THE TYRANNY OF WORDS » STUART CHASE METHUEN & CO. LONDON 96 Bisex Stat, Stand, W.CACKNOWLEDGMENT book tan experiment. Tt posible o explain words Nh won? Can ome ofthe veton why rao diel, wt to commaniate with one another by meate ef gee ot forth In that sume ky medium? Te is Bibs reat'n Ew bots vite hare broadened sry Mlertandig ofthe world in which T ve, These cont lions Tere atemp to pas on. To them I kave added ch istrative uate ands few concluons of my fi. The subject dealt with—human communication” worst me fr many years 1 elve worries tery ‘who thinks abow lacquage at all Doct B now A is ling about?” Does A himsc know cleasy he ie talking about? How often do tinds met, st do they completely mi each other? Tow yo the worlds mlorenes are duc to nich mies? Wa rule of ths unesines T long ago fermlatd a ules whic tied to fllow in my twriing a tl py wre on the cge ofthe mij wich coment Wh this book. Tn de time 1 found certain hen who ereteted. belly into the heart cf the nbjecy with tols of anmls more sharp than any Hie flow Bebind them here. T do ott all chat tll, YeeasneT'do not understand al tht they tl Ms isnot « Bul and crcl secemt of he fogs vives esploers ato the jngle of words, bat only am of what 1 fowed” peronally ittninatog” and il. To Ali Korsyini, GK. Open, A. Richards, hl W. Bridgman T tader my proud grate for ep tney have extended, and alk ther indulgens for a have let unsaid To ET. Bel, Lancelot Hoghen, fran W. Armeld, B.S. Reb, Jerome, Fran it abled Gt Bri ivw “TUE TyRANGY OF woRDs Walon Hasiton, Henshaw Ward, ae other quoted i the text Yam ony les indebeed, "The manuscript has been read and cried in wha ‘orin part by Walter N.Polakov, John and Frances Gun Dr. and Mrz Hugh H. Darby, Baset Jones, Raymon Gran 'Swing, and. Morris Ernst. My debt to them fit, TL. M, Feine and Beverly Magee typed the et anuscrpt tice and eootiboted variws valuable mgy ton My son, Robert Harfeld Chas, consented to the part of guinea pig, marking in green. penal U Doron ofthe manus ot leet him, 8 boy of ten bre. This was dove on the perhaps not anwarrant {Geumption that if Harvard undergraduate could und fond the text any ineligent vader could understand i He proved fie, conscientious guinea pig and Tam grat tohlm. My le Marian Tyler Chase, ba given unsparing tothe time and ciel neligence in reading, revising, flocumenting the manmerpt, My gratitude to bir is pei SD Ma itis ker, ap polow tome been most amiable in allowing himself and hi afais bbe inquired into during the couse of this study. As wil ge, he comes clone to being the Beto of the story Finally T should ke emphatically to point out tha the semantic dscipline se set forth in. hese pages ered primarily with objective. reaonaipe bet the individual ad the outside word, between the "me And the “"beyond-me” Into thow’sobjective relat ‘hips inside the "my" the paychoogieal domain of moti ‘asocition paths, complete, Guatons, and he rest, Ive not seiusly ventred I do not know enough. Geldof semantics, broadly interpreted, includes this acea Sobjecive rladons alfet many of te problems which ve here considered from the point of view of comm tion. T urge more competent adents to extend and Iu the analy in Geld, an analyse whieh Team indicate Redisg, Comme STUART cHASt Seen, 1997 CONTENTS ‘WORDS Having weten a numberof books, your author ‘hk show vet Gad out the mre of he trot he ut bern te condenly wg, DO ade ino wht he ear by tse war? ‘Doe he Know bel? Surpeiingro f h inal evestaaion. lur Il, § LOOK ROUND THE MODERN WORLD Diactrour fics f ad Inguge a th lg ttle beer Peient tnd Supreme Cour Puli egal an enema hung peer. revit fe mar verel poo te Unie Sitar The neal or 2 coer omaaton of he (Chjer 1H, INSIDE, AND OUTSIDE Wat plot and nurlogits ave 0 sll (rales ham the work ovis te ne inde” How hese te Seah the pater ofthe ewe wee! the macro: ‘top, raopie and eoicrnapse levee Tioeracaning gett, and ow mitre fat of te trvonmet in wich ve ve ‘ingest sree of the pei Bad anges cra power aaaurval agent lor 1A WRITER IN SEARCH OF HIS pcx(Chapter IV. OATS AND BABIES ‘3 How animale drive meanings from thie ene ‘ronment Your autor yell tar at, Hobie Bien av an limoatng eabi How Hote ‘low alr paternal the rely Epertant mamont when lnguage epi How fword mage eormcnces alruaegy cay. We Sal pn te ron soma (Cpr V. PRIMITIVE PEOPLES » Matigowsl among the Trbeiand