What is language - Language is rule-governed, language is intended, creative and open-ended.
The problem of meaning - Since much of our language comes to us in the form of language, we need to be clear about the meaning of words if we are to understand the information that is being communicated to us.
Language and translation, Labels and stereotypes, Language and though, Language and values
How do we learn language? Language is part of our human heritage, passed from parents to children and developed to take its particular form within the speech communities
Language : symbolic system - Language, our primary form of symbolic communication, is complemented by mathematics, music, painting, sculpture, photography, film, maps and scientific models, all with their own forms of communication
Perspectives in language - Language does not simply record the world neutrally but largely creates the meaning we associate with it. Our use of both ways of knowing is influenced by the perspectives - cultural,political, religious, professional and so forth
Cultural perspective in language - As languages die out in the face of globalization, we have a particular impetus to consider the relationship between language, culture, and knowledge. Language is the primary means by which the knowledge of one generation is passed on to the next, so the impact of language loss is grave.
Reference:
Van de Lagemaat, R., 2005. Theory of Knowledge. 2005 ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Dombrowski, E., Rotenberg, L. & Bick, M., 2013. Language. In Theory of Knowledge. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp.130-48
How does language shape knowledge? Does the importance of language in an area of knowledge ground it in a particular culture? How are metaphors used in the construction of knowledge?
Language can refer to the mental faculty which allows people to learn and use complex communication systems, or it can refer to those systems themselves. Language consists of a system of signs with agreed or conventional meanings combined according to a set of rules for the purposes of communication, formulation of ideas, storage of knowledge or as a medium of thought. The term “signs” can be interpreted very broadly to include letters, symbols, sounds, gestures, images and even objects. Language is a crucial part of our daily lives, but is also filled with potential problem areas, for example, ambiguity, sarcasm, irony and translation issues.
Language plays an important role in communicating knowledge. However, some see language as having an even more central role, arguing that language doesn’t just describe our experiences of the world but in fact actually structures those experiences. In the section on the knowledge framework there is a discussion about whether certain types of knowledge are actually constituted by language—the idea that language is part and parcel of the knowledge claim itself and not merely a description of something that exists independently of language. The view that facts about the world might be determined by the language is called linguistic determinism.
from the IB 2015 ToK Study guide
Discusses the philosophical lessons that can be gained from an examination of "Batman" as a culturally-relevant mythos, with twenty essays that cover morality, justice, social order, archetypal identity and roles, and Taoism, existentialism, and other systems, and includes an examination of other characters from the comic series.
An introduction to the science of language, discussing such topics as how languages work, historical linguistics, language acquisition, language change, and language perception.
This text introduces the reader to the life and work of Wittgenstein, a 20th century philosopher. This guide can be used to help unravel the mysteries of his philosophy and explore his major works, discover his background and the times he lived in, and assess the influence he had on other sources.
Chronicles the events surrounding the ten-minute meeting between philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper at Cambridge on October 25, 1946.
Describes some of the attempts that are made by politicians, advertisers and others to control the thoughts and behaviors of people through deceptive use of language, and presents a few simple principles for practicing verbal self-defense.
The Language of Advertising covers all aspects of advertising language, from the interrelation of language, image and layout to the discourse between 'reader' and advertisement.
Profiles the art of Mel Bochner, focusing on how he integrated language and the visual arts in his work, which reflected his preoccupation with language and its impact on perception.
Contains a collection of twenty-three essays originally appearing in the journal "Natural Language and Linguistic Theory."
Traces the history of the world's greatest languages over the last five hundred years, exploring how cultural, political, social, and economic events impacted the development of languages.
Offers a comprehensive analysis of the political culture of the Russian Revolution, examining the diverse ways that language and other symbols were used to identify competing sides.
Contains eight essays in which linguist and activist Noam Chomsky addresses issues of language, ethics, the Middle East settlement, East Timor, philosophy, and international affairs.
Topic of Prejudice. After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.
Profiles forty-seven common grammar mistakes and explains how to avoid them, covering such topics as subject-verb agreement, "may"/"might," the misuse of old sayings and foreign phrases, and "fuzzy" speech.
Contains an introduction to the study of human language, including information on what makes it unique, language and the brain, sign language, and how languages are studied.
Contains twenty-one essays by a variety of authors in which they discuss some of the myths that persist about language and linguistics, such as the claims that women talk too much, children no longer speak or write properly, and television makes everyone sound the same.
'How often misused words generate misleading thoughts'. Herbert Spencer
'The limits of my language stand for the limits of my world' Ludwig Wittgenstein
'If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought' George Orwell
'Language was given to man to disguise his thoughts' Talleyrand
'Who does not know another language, does not know his own' Goethe
'Language was the real innovation in our biological evolution; everyting since has just made our words travel faster or last longer' Steven Pinker
'Man is the animal that speaks. Understanding language is thus the key to understanding man' Thomas Szasz
