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Space and Matter

With the first incident and further events

Manuscript. 19.01.2007.
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Topics:

I Foreword I Unknown I Beginning I Evolution I Language I

Contents of this page:

Language
Recognizing what to speak
The evolution of language
Language and agreement or non-agreement

Language and its symbols – writing systems
Language and writing systems could also be done differently
Problems concerning language and writing systems

Language

Language is man’s ability to communicate thoughts and feelings, and thus is nothing else but a reflection of that which he confronts or is confronted with by the physical universe.

Language and writing systems are a reflection of the physical universe as it exists within our minds. Thinking and speculations always refer to the physical universe as well. Even emotions and beliefs are simply the way our mind deals with the physical universe.

My wish and my goal

Basic rule: One language and one writing system for all of us. more ...

Further rules: Spelling is phonematic, i.e. each character corresponds to one phoneme, and each phoneme corresponds to one character.

Words consist of mainly invariable grammatical units (morphemes) that are put together. For example, the majority of a noun’s, an adjective’s, or a pronoun’s plural forms are produced by adding another morpheme. In linguistics, this concept is called agglutinating (“sticking on”), whereas e.g. in German, even the root of a word may change.

Maximal regularity. Hence, there is only one pattern for declining a noun or conjugating a verb. Even „to be“, which is an irregular verb in many languages, is conjugated the same way as all other verbs.

In the proper sense, language is a term for man’s natural form of communication, and in a wider sense, it is a term for many different kinds of communicational systems: In addition to the natural human language, there are artificial languages like international auxiliary languages (e.g. Esperanto), formal logical languages (symbolic languages) and programming languages, but also communicational systems of animals (animal language) as well as languages using symbols (these include sign language and the morse alphabet). In some cases language is also used in connection with non-symbolic communication, or even metaphorically (body language, the language of music).

There is no universal definition for either language in the proper sense or for language in a wider sense. Up to now, all definitions only refer to certain aspects of the complex phenomenon that is language: For example, among others, language has been defined as a medium to express thoughts and feelings, as the most important and species-specific communication tool of man, as a structured system of symbols, as an internalized system of rules, as the body of statements within a certain linguistic community, or as a tool of thinking.

The two most important aspects of the complex phenomenon that is language are speech and writing. Air from the lungs is pressed through the oral cavity and thus moves several infinitely small pieces of matter towards the target, or as symbols from one place to the next (characters).

Speech Several inhaled infinitely small pieces of matter (air) are pressed through the larynx. Noise Word Senten
Something audible, sound, smallest unit of spoken language Several noises Several words
Writing The body or parts of the body (hands, pen, paper, keypad etc.) are controlled by thoughts in order to move the elements of the physical universe. Symbol Several symbols, system of signs More complex system of signs
An example T Tree Tree and apple
Kommentar Almost everyone is able to articulate these sounds and write them without fail. Every creature sees the tree and knows that it is a tree. Every creature sees the tree and the apple, and knows that they are a tree and an apple.

Speech: To produce or create words or noises.

Writing: letters, characters, figures, notes or the like in a certain readable row, with a writing tool on the surface of some material.

Noise: (phonetics) any of the set of distinctive sounds of a given language. Any audible, elemental, or acoustic event occurring in speech. The sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air or other medium.

Word: a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds […], that functions as a principal carrier of meaning. Words […] are either the smallest units susceptible of independent use or consist of two or three such units combined under certain linking conditions. © Dictionary.com

Process of speaking: to utter words or articulate noises with the ordinary voice. For this purpose, inhaled air is pressed through the larynx. In doing so, the vocal cords are put into vibration, slowly (low sound) if slightly tensed, faster (high sound) if tensed more strongly. Larynx and nasopharynx resonate due to vibrancy and amplify the sound. Changing the position of mouth, tongue, and lips affects the sound’s timbre; vowels are created by the sounds made by tongue and lips. The systematic sequence of these sounds, controlled by the brain’s speech center, is called speech. Apes lack the necessary muscles, ligaments, and cartilage, which is the reason why they are unable to learn spoken language.



Recognizing what to speak

Each one of us knows a straight line and a curve. Somewhere within our body, inherent to us, there is a straight line and a curve. They are a part of us, solid, of matter, made of infinitely small particles. Duplicating all particles and matching them results in two straight lines and two curves (duplication). Man is able to put forth the second straight line and curve, their particles, in a certain fashion, by speaking, and another one is able to receive them via a membrane in his ear. He alters the caught particles into a compulsory shape and thus gets a straight line or a curve which in turn he can compare to his innate straight line or curve. That’s how he recognizes the meaning of that which was expressed. Indirectly it would be writing.

A person is able to convey something to another person only if he already knows that which is to be conveyed.

A person is able to understand something only if he already knows that which he is supposed to understand.

