SEMANTICS AND THE STUDY OF CULTURE.

N

4

Applied Linguistics; Communication (Thought Transfer); Contrastive Linguistics; Cross Cultural Training; Cultural Awareness; Cultural Background; Cultural Context; Cultural Differences; Cultural Influences; Culture; Language; Language Instruction; Language Usage; Semantics

TO SECURE A BETTER ALIGNMENT OF THEIR MENTAL PICTURES WITH "EXTERNAL REALITY," MEN NEED TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO WORD MEANING, PARTICULARLY WHEN CONVEYING INFORMATION ABOUT A CULTURE DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN. THE TRANSFER OF MEANING WITHOUT CONFUSION WILL OCCUR MORE READILY IF THE FOLLOWING POINTS FROM GENERAL SEMANTICS ARE KEPT IN MIND--(1) "NO TWO THINGS ARE IDENTICAL, AND NO ONE THING REMAINS THE SAME." (2) "THE SAME WORD MAY BE USED TO CONNOTE DIFFERENT 'REALITIES," WHILE SIMILAR EVENTS OR EXPERIENCES ARE SOMETIMES CALLED BY DIFFERENT NAMES." (3) "STATEMENTS OF OPINION ARE OFTEN CONFUSED WITH STATEMENTS OF FACT." (4) "IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL ALL ABOUT ANYTHING." AMONG TECHNIQUES FOR APPLYING GENERAL SEMANTICS ARE (1) USING DESCRIPTIVE TERMS RATHER THAN THOSE OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL, (2) USING PHRASES THAT SPECIFY THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A STATEMENT, (3) BECOMING MORE ALERT TO CULTURAL SEMANTIC CONDITIONING, AND (4) BEING SUSPICIOUS OF ONE'S OWN KNOWLEDGE. (THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "SOCIAL EDUCATION," VOL. 27 (MAY 1963), 259-61.) (LH)

1968

ED020924