Chapter 2: Symbol
Symbols are fundamental objects or other aspects that relate a deeper meaning of phenomena; in essence, they are representations of a larger picture or a deeper understanding of something. Symbols allow for language processing through learning. People can learn that certain symbols are associated with certain things, places, or happenings. For instance, a white flag is a symbol of peace, or a red sign is a symbol of danger. A symbol is significant not only to me, my workplace, city, country but to the whole world as well given symbols govern language and how people interact with the environment. For instance, in the workplace, a symbol denoting silence meeting in progress, or in the city building symbols denote why type of activities going on in the place which allows people to know where to conduct their businesses.
An example of a symbol that is significant in language use is the color red, which is often associated with love. On Valentine’s Day, couples and lovers wear red and exchange red roses to signify their love for one another. Some love poems have begun with the phrase “roses are red,” this goes on to show that even in language-use the color red is a symbol of love. The red heart symbol is sent to loved ones in letters, cards, and texts and other communication modes to signify love. The red rose is arguably the most common symbol associated with love. Bette Midler sang a song “the rose” in 1979 that got a nomination for a Grammy Award.
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The concept of the symbol is more significant than the two other concepts from Hayakawa’s second chapter. This is so as symbols are things people interact with in their everyday life, whereas maps and the extensional world are concepts people grow to know about and may or not be very significant at a young age. Symbols connect to the learning objective, which extends critical thinking skills by learning how to differentiate among kinds of knowledge and meaning. The consequences related to symbols may refer to the effects of selecting or associating with a specific symbol, for instance as described by Hayakawa “we select our furniture to serve as visible symbols for our taste wealth and social position.” Symbols impact people’s lives in many ways, such as regulating where people dump wastes, direct people to places, and so on. Symbols have impacted me in the workplace such as flowcharts showing me which milestones I need to accomplish. The world would be very different if there were no symbols; for instance, there would be traffic accidents and congestions if there were no traffic signals. Symbols are particularly more significant to children as they help them learn and process activities and consequences in different situations.
Chapter 4
Context
Context is a general understanding commonly accepted by many people about something or a phenomenon. Context is generally used to construct meaning; it is incorporated from shared experiences that allow people to give something meaning or a name collectively. Context is useful to me, and everyone else as once something is collectively understood, then there can be a meaningful conversation. Context like the meaning of what a subway station is for is what allows people in a city to commute daily to their respective workplaces. The context of a people united, such as the words of a National Anthem is what allows people in a country to live in harmony. Language as a context is what allows the nations of the world to co-exist as they can understand and respect each other peacefully.
The words surrounding a specific word to give it meaning from its context. For instance, the old building, its high walls, and rigid structure are immune to change. The words surrounding the building give its context as old with high walls, which makes it immune to change. The context of the building is made to appear a rigid indestructible object that can stand the test of time and other agents that may want to bring it down. Context helps readers comprehend what they would have otherwise not understood. It helps people make use of outside information to give meaning to keywords.
In chapter four of Hayakawa’s journal, the intensional and extensional meanings are equally important aspects of language; they are, however, more complicated and can bring about arguments before definitive answers are reached. Context is more significant as it gives meaning to words by observing the surrounding significant words. Context connects to the first learning objective where one can practice critical thinking by learning how to gather, consider, and evaluate evidence about the English language in use. The consequences associated with context are either one comprehends the meaning of something by observing its surroundings or failing to comprehend because the surroundings fail to give a comprehensible argument. Context impacts people’s lives in that learning, and communication cannot be progress if people cannot get the context out which a thing comes from or is situated. There would be no language or learning processing if the concept of context could not be enacted. Context is still more important for young people who are still learning and may need a little help to comprehend the context in which a phenomenon exists.
Chapter 5
Connotations
Connotations are symbolic aspects of language that invoke feelings in people. They are used by writers and speakers to express their ideas, objects, and feelings. For this reason, connotations can be positive, negative, or neutral words aimed to invoke feelings in others. One has to comprehend that connotations may have similar denotative meanings but different connotative meanings. Connotations are essential to everyone in the world, communicating as to how the words they speak elicit feelings in others, whether positive, negative, or neutral.
An example of connotation is the word” wall street.” Whereas the literal meaning is a street situated in New York, the connotative meaning it invokes in people refers to wealth and money. The social and cultural experiences of individuals can influence the positive or negative perceptions of connotations. For instance, words like childish and childlike have similar denotative meanings but different connotative meaning. The connotative meaning is negative to imply someone behaves immaturely.
Verbal taboos and words with in-built judgments are significant but are not applied that much in language-use; they are used only in certain situations or places. Connotations, on the other hand, are significant to language and communication as they invoke in people feelings about what a speaker or writer is trying to portray. Connotations connect to the learning objective, which refines the ability to understand the role of the English language in thinking, to speak, and to behave ethically. Informative and affective connotations of a word are the consequences to connotation; they can either give meaning to words or elicit a feeling from their utterances. They can be informative through their denotations or affective through the aura of feelings they arouse from people. Connotations impact peoples live in many ways as they enable language processing and communication when speakers invoke feelings in readers. If the world did not have connotations, then words spoken or written would be neutral as they would neither elicit a positive or negative reaction from people. Language processing would be slowed. Connotations are more significant to an older audience as invoking positive or negative feelings effectively passes the message a speaker wants people to hear.