A person is able to recognize something only if he already knows that which he is supposed to recognize.

Everything else he doesn't know he has to accept, to adopt.

An example: A child sees a tree. He knows that it is a tree, just as an adult does. Both know that it is a tree. They both see the tree and agree that they look at a tree, and that the tree is a tree. They both are in agreement. However, they are not in agreement that the tree is called „tree“. If the adult says „this is called a tree“, the child has to accept that. The child cannot agree with the word "tree”, or rather: The child cannot agree with himself that the tree is called „tree“, since he doesn’t know the word. However, the tree he does know, and in that he can agree with himself. The child has to accept, to adopt the word „tree“. The word doesn’t exist within him, the tree, however, does.

Nobody needs to tell a child: „This is a tree.“ He already knows that. What we do need to tell him is the word “tree”. This is what he doesn’t know.


The evolution of language

Words and language only slowly evolved. It started with primitive humans who almost arbitrarily expressed speech. Based on this primitive form, the evolution of speech continued to evolve, until today. Put another way, our language rests on a primitive foundation.

The physical universe comprises a lot of things, and our speculations, conclusions, and considerations also join in. Our ability to articulate sounds, differentiate them, and string them together in a certain sequence is limited. The same is true of an articulation’s frequency. By combining these sounds, as it is possible for human beings, one already gets a large amount of possible expressions; however, they are not nearly sufficient for all our needs. This is the reason why there are inconclusive and similar abstruse words.

Genealogical tree of the most important Indo-European languages still spoken today:


Over time, from generation to generation, language has changed. Whether due to geographical reasons, whether deliberately or random – about 2500 to 5500 individual languages have evolved up to the present day.


Language and agreement or non-agreement

Basically, one can say that language has to be acoustically identical if people are to be able to communicate with each other. For that, they have to agree to articulate similar things and similar terms in similar ways. And that is agreement. People agree to articulate or express something in a certain identical way. If they are unable or unwilling to agree to articulate similar things and similar terms in similar ways, they won't understand each other. Communication will be difficult to impossible.


The first person articulates a noise for a tree, e.g. „T“ (not „Tee“, as this would be two sounds). The second person adopts the first person’s noise for the tree “T” and articulates it in an identical way. The third person articulates another sound for the tree, e.g. „C“ (not „Cee“, as this would be two sounds).
... speaks the word for tree, “T”. ... understands the spoken word for tree, “T”. ... doesn’t understand the spoken word for tree, “T”.
... doesn’t understand the spoken word for tree, “C”. ... doesn’t understand the spoken word for tree, “C”. ... speaks the word for tree, “C”.

However, there is a natural agreement where people don’t even have to come to an agreement. If an agreement is necessary, and it is necessary, then it is the agreement the viewer needs to make with himself, not with others. Natural agreement is an agreement or non-agreement that people have by means of their senses and their mind. It is of great importance, since it is essential for our communication. If our senses and our mind don’t work well, then neither language nor terms won’t help us much, even if we know them perfectly well, for that which we then communicate isn’t understood properly.

Senses and agreement or non-agreement

If people’s senses are all right, then they have a natural agreement with everything they confront within the physical universe, or that the physical universe confronts them with, and thus they have an agreement among themselves without the need or the desire for a mutual consent. All people see things and recognize their size and their movement. If someone's senses are hampered, e.g. because he cannot see well, then he is unable to agree with other people on that which can be seen. If someone’s senses are hampered, he has to agree with others that something is as they say it is, in order to be able to communicate with them.

If we look at a tree, then we all understand it is a tree. We all know that this is a tree. It is a natural agreement that doesn’t demand a mutual consent. We just know that we’re looking at a tree, and we know what we see.

The first person memorizes the tree, e.g. because he sees it. The second person memorizes the tree, e.g. because he sees it. The third person doesn’t memorize the tree, e.g. because he can’t see it.
... points at the tree. ... recognizes what is pointed at. ... doesn’t recognize what is pointed at.
... takes a picture of the tree. ... looks at the picture and recognizes. ... looks at the picture but doesn’t recognize.
... draws the tree. ... looks at the drawing and recognizes. ... looks at the drawing but doesn’t recognize.
Natural agreement that doesn’t demand mutual consent. Non-natural agreement that demands mutual consent. Forced agreement

Mind and agreement or non-agreement

If peoples' minds work properly, then they have a natural agreement that doesn’t demand mutual consent. They agree on any occurrences they confront within the physical universe or that they are confronted with. A properly working mind always computes optimally. Consequently, this optimum is a natural agreement.


Language and its symbols – writing systems

Writing system: The entirety of graphical signs, esp. characters, combined into a system and used to visually fix noises, words, and sentences of a language in order to allow a readable reproduction of said language. These symbols reproduce the physical universe.

