Does Language Play Roles Of Equal Importance in Different Areas of Knowledge?

by heermajithia11 (student)

International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge

Heer Majithia

Does Language Play Roles Of Equal Importance in Different Areas of Knowledge?

Word Count: 1226

According to me language is a means of communication, an expression of ones thoughts and ideas, and a way of interacting to relay information. I view it as something that constantly evolves, transforms and takes the shape we give, however, at the same time language changes and influences our thoughts and actions. I believe that language is equally important in all areas of knowledge and that we cannot communicate without it. Nevertheless, language alone as a way of knowing is not completely reliable as the quality of language and the choice of words used can convey different ideas. For example, consider the difference between ambition and greed, ambition is an immense desire to obtain something and greed is an immense and selfish desire for something, essentially both of them are two sides of the same coin but they evoke different thoughts in people’s minds. Furthermore, language has its own limitations as it cannot communicate ideas such as irony and sarcasm; and for language to be an effective way of knowing all the individuals involved need to be aware of the language that is being used. Additionally using language as a way of knowing leads to biases as the language in which knowledge is presented determines whether an idea is accepted or not. Lastly, language is open to subjectivity as different people will react in different ways to the same thing. For example the colour red could represent anger and hatred to me but love to my friend. Although the significance of language is equal in all areas of knowledge I will be mainly focussing my discussion to Arts, Natural Sciences, History, and Mathematics. In each of these areas of knowledge language serves a different purpose.

Some people hold the firm belief that language is not required in the arts thereby overlooking the fact that most of the Arts express one’s emotions and communicate ideas. It is a means of expressing suppressed emotions for many people and represents freedom to them. This unconventional language eliminates the barriers that stop people from revealing their true sentiments. In fact, at times arts can divulge details about people or incidents that probably cannot be expressed in word. For instance, dance can be classified as a sign language because it can express ideas through physical movement. The pace, flexibility and ...

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Some people hold the firm belief that language is not required in the arts thereby overlooking the fact that most of the Arts express one’s emotions and communicate ideas. It is a means of expressing suppressed emotions for many people and represents freedom to them. This unconventional language eliminates the barriers that stop people from revealing their true sentiments. In fact, at times arts can divulge details about people or incidents that probably cannot be expressed in word. For instance, dance can be classified as a sign language because it can express ideas through physical movement. The pace, flexibility and the pattern of movements affect the audiences’ mood, I have seen evidence of this in numerous performances where the people audience are silenced, moved by the thoughts conveyed, and have tears in their eyes because of the overwhelming messages and emotions exhibited, where staccato movements have been used to portray apprehension, confusion, and urgency and slow smooth movements to show change, sorrow and peace. Similarly, in fine arts thoughts and at times entire stories are depicted through the choice of colours, brush strokes and subject matter of a composition. In the arts, language is open to various interpretations and ambiguities but it still remains an exhibition of one’s thoughts. Hence, in my opinion since arts are forms of expression without language we cannot communicate our thoughts in this area of knowledge.

Consequently, language plays a vital role in the sciences as well. This can be explained using the example of the geologist Alexandre-Emile Béguyer de Chancourtois. He was the first person to notice the periodicity of elements and devised a functional and unique way of organising them, but his work was not accepted by the scientific community as he used mainly geological terms (Helmenstine). Though he observed that elements with similar properties occurred at regular atomic weight intervals, his ideas were not considered as they were presented in a different language. In Chemistry, a natural science there is a set of notations that are widely accepted and understood by chemists all over the world. Thus, in conclusion, I firmly believe that language is an integral part for the understanding and communication of the Natural Sciences and I believe that without language scientific discoveries can neither be shared with others nor can be accepted in the world.

Moreover, in the area of knowledge, History, people have tried to understand the past by attempting to unravel the languages used in earlier times. Using language to decipher the people of an earlier time is a reflection of Mahatama Gandhi’s words, “A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.” (55). Apart from this historians have read diaries and documents by people who lived in the past which could give them an insight into the lives of people of another time. Though, these sources would have personal biases based on gender, religion and social status they contain details that would have died with them if they did not have script, a part of language, to record it.

Another, important feature of language as way of knowing is that it consists of many different types. This would include mathematical language, scientific language, and the more conventionally defined languages like English, Spanish and French. This attribute is extremely crucial as certain areas of knowledge can only be expressed in certain languages. For example, in Mathematics, solving a problem without using the standard notations of the universally accepted mathematical language, would make it impossible for someone sitting across the globe to understand. Thus, another aspect of language is revealed to be that it has a certain fixed structure that cannot be drastically changed. However, this is a characteristics of only certain languages and cannot be generalised for all types of languages.

Likewise, translating matter from one language to another may not be possible, as the meaning and essence could be lost in rendition. Sometimes, there is no literal translation for particular words which leads in long wordy paraphrases which lose their meaning. Another simple justification for this would be that when one reads or hears the same thing in two different languages they would have different reactions and by using one’s mother tongue it would be easier to convince some. I have observed this on various occasions, on one of these instances a government worker, whose mother tongue is Marathi and has been born and brought up in Maharashtra, acknowledged and addressed my problem only when I started talking in his own language. A possible explanation can be given by the idea that when someone approaches an individual and talk to them in their mother tongue they feel closer to the person and are more likely to help them, connect with them and agree with their ideas. This thought is mirrored in Nelson Mandela’s words, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” (Mandela) which illustrates and reiterates that regardless of the area of knowledge, different languages are indispensable and equally important.

Using the above analysis as my basis, I can conclude that life cannot persist without language as it plays a fundamental role in the imparting of knowledge, collating of information and understanding of another person’s ideas. We can also assume that language is an innate characteristics as even new born infants express their wants to their parents by crying. This way of knowledge is used throughout our lives and no area of knowledge can be understood clearly without it.

Works Cited

Gandhi, M.K. Towards New Education. Ahemadabad; Navajivan Mudranalaya, 1953. Print.

Helmenstine, Todd. “Alexandre-Emile Béguyer de Chancourtois Biography.” About.com Chemistry. About.com, 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. <http://chemistry.about.com/od/famousscientists/p/alexandre-emile-beguyer-de-chancourtois-bio.htm>.

Mandela, Nelson. “Mandela in his own words.” CNN.com/world. Cable News Network, 2009. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. <http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/06/24/mandela.quotes/>.