v2 is offline
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Should words be allowed to change their meaning over time?

This is not a question regarding whether or not the meaning of words do change.

This is a question asking if it's more beneficial and constructive to encourage language to be conservative and precise to it's literal breakdown and etymology as a means of maximizing clarity and understanding?

or

Is it wiser to let language be free and natural to its changes, regardless of whether its a result of stylish, poetic, trendy rhetoric, historical additions and trimmings, or naivety and lack of sophistication?

What's your guy's opinion? Where do you sit on this subject? Is there a difference between
it's application on a colloquial/conversational level versus a legal/political level?

Last edited by taoistscholar_v2 : 13-02-2019 at 09:47 PM.
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  #2  
Old 13-02-2019, 10:40 PM
EthicalVampire EthicalVampire is offline
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The question is phrased interestingly to me where 'conservative' implies the superficial result rather than the philosophical basis for a decision on this question.

So I hope that prelude adequately manages the confusion that could occur when I say that I believe remaining conservative to the tradition of the English language is the superior method of linguistic evolution and therefore of language. But for me this question divides into two fundamental categories and that is Speech and Writing.

As a language which must be developed from commoner-up rather than the likes of french which has a committee that arbitrarily defines words as official parts of the french language, English develops to fit the understanding of the people who use it. That continuous development is why English is to this day the most studied language by Linguists the world over for it's incredibly broad applicability and effectiveness.

English traditionally is free, where dictionaries have traditionally been evidence based rather than dictated by those considered qualified to invent meanings for words, and invent words which people must use. I believe this is because language and thought are both considered to be a part of the psyche and the psyche is traditionally considered off-limits to arbitrary authorities.

I think I covered all your questions there. (:
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  #3  
Old 14-02-2019, 05:22 PM
taoistscholar_v2 taoistscholar_v2 is offline
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Thanks EthicalVampire.

Appreciate the informative reply. I did not know that French functioned so differently. I am aware that the Chinese language, as a written language, has not added any new words in the past couple millennia (anyone please correct me if I'm wrong), however they create new meaning and ideas by compounding the pre-existing words. We see a similar thing happen in English with new 'things' being coined under older Latin or Greek pretexts being conjoined into new compounds.

It's interesting how each language is so unique in all of its aspects. Even between English and French, which are proto-indo-european cousins. Albeit these differences appear to be more politically rooted as they are the result of an appointed committee, and it only takes a small oligarchy to dictate that.

It's my belief that language as a whole (spoken and written), when left to be free, will develop in a very similar way. Not in terms of the specifics, as they will differ culturally, and like you said, dependent upon the collective-psyche.. but to factor out these cultural and collective-psyche differences that embody each language, but it seems reasonable to state that the aspects that remain seem to express quite universally. Perhaps belonging to human nature.
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  #4  
Old 14-02-2019, 05:30 PM
taoistscholar_v2 taoistscholar_v2 is offline
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Is language one-sided, in the way that it is dominated by the minds that create it? or does it also have the ability to work in the reverse, and influence the beliefs and outlook of its inheritors?
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  #5  
Old 16-02-2019, 09:21 AM
EthicalVampire EthicalVampire is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by taoistscholar_v2
Is language one-sided, in the way that it is dominated by the minds that create it? or does it also have the ability to work in the reverse, and influence the beliefs and outlook of its inheritors?

This is actually a really pertinent question, though the answer may already exist and it might point us to something genuinely true about ourselves as humans. The current theory at the forefront of linguistics is that 'grammar' is universal, babies even know it somehow. So it is believed that behind every language there is a kind of unseen, unknown, single language which is inherent to us that we sort of over-write with what we learn as we grow up.

I wonder if as a meditator if you can find that language buried deep under the conditional learnings, and if by speaking it others who are open would be able to understand. I'd like to try this.
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  #6  
Old 16-02-2019, 12:14 PM
Che Lazou
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I think language is a red herring to coin a phrase that came before me and is not really mine at the moment of typing these theses of words;

Pretty pointless huh?

Yes, language is powerful and dictates our structure whilst at the same time being the structure that is dictated by the observer.

DNA - words - air - fire

They are all male and female, father and son, mother and daughter, family

Love

Does DNA determine the language that one uses, or does language determine the DNA that one observes.

The code; the Bible, the Torah, The Taosing Yi Jing Chen, El Koran, the message of the stars, even media and newspapers, hieroglyphs, sigils and signs, characters, elementals.

Form - structure and observation - unfoldment.

I think their may be something in inherant difference, but ultimately it is your choice.

Langauge has never stopped you from developing, living successfully and achieving, why does it stop others.

For a long time I have been angry with Freuds corruption of the word "ego" - "I" in "Greek", but then I'm not really "Greek" more succinct than that, and besides if I live on an island in the mediterranean I would use a different characterset anyway.

So is it all binary?

IO or Input Output;

What about children and friends and relations;

Every number has a meaning and even meanings are based on structure; that word again;

Pi, the Golden Mean, Squaring the Circle, Ruler and Compass, Rational, Irrational, Transcendental and Undefinable.

Everyone knows what life is about, so why do you ask?
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  #7  
Old 16-02-2019, 08:22 PM
inavalan inavalan is offline
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I would put the focus on general education, and let the language evolve freely.

The French are / were trying to stop neologism proliferation, creating ridiculous artificial constructs.
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Everything expressed here is what I believe. Keep that in mind when you read my post, as I kept it in mind when I wrote it. I don't parrot others. Most of my spiritual beliefs come from direct channeling guidance. I have no interest in arguing whose belief is right, and whose is wrong. I'm here just to express my opinions, and read about others'.
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  #8  
Old 20-02-2019, 10:04 PM
leadville
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Remember Canute? You would stand as much chance of throttling language change as he did with holding back the tide.

And just as it would have been unfair if he'd succeeded it would be equally unfair to prescribe and proscribe usage except in very specific circumstances and for very specific, important reasons. And apart from such special or specialised situations, it would be pretty pointless even to consider trying.
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