Tsar, What Uni conten of susan. Teint unvaried fo tonlade tat A cant undead wat B Says without having experienced ith is eset tome’ of the things wich ting’ soe Feb eet renal pare aged a Ea pl (oo Beatin of word wi eg EE ‘reg abstract erm ike “co” "a ath {sing breathing etn Some light on the Chopr VI, PIONEERS —1 st “The zat analy of Cont Aled Korea {Semantic ha to do with thor of meng) How a mahemstian ser ten yas of werk, Sod langues, and offs sme conte sug ‘cas fringing communication. A smnary ‘thin anape and dedi, (epier VI. PIONEERS—IE 6 The ere work of C.K. Ogden so L.A. Riche ad in the Meng of Meni. The famous Tangle of eeene, heuer, Gr (heck wth Rey. Sede ight om Thurman, ‘Arztl, E 8. Rotistn Jeemy Beta aad lu VIL. MEANING FOR SCIENTISTS Now Bina revouioioe sintne cong loge of physics an at forth by Des P. We ign of Harada the baring oppo vin to eopept anak in pole come slut which men have passionately argued for lve thou jer cht: What Trot? No ration ea be pertormed to give eis quetion “oeripton of the reientie method, and hw it ie om ms ee hip i tem kaos about the work oot We IX._THE LANGUAGE OP MATHE- (for ling Lancelot Hagen ad. Thal How i at teped and cm help communi diey ai Ti tations The Ing oat und he ovented the larguage ef he ral len How te Power Age hat om mathemati) equations ad how ‘il c's hae laymen should Eno rometing of yr X. INTERPRETING THE ENVIRON- Summary a he ning fhe plners, oper ‘i rhe elects oy be seers Tee exe rouble ofa pene of wean, Noll ieee hat yo appears but ob iy en tc ony, Wii es, Ge hap tk nd ae Hide, he eso Mart, ain, pilspiersand tsi, Th vn wc ype ee 5(Glopie X THE SEMANTIC DISCIPLINE Ye Petre the young semantic, shang down ‘shal ght A analy fee tom" ci Ted on the tencton of 00 peop. How 80 te ager on what tens. Het thse calle i {lectus ae fen otto much wines wordy, A hneea the protiens of and af euro (ape X11, PROMENADE WITH THE PHILOS- ‘Soins ut How fom Acid John Dewey, itp Sci ian tac hee Inge wr oe Te way ines Ther uy rvn Tew ne Ces Sample oo Chapr XIE TURN WITH THE LOGICIANS — 157 On the nail forma git ith reliable [Bformation The pervenian of git generally raced. "The fey of put fom wort ‘without rfrence to ngs How scone it ee Chapter XIV. TO THE RIGHT WITH THE ECONOMISTS: 19 ‘Asante analy of cues eonemice, How by misundeeanting ther weedy the casa ‘connate made people, aod epeally serine ele fr bre muerable sha the fete ‘tuted, fore hundred pears Aud esl pe ‘tlsingmaaflly tthe hate XP. TO THE LEFT WITH THE ECON- ‘OMISTS. 105, ‘Asemantie anys of Mare ant Mann. How the mets were Kinder than tae ef he ea ‘i, butte language eqaly ba Marx does, fot nih a rela np on whlch to operate ‘he wld ote our ie A semantic rane Hon of eptan” Chop HB, ECONOMISTS A lel ana of the mer economic scene tds gon enseps an parnde of eons na Fey ae a Hanan.” production,” "deeresiton” “public ener Find the rerentethe ‘ting ia the el of pace and tne, te the Lot abaeaedaot rks You il ok Tong and often fates What ean Teloters relly hope to aco ltr XVI. ROUND AND ROUND WITH I JUDGES owe Walton Hasson west to Philadlhia fn 170 find out what the Fathers mean bythe sods they pati he Contin (OF cae Id ogo at secondhand throug stay of the docieats) “Hew wh wae meaat In 76) not meant today, boone of many peofornd hangs in content of situate How the Supeeme Con aecealngly, dosnt shay now ast i king abou" iluminsting eft of te Iourey teugh ting on te canoer {neon Praident and Caw The lk of eating. [itcommaneten in pres pul congresonal tory at ordinary dactaton. Fac rele ‘Som lowing Jerome Prank and eter on hc ‘naga poperis ofthe Law VU. SIROLL WITH THE STATES- What ig a mation a eran ocean” “Jem” "dameetay.” Governmest” Amano? “What ie “ice sm,” "newly" “nine of wat? A ateipt to squoae out the etiage and tt ‘iad ha, anything, thee tomes Sine stoning rel fhe nessng pesca wir XVL_ SWING YOUR PARTNERS WITH. pice ‘or 4 at(Ghaper XIX. ON FACING THE WORLD OUT- ‘SIDE ‘Gathering the thea together The ened for fetes ngage, ‘The etic dbpline no realy Dt ican elp ws beter to uiestand Sine anther, where maw we fen nk speak eee A WRITER IN SEARCH OF HIS WORDS HAPTER 1 Dinye writen ceverat books aad many artis, but ae Tatty have Cbegan tinue into the nature of the (Aeon neem Te. This bra curious overnight when ene stop, nie aspen br the idee i, Carpenters, masons, and enginers who Fader atl