LANGUAGE IN COMMUNICATION:Polarization, Labeling, Static meanings

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Introduction to Mass Communication MCM 101

LESSON 11

LANGUAGE IN COMMUNICATION

Previously we have discussed that non verbal communication outsmarts verbal communication by a

big margin but fact remains that the non verbal communication matters the most in real time when you

communicate, or you are communicated, through the human senses and body gestures and signs.

In time and space mostly it is the language comprising words which communicates to others. For instance

most historic records are available in the form of books written by scores of historians. The religious

teachings and the scientific and philosophical works are also going down to generations through words.

It is the words, spoken or written, by prophets and other scholars on which scholars of the day try to set

explanations and seek guidance.

It is, however, a mystery to say whether the languages over 4,000 in recognized form, are man made or

divine. Who invented them and at what stage their grammar rules and nouns were set up, still remains

shrouded in obscurity.

Despite the fact that languages have been one of the strongest tools of communication, they also have

innate flaws which hamper communication. Here below we will see how languages behave in

communication.

Polarization

For almost every language it is a common practice to describe things in extreme position. At times

people are made to take an extreme position while the fact remains that they want to stay some where in

between.

For instance a person is said to be good or bad. You ask about a friend and reply may be; he is good, or he

is bad. The fact is that the person under question is bad in some respect and good in some others. There

may be a person who is said to be bad because he has committed a serious crime but this may be a fact

about him that he always speaks the truth which is good.

At the time of elections, you are asked to say yes or no. Yes means you fully endorse policies of a person,

and no will mean you fully reject the same for another. Fact is you do like some policies of a person you are

made to say no about and there may be some fault in the policies of a person (leader) you are made to say

yes.

You watch a movie and you observe it as good or bad and so you tell others about it. The fact is you like

the music and acting but not the direction and the script or story.

The use of polarized feeling does not allow you to communicate the very truth about something you have a

different feelings. The worst occurs when having said good, you cover an extra distance to justify it if ever

there is a debate on the matter, although your first observation has been polarized due to in-built

inadequacy of language.

Labeling

A language help you label people of different categories and thereafter always keep an impression

about them as such. For instance Scots are labeled as stingy people. Every Scot is not but whenever you are

going to have a business with a Scot, a friend may tell you be careful while dealing with a Scot.

People of some tribe and clan are labeled as quarrelsome. There may be some who are very peaceful and

reasonable but if you are in communication with them under the impression of label, no sooner a point of

dispute arises that you are prompted to observe that nothing is wrong with you; you belong to a tribe which

is well known for such behavior.

Introduction to Mass Communication MCM 101

It is common in the third world countries to see the United Nation with suspicion and regard it as an

extension of the developed world only to twist arms of poor nation when needed. This may be far from

truth in a given case but such labeling would go along the communication process and stand firm in giving

certain obsessed meanings on part of the sender if he belongs to other side of the divide.

Static meanings

Sometimes some words are attached with a person and he/she continues to be known by the

meanings of those words. For instance there is your college fellow whom you regard as nuts who is difficult

to handle. Now the fellow has gone to US and married and has turned very reasonable as one can keep

changing overtime. But whenever friends meet and talk about that fellow even years after, they will refer

him as nuts.

You visit a foreign land only once in your life time and cheated by some natives. You will continue to call

people of that land as cheats whenever there will be any mention of that country though the event took

place decades ago. So harsh are the feelings and the words to give such meanings where as the fact is that

people, who might have cheated, are now changed.

At times some ruling tribes are described with static meanings in the book of history and their generations

are continued to be known with those characteristics once attached to their forefathers.

All this is because language does not offer any scientific approach to measures matters as done in physics or

chemistry or other natural sciences.

Indiscrimination

Another problem in the usage of languages is that it provides you common nouns and suggests that

people in this area are also similar in behavior. For instance, people from the police department, customs

department, are seen with preconceived meaning. You use the word police and immediately particular

meanings would be drawn in your mind. If a group of students resort to some hooliganism, people would

quickly remark it as a common thing about students. Say she is a model and immediately people would

assume a particular meaning about her. So on and so forth. This indiscrimination among individuals, once

they are grouped in a common noun, is another skirting area of language.

Purpose of debate

As we undertake the debate on language and communication, the purpose is not to prove that

languages are worthless, but only to highlight areas where languages fall short of meaning and hence cause

some problem sometimes very serious in common communication.

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