As opposed to natural recognition via our senses and our mind, writing, as language, can only be recognized by agreement, i.e. by adoption, without really recognizing or understanding. An agreement that someone is unable to come to with himself but may only come to with others. Learning by rote, so to speak. Not until someone agrees is he able to re-recognize by using his senses and his mind.

The first person conceives a symbol for the sound “T”, e.g. T (not “Tee”, as this were two sounds). The second person adopts the symbol for the sound “T”, T. The third person conceives a symbol for the sound “T”, e.g. “C”.
... writes T. ... sees the written T and understands. ... sees the written T but does not understand.
... sees the written C and understands. ... sees the written C and understands. ... writes C.


Language and writing systems could also be done differently

Each word consists of noises. It would be perfect if all people articulated these noises the same way, clearly and distinctly, and had only one single symbol for each one noise. Fuzzy articulation and the absence of a distinct symbol for each single noise cause confusion and enforce rote learning, which is against human nature. Man needs much fewer noises than all common languages have today, in order to assemble a nearly unlimited amount of words. Think of phone numbers, for example. An enormous amount of numbers can be assembled from eight figures.


Example Noise: T Noise: R Noise: E Noise: E Word: TREE
Not “Tee” Not “Arr” “E” is correct “E” is correct

A character is a written sign that reproduces a noise, i.e. the visual symbol for a noise which consists of sound.

Sound: the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air.

In music, a note is the graphical sign for a sound.

Sound and noise are one and the same, namely vibrations in the air perceived by our hearing organs. Something that we perceive with our ears. In music, there is a distinct symbol for each tone, and each of these symbols only expresses a certain tone. So, 13 symbols would be enough to reproduce everything that has been written, without ever having it seen before. If in language we had one noise for every symbol and every character, that always meant the same and was articulated in the same manner, it would be like in music. Then it would merely be necessary to learn a number of characters, how to articulate them, and we could pronounce every word without knowing it, and each word we know we would be able to write, without someone needing to show us how. Children could be spared a lot of trouble, and there would be more time for more important things.

The use of upper and lower cases makes little sense. Whether we use upper or lower cases doesn’t matter – that which we want to express remains the same thing. If there were only either upper or lower cases, we would only have half as much characters, and children in school would have more time to learn superordinate data. As far as habits are concerned, I won’t go into that at this point, aside from the fact that a child only learns that which he is taught, and for the child this becomes a natural action.

The use of upper and lower cases makes little sense. Whether we use upper or lower cases doesn’t matter – that which we want to express remains the same thing. If there were only either upper or lower cases, we would only have half as much characters, and children in school would have more time to learn superordinate data. As far as habits are concerned, I won’t go into that at this point, aside from the fact that a child only learns that which he is taught, and for the child this becomes a natural action.

A period separates sentences in a clear manner, without the need to begin a new sentence with an upper case. And a tree remains a tree, no matter what kind of case is used.


Problems concerning language and writing systems

Of the roughly 2500 to about 5500 different languages there are some which are more complex and others which are less so. Children learn these languages by rote and develop some kind of routine in doing so up until adulthood. For the adult, the use of language is a matter of course. If he were forced to change something about his speech or writing, he would have a hard time. This becomes obvious when an adult has to learn a new language. He never completely learns it. For an adult American, Japanese, or Chinese the use of his own language is relatively natural and easy. But even here difficulties with their own language frequently exist, and dictionaries are often consulted. The excuse that a language is particularly comprehensive, or that one cannot know everything, is just that: an excuse, but not the problem itself.

The problem solely is that language and writing systems are made the way they are by man. A complex language or writing system is clearly more difficult than a less complex language or writing system. And I am not talking about the complexity of its meaning but of the meaning's expression.

For example, China has such a complex writing system that one can presumably regard it as the reason why there are so many illiterate people in this country. Moreover, there are countless different dialects that hamper communication with each other, and thus make it easier for someone to exert control.

Another problem is when a language has a large number of fuzzy noises or is spoken too fast or without correct separation of syllables. This is comparable to music consisting of only one or two notes, to non-harmonic tones, or to a rhythm without comprehensible measure.

We have to be aware of the fact that language and writing systems began with the Neanderthal man. Since then his successors have further developed language, and many new words and symbols have been added. But in comparison to physics, chemistry, medicine, or biology, which for example brought us nuclear energy or space travel, language and writing systems across the whole planet have barely evolved. Often even the opposite is true. Some people demand to again use their grandmothers’ language, and already in school. How sick do we need to become?

An improvement of language and writing systems would make it possible for people to focus on the essentials. After all, language and writing systems are just a secondary tool to reach a primary goal.

Languages and writing systems are a significant problem on the way we should go in order to establish peace on this planet. Only those who do not crave peace want to keep the existing languages.


Topics:

I Foreword I Unknown I Beginning I Evolution I Language I

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