Fi he “ie” ena thought to ther tole and iesiraments are not His whe ae mowing comes ve A dy to erect vey durable structure Yet T llow a bo ve ire common to most write for few of us Took pur Wok. We sometimes study smonyms, derivations, hi, syle but'we early explore the mature of words SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY fwrver, We do ao inquire they are adequate esta is Kr building's durable strcture of human com may ration. Language, whether English, renchy i taken for grated) n base datum. Writers ir memories fr a better word to use in 2. iven ‘but are no. more Sethe habit_of questioning fe. than of questioning the weather. There i ie nse that we know actly what we mean, and reales who do not understand as should posh their Teors ago 1 read a lice book by Allen Upward called ‘how Herd Tt was an atempe to get at the meaning sts ag ied in the terms of he Nobel Price Tin award forihe mom dsgibed werk of an dency. "Upward began is quot which wat Rit ed im overliag werd ad bck ‘thom of wet hitryBy aking 2 numberof ito give ther penteal interpretation of the ae receved the flowing repli: ial, hat ae ee Rielle Spposte of eae ‘niimental — stneting todo with2 ‘me TeRUY oF WoRDS ‘A WREFER I SEARCH OF IS WoRDs 3 ‘This gave me pause, I thought I knew what “ideale fill, or was ther something inthe structure of language meant Fight engugh and had uscd many times with Ai hich checked communication? fanfidence. Obviouly, on the bass of Upward’ study, what T meant was rately if at all communicated eo te Iearer, Indeed, on examining my own mental proses Thad some difelty in determining what I did fan by this Tofiy word. ‘Therealer T wat unable to escape 43 uneasy feling, slight but pestent—like a mowe heard inthe wall of «roomthi tmehing as wrong. ‘Th I the pamphles, listened t9 the lectures adopted the ‘eaing was suengthened when T stumbled yponta lie rammes, but the apathy of the unconverted was a5 brochure by H. G. Well writen I Believe forthe Fabian sl as was baling, AB the years weat by it became Society, which deal with what he tered" erie a vent that Twas largely wasting my Une. The message the instrument.” The free of the tn, He ai were (sil bene it Was a human nod kindly mesage™ ‘lumgyforeeps and ered the ruth a litle when grasping oot got through; conmication was blocked.” What jt Hum «=. something in that. Even more untetling elomers meant wa a0 wat cut heaters thought we ‘Wes the prin ebvervtion of Lio Toe in. Too often it was clear that we were not heard at ‘es eame through, but no meaning Few ofthe rede ‘howe who kaw doo tl ved ore ut the ancient thoy thatthe sed ef uth, There who tal dont er planted, would surely prose. "The damn things would come. up. Why? Why ad Me. Wilton’ dabioot ‘To a writer dealing Sa ies this aphorian Became pre nr br democracy” go over with & roan, while our feanly unenduable. Beer to put it sway ona dask uly retsoned appeals dried ily sown empty Shelf, duly cased an ancient Chinese witeerack. ts? ‘Another matter which direst me wee that 1 found Wis thre a way to make language a Uxter vehicle for it almost imposible to read philosophy. ‘The great words municaing ideas? sead Freud, Tron, Le Bom, ‘went round and round in my head wl I beenme diez). ne Dogall, Watson, who gave me some Hight on motives Sometimes they made pleasant mai, but T could rely Hie on language. One found in daly Mie a ind tffect passage between them and the real word of expere reaped distrust of words reflected ia such phrases fence. Willm Jamer I could ually translate, but the all generalizations are ake, including’ ths" one” ome ys" empy verblisas" “slogan” "ante "taking the word for the deed.” Dut the ‘absolute,” “overoul,” “the univers,” “the nana” iirst wat Seldom profoand it was sasally employed to “the eternal” As these works had een acclaimed for entries as part of the pices clralhettage of me “id not agree. Language itt Kind, c seemed obvious hat something in my intellect 1" be taken ino the laboratory fr competent guipment was seriou defeent. I strove ta understand vestigation. For long dime T have beca passed and Plats, Avisetle, Spinoza, Hobbes, Kant, Hegel, Herbert easy about my soo but only in the pas tree yea Spentr, Schopenhauer. "The harder T wrested, the more Hove I followed = fee hardy pioneers int the laboratory. the solemn proceon of verbal ghosts cle tough my Ain os Malis sid: "Ie isa dread thing—with brain, mocking my igporance. Why was this? Was I lone thy scape to stuggle Lsccobn-wise with language.”| WRERER IY SEARCIC OF HIS WoRDS 5 4 "THR TYRANNY OF WORDS ‘The frst ploncer to help me wae Count Aled sytnl, 2. Polih mathematician now living in the Us State He had writen a book published in #935 cll Sine and Sani, andi jacket carced. the endorsement ‘some of the worle’s men dinguished scents au fen aC. B. Hedges, CM. Chil, HS. Jennings, Raymond Pear, B, Malioowsl, Bertand Run, P. We Bridgman, ET. Bell, Ro S. Lille. They agresd that ‘Koray! was working rich vein, nd tha the ona might be of great importance, He war exploring the postbity of formulating a genuine science of communica Bon. ‘The ter which it coming into ee to cover euch Stuie ie“semne,” matters having todo with sgn Son oF meaning. 1 shall employ the term frequently a fhe pages that flow. You had est get tue ot for I (ink we are going to hear wih increasing frequency fhe yeats before | Large sedons of sociology, economics, the I, oven mela, ere af ees afer tn earthquake, Uince investigate —Kereybe,Opdeny and iy-agree broadly om the two besting. tint of (One i identcation of werd with thags. "The tise of astral words. "This tr dog.” Ts? Wing thot is called “dog” it a nonverbal sbjects Tt versed by the sens, ¢ an be described, and fir convenience, the label "dog" ean be. attached tthe label “hand” of chien” “perm.” Dt the Wt th ena. fe aseare of tie when we stop to think about i je is that we do ot top to think about i. We inully confsing the Taba with the nonverbal fl a0 giving 8 spriogs validity to the wordy at ng live ape barking ints own right, When thie 10 deny expands from dogs to higher abstace teh 3s “libre,” "Justice" he eternal” and living, breathing eaity to them, alma nobody Wnt anybody ete means. IF we are cnet of ‘well and god, we can handle ths igh terms Hesjer tamer bandlem Hon, It we are not concious yo, we are extremely ely to get into ifn Iotion of word wih ching ie well stated in the ip argh med nce they each ‘ound. Koray had epent ten years on the book ride Ing ately rey branch of acenee Bom secrcegy tl the quantum theory, in a stubborn atempr to find how. ‘worde behave, and ‘why meaning is 9 often rated, APT read it, sowly, panty, but with proving eagerne, Ttooked for the frst de Into the awful depths language isldepths into which the grammarian an Wha Ieteagrapiee ter tlic pened fr tt ferent busines. Grammar, syntax, detonary dedivac tions, are to semantics as a history of the coinage i (0 Hepes pag ee obese Da T went on to Tis Maasing of Meaning by C.K. Ogden and TA. Richards. People suid ie was hard reading The tide wounded like more pilosphy. On the coney, plotophers were zred from pillar to pot: The able Fegan ave precisely thse who are led to evolve the mest fantaris aytems by the aid of their veal technique" ‘The book encouraged ime to believe thatthe trouble had) Iain note mach with me ss with the philsoper With the tools of semantic analysis, the authors Tad in ain the i Richards contibute a technical term, the st" by which they mean the ‘ebjers Teal world to which the word or Iabel res. A igh cm fm a monn animal my ope sil, which recoguze through piot for with aia animals, is the referee Preently the label Sndany, "That nie dog” Like the va” Tal we the ten reerent” quently flowing pages. Indeed the gal of emai might" Ye ax" Fd the relerent” When people xn 0 hing to whch tr wonder is meet he tion ine lard,5 un TYRANNY OF WORDS Labels at names or things may be Toughly divided it three lites on an aceading sele: 1 Labels for commen object, such as “dog.” “chai "pene." Here diicalty ie ata rlaiu, "Labels for cluster’ and coletons of thingy uch “mankind,” “consumers goods," "Germany," "the wl sce," “he courts” “The are abstractions of « hi order, and confsion in their se is widespread. "The is ‘entity “white race inthe world outide our hea But only tome millions of indivls with eine of abvious or dations waite, 4; Labels for esencer and quale, such ax subline,” "teedom,” "individ," "eruth.” For terms, there are no discoverable referee inthe ont world, ‘and. by mistaking them for substantial co omeowhere at lange in te envionment, we rete ft ‘wonderland, ‘Tis zones the epectal demain of philosophy politics, and ceononis ‘We normally beg the hard question of finding referent an proced lene to define te tern by giving anathe Aicdonary abstraction, for example, desing “leet” “fieedom"—"thus peoping. the tmivere with spc cents, misaking sfmbolc machinery for seeratt 4 Semly as Calvin bllved inthe Devi ‘You doubt this® Tet me ak you s question: ‘communism threaten the world? Unies you are conse ff the dangers ing in the awe of abrrat terme {ake his question serious. You anay peony ot ‘munis ab a real thing, advancing physcally over t feveral continent asa lind of bear or angel, depend fon your polit. "You give a careful, weighted ster te an euclted, pasion answer, tomy question you have identified the word wih he thing en further You would be very hard pat to to find. lower Fefeens for the tem. T have been searching for them Years The gueiion ati ends wit mewn. Ti bout as well ask You: Dees omaiciencethresten | wharen IN SEARCH OF mS WoRDS 7 ) or Docs Ruin thtenten the word? If we can iftone ten generaly can geee—on asec of things real word that may properly be summarized by the Monmuniny" thea the quem bas meaning, and proceed inteligently ois discussion, Otherwise sou and Land Jones and Finkelstein come (0 a ties wth Jones snd Finketeln. Tn Chapter il had’ the fupriting res of trying “ftcam” ly one bunered people. Yet ntl agreements I, the quetion cat berate pleaty of emotion but eal mening, Jones wil flow is meaning and cin iy anc be damned t You. Wl Didgmas's The Lape ef Molen Phe and simile ext of language. With four good Jn sulatanal agreement sto the basic dial, il to be geting on. The tue meaning ofa term fond by obverving what 2 ran does with not Tre saye above i” Selena, through. observing, i many cates that the operaon cannot exit | the question ar no meaning” See them fall, the (stone of peeBinatin piece! Te iy imp pester aay Aibd of experiment or operation ie to test them, ands, unl sock eperation be red they remain without meaning hy sine ave a beginning and an end? I sue te bog? Ireathe a sigh of relief snd 1 tus the reader joins ‘One can tak unl the cows come ome=such tak sivend ied many Yolunes~about thee questions,8 [THE TYRANNY OF WoRDS bbut without operations they are meaaingles, and talk is no more reyarding Wan a decosion fn 2 hun (plopicd today.) He is the one creature who is | ftylum. “Many of the question asked shout toil Accumulste veriable Knowledge about hime | Plilowophical subjects wall be found tobe meanogl vironment, aad yet he isthe ane who Habit | Wien examined ftom the point of view of opertions Wve, No other animal produces verbal monsters Bridgman cite no samples, but we ean Sd plenty el and projects them an the world outide his every band. Language is apparently a sword which cut both ith is help mas ean cooquer the unknown; with! 1 heelty more important tha covet? ficwosly wound himel We ut level of simple diretions, commands, dex Whar is eeonamie value? sical is oe great. When the words mean 1 the ol more portant than the body? I" “There your fod,” "Go to the next wit i ten ie ae death? i eee ae st eh turn Ie" communication je clears But whe ‘A WHIT ON SEARCHE OF HHS WORDS 9g Reale, Words on the level of ideas and generalizations, Dees labour crest il pl valu? Toy, we grow angry, we storm the barreades— the Aryan ace super to the few race? wwe do not know what the ather man i saying 1 oe mate imprest than send Russian speaks to an Englibman unecquated vc, nothing comer through. The Beier shrugs Pee eat arasiny 3u spel ghee ers and besh comprehend that communication 5 and Tooked at language from another wmeting but i fn Englishman speaks fo an Englishman about inating angle. Teena F. T.Bel Lancelot Hoghen, Hens ial, eeonomie, ocalthe communication is Ward, Jeemy Beatham, 5. Robiaoo) H.R. Ti nly blank, but the earer thnks he understands, Malinovsi, Ludvig Witgenin, parts of Pareto, Cha ines proceeds riage ction, ‘A. Meats ‘The Diarion ef Honan Afar, and F.C. il o which my reading and observation te pe Schiller’ superb deneuction of formal logic. Tred pected. Tar tying to earn how to write, and thing T could get my hands on that deal with seme yl for the fist time in my Me, learning how and toeaing. Now o sten, bow to eterpre languages Twat ‘At lst T began to know a litle about the tals of fir means communicate ideas about context: cra Nee sy fo Semantics xl che tenders Mt irene oe eran eons dd and ‘aise, tet omatioe Bela ltatn looked thar greater diorder were constandy. aang the most appaling eharscter, Tha Bi upon a rail hi Iecive tommunicaion. At least this i the cone ‘orp, and tesble, 4 wall which profoundly alee fo which dhe evidence points, to a degree explains the chen tage fire of men Mhe ndvidcal, a2 1 can teal, © biel grounding ome to terms with ther enviontient.” Most crest is besides making philwophy unreadable, makes | fe whe world outside as they find it and instinct nie "mst political speed, claeieal economic become partes with the environment. Man is the aler-inner oraton, diplomatic notes, newspaper creature who can alter Minell and hi. srroundh hs reaties on pedagogies and education, expert Sup etge jou Hisigtatibanie Mas yuty oo comment, disserations on romey and. eed, det he is pechaps the mot secu mladjused of of debates, ane Great ‘Thoughts om Grest living creatures (Some of the fhe, I undertand, ln general. "You would be surprised at he amount hie saves. But ene ast now bow to apy(he tes, A high and mighty dain for all flson sf aut idess & Gly another form of Tels curios sory I ave to tll you T shall not ix ery well ean Hf sina a ard t ive Words withers ns Tit one hy one bead The formal logcane wil wot me of In-adtaper Gis and ther sean, but Thaw aman aga foreas of howe who des ema logis Ted {Pyaleveal i More seriou ae the many pts into wi Lam bovd to all ees ofthe penitence ane te eC ngage bis which ee not fo mach mise aa fommon acl erage ALT wrt hall ie Sih ngs T shal nine Ive of aber, ero bila, I shal deal in varie upc Eat‘ fee a8 tay, many of del iremain: St you are glng twa book where hor fat lec on the atch fr fore of meu 3 ent ave othe grove dian of commune ‘Thats rrchog: you do nor escuster ery ‘Ate alh"one bat @ begin sewer, and le trying am dung 1 tell you, at plainly ab T can, what been dione abowt tomate 40. what he rein sl iy what 1 has de for me pony Teng hots and aepenng ennng: and wh a 2 een font cough could be Sequined with he dace ‘Tire human Beings (0 my Lnowedge have and reeced upon We astute of meaing and com favo for ny conscrabe period. By "cose ul" T mun yeas0d yet of intensive fr. Eee. K. Opten, lA Renard, ant Alsed Keen) Each ingen re than a dove fear of i Met Fy. Ub dou but petpe nd mare than in ig comer to dt, ae witout Gets anybody” Ofthand one wosld epee Iran of books soajaing Inguige Wsaony and. cha Senante in every univer Yeu Richa din tine no resectable tetie on the theory of ng ition was in extncet” ‘There are ew if any pa sslents or tachers of semantic. Even the Bf tania or of fetal! as been more thoroughy int. 80 T have no accreted sytematoc! ody ledge to Set before you, but rather the result of & f rks nto dhe Laboratory sod that. “Theres a ic nh cota, No ved nts a ay call eat uptart ala nteope, as hes when venurng ito more traveled falda I frequently be caught in ty own tap Dy sing age nea or ete, Tue Dat db mie uphor and simile for baa language. At Wwe shall nog imi check ach «reference to the ‘xpience inthe world ouside. If a met Mise theres ich iin acon nication ‘may be tnproved. In the words of Ushnson, the Rarer ges two chases of meaning ci 100 per cent on his money. ‘The last phrase fers apr, and an cape of win I ad Te not an cary book to wate. Peshap i wil give h dca of how to wite 2 better ones “The fll B pen, snd cultivator ave badly needed,cnsereR it A LOOK ROUND THE MODERN WORLD irons attacking the findamental of semis, let take a brit survey of some eflects of had language the contemporary see. orga sin an asumpton without meaning (a 1m afraid Dr. Bridgman wonld be unable to Sn a ‘operation to validate It}; Hf people ax one mete theme Mr. Brown and Mrs. Smith™ate, in overwhelming portions, Kindly aad peacefil folk, and's0'T Sed them Snd if the human braia ean instrument of rmackabl Dover and capacityat the plyilogts asure ‘ust be some reaton, rome ‘uitowsrd croaing of witey at the bottom af out inability to onder our fives apply anit ‘adape ourselves ‘and our tions to Nobody in his senses wants airlaucs dropping bombs and pois gases upon Bis ead? nobody in his sens ‘want slums, Tolar Read, and nderncurthed, cage ‘eholcilien in land of potential economic plenty But bombs are Killing abies in China and Spain to-day and more Ghan onethind of the people in America, ‘nerf, badly howe, shoddy clothed. Nebody watt men and women tbe wzemployed, but in Wester lization ‘fom twenty to thirty lon are, oF hav fecently been, without’ work, and tniny” of those ‘wh Ive recovered ther jobs aze making munitions of wae in brie with a dread irony, we are acting to produ preciely the Minds of things and situations whl we fot want. Tis so though a hungry fumes, with ‘cil, and geod wheat seein his barn, could raise nod br tists. "The tendency of organi song tow survival, not against i Something has perverts! Iman A Look ROeND IE MODEAK WORLD 13 isl haviour, T asume that it 2 temporary pet gy. I ssnme cht ie bound up to some extent with onscious mae of man's more human etebutes ing nd it tol, language. Pick ap any ‘or newspaper snd you will find many of the le doveted. to sound and Tary fom pola, is, leaders of indy, and diplomats, Yow wil find Hist of the adverdsng sections devoted lost sly lal stempt to make” words mean something enc the reader fom what the facts waran Most ve aware of the conic inability of seholcilren vlrsand what Ts taught chen; their examination ae familia exhibits in communication fale Me put # quaston to my fallow suthors in he Bes fronts, poe, and socoloy: How many toke overs show by thei reviews that they know what ve talking about? One in ten? ‘That is about my Yet most of them asert that Tamm seatively loo, Igoorant. How many arguments ante. anyubered ntrover,” aye Rickard,“ normally an expltation rc of misindertandngs for were purses,” Have ver Tatened to a debate in the Senate? A cate being jel bere the Supreme Court?» ‘This is net I humanity strapped pon an etcindl tack, Thies parable defect in the mechani. When the physics i to clea up the language, especialy afer Tiastin, yctadl ater another was taken in the quet ledge. Is Slam dlesrance'n more dif sly hs counting eletroms? Stedy ‘peaking, this may. be easingless quate, but I tak you fet my peat Bs wo Us eisiainie sale cool aS ee ee eee ees ee4 "TR TYRANNY OF WORDS panics them, have kindled emptionl res which far te ‘ead the difernces in Sct Abstract tem are person to become burning, fighting realities, Ye if the know ‘t semantes wore general, and mon were om used feoumuricaion flue, the conflagration could fare. There would be one iferenes of opinion, th Imight bea sharp pale struggle, but not thie win ‘dat of rival metaphyseal ations. one satackod ane cornered, one fights; the reac ests ih ote a a ud ea iim. In ner tines however dis natural ation co fer the confit as been st in motion By propaga Sa Ianguage is now dhe might ywespon ihe ae fdeot and demagogues. Witnes Dr. Goebbels Tade itis doubt ia people learned in semaatis would eer oy fort oF prec pobtlal dictator Ulates weal tet with fla No compro” oe with rou of laugh Apical speech by an axing Hider would be transla {nea iteintnsc meaning any. Abract words and pir without dicoverable rebrent woud roger a seman bank, noises withost meaning. Tor inane 1, boever, a politial leader se: alt in the geographical are clled Germany will hve no ate aa et ws forte neat i itl posbiity of communication failure. ‘There blab a earoad of auch talk. Tf populr 2cdon etl bon the acts. ‘This sateen atsep ib I isidgmar’s operation) approach. ies plead eet icles n_ America ney and thiven on bad language. ‘he Sapreme ny tothe creation by nd pes overt monte in the interpretation Te" Gonain "They gue gies, el vale Dorve phases like “due proces and “nterate com: Qc thew monte ge nto the oe to get ther out ag, and hey proceed to ext wot hows and home. wie: and lawyers furthermore have granted 10.8 Mhtaction the rights pevlegs, and protection Whsled to. Hivng, Breathing human. being. eis that corporations, ae wel sz yom or Tare ented lis, Iter, and the pie of happiest would ny frie He he dd Ot Sie of New Jersey in purslt of happiness at 2. dance Pit would be aight fo se United States Sling and fining being browght back to consiouses by «squid hgvardimen armed with arenpiratr, to ate the AUas ston enjoying is contol eed st a nudist imp This prs animism has. permed ratvely I umber of individuals to throw the ceonomie canton seioly out of gear. Dy eoopmie mechani, ora the operation af fatrie, tres, machines, whereby rm, women, and children are fd thelteed, and the f poopie were armed with senate undertandi, sah ise concept could ot arse Corporations. would i be iterpreted 8 tender persons. ‘Corporates All but one tage ia a lage: menagerie, to ance at some of the other queer creatures erated Wy (eronfing abstractions in America. Here In the Mente ia vast gue called the Nadon—majie and ‘The Aryan Fatherland, whi has pane he sub of | elt 'apen ou fr the sipreme scien yo, In owe Heo bd we fa ad ew echo fr | Gohan the coctars oF history This wonld be tanalated: ‘The Win Bly which tas mare the bab of abs cl pon you fre ny bby whch you hom Dos a ‘We on, awh wi oh ab Soh ‘Theis inot an attempt tobe Buy it a aera blank, Nothing comes dough. The ewer, vered i reducing high-rder abstractions o either nil or 2 sere frothy smiar even ia the rel world af exper fd protected from emotive sodatons with such wo Simply hears nothing’ comprehensible. ‘The “demagoqu a well have ed Sans1 LOOK ROUND THE MoDERN WORLD 17 shove her knoe, is preparing to leave the country up of a haipiny bat never departs,” Selking ry w city goer Cite, x ed lathsone bens, pen Ihe Law iorever tying to drop a morality bute Je poor.” Ceine continues thythmicaly to Rear Tt Wood. Were i the dual shape of Laboor—for sme isty, catching hand, for others a. Galahad in Pacing to and fo with remorelesr esd are the fd the Uulides, hlgted, unclean monsters with gas biceps. Here is Wall Steet, a crouching dragon Wo spring wpen asset not alten nailed ova in eration ofthe county. ‘The Consumer,» pathetic ‘in a gry shaw, goes weal to marke Capital ur each pve er a Kick at she pases, wale fecal Advercing, © playl sprite, squirts pfu oer, Sexi foul ests but when she tums ly allring. Here it he Home, 4 ight in the suatophere. ‘The Economie Man sell ‘town, completely without vertebrae. He flowed shobling demon called the Law of Supply. and i Production, 4 pant with lighting inhi ft, fs loctndy with Distebutoo, a thing gaunt gil fo fainting spells. Above the ocean the golden scaler yvurable Balance of Trade occasionally ltr inthe When peopese the gliter, hey throw thei ot int Tot column of smoke, ten les bigh, looping hoop snake, i the Busines Cyele. That clanking all gets and itchboars, ix Technological Une ments ‘The Rich, in ful evening regalia, st ata fet tbl which they may neve eave, gorging ves bvever amid the eral and shes.» fh, genemen, 8 the sort of word which our we of ie fons Unita States has no. monopoly on menageres Uevaire. Kingsley Marci, editor ofthe Jao Stateme, feenly devoted. Book to the Crown, the grestst In the demonology of the Beish Empires Tt iy My in contemporary fiom, tracy the gronth Te a of ey Sn 6 "TE TYRANNY oF WoRDE ‘wrapped in the Flag. When it sternly rises its arm, faze feady to die frit. Clone bind rears hater sha {he Goverument. Following it one even mote areaucracy. Heth are fatconed with the writhing sr ‘of Red Tape. High in the heavens isthe Constation, Ikind of chalice like the Holy Gray sufsed with eth light. Wt must never be jogged. Below floats the Supre (Coury a blacked pietiood tending the tera ‘The Supreme Court mur be addresed with respecte wll net the ite andthe Canaistion wil go Cut JS synonymous wid the end of the wong, Somewhe above te Rerky Menntsins ar lodged the vast stone tab ifthe Tayi We are govemed not by men but by th tablet, Near then, in satin breeeher snd iver buck ose the ser figures of ur Forefuthers, contempla flomly the Nation they brought to bis The ‘hap demon cowering behind the Conan i Pi Property. Higher than Court, Flag, or the Law, ce to the tun ite and almost ae bright i Progres, ‘thimsce Go of America, ‘Looming. along the crass are two bord. mons ‘wth saly paws ootstetched: Fascim and Commi CConfonng Wem, abild in hand and a litle crowe ‘rom teying to watch both at once i the edna figur ‘of Democracy. Will be fad thon off We wring hands in supplication, walle admonshing the that governments, pecially democratic governments incapable of senvible scion. “Prom Atlantic to, Pcie huge, eospuent shape entided Bosinew puree a 3 lusive Candenc, with a singular Ick of sucess Th Tile trembling geet down inthe comer of Masschuct ‘ccloed in are, sthe Taxpayer. Liberty, in inp rapes, leaps fom cloud coud, lovely and unapprosch she lite he Mas i, ach, ad ing. Ta lemon must be firmly sat pen; if get upy tol ‘hinge will happens the Goneiution maybe jogged fnydhing. Inthe summer of 1937, Mr John Ly Le tras eld be string up the Mists; sid the fear and hoor of our bat people knew no Hounds. Cepia,