TOK Way of Knowing: Language “Almost all education is Language Education.” Neil Postman

Language exerts hidden power, like a moon on the tides. –Rita Mae Brown

Issues related to language and knowledge call for conscious scrutiny in order to recognize its influence on thought and behavior Language can be thought of as a symbol system, engaged in representing the world, capturing and communicating thought and experience. Language can be seen as existing in itself, as something to be played with and transformed and shaped in its own right . Language: Often taken for granted Rule-governed Intentional Creative and open- ended Can transform and shape thought and action

Language is… Rule Governed: Grammar When learning a language, grammar is important. Grammar refers to rules for how to combine words in a correct order. Vocabulary Vocabulary is governed by arbitrary rules. Vocabulary represents words a culture agrees upon. For Language to work, there needs to be general agreement within the given culture.

Language is… Intentional. Not all communication is language. Ex) yawning can represent boredom but is not language. Language is enriched by its multi-sensory nature, drawing upon all of the senses to create a combination of expression and meaning

Language is… Creative and Open-ended The rules of grammar and vocabulary allow us to make an infinite number of correct sentences. We are able to create original sentences. Languages are not static, but change and develop over time. People invent new words and cultures borrow words from other languages. Since most of our knowledge comes to us through language, we need to be clear about the meanings of words if we are to understand the information that is being communicated to us.

Nature of Language “Words form the thread on which we string our experiences” Aldous Huxley What different functions does language perform? Which are most relevant in creating and communicating knowledge? In what ways does written language differ from spoken language in its relationship to knowledge? What is the role of language in creating and reinforcing social distinctions such as class, ethnicity, and gender? What is the role of language in sustaining relationships of authority? Can control of language create or reinforce power? How does technological change affect the way language is used and the way communication takes place?

Is a common world language a defensible project? Language and Culture: If people speak more than one language, is what they know different in each language? What is lost in translation from one language to another? Why? How is the meaning of what is said shaped by silences and omissions, pace, tone, and bodily movement? How might these factors be influenced by cultural context? Is a common world language a defensible project?

Language and Thought: Is it possible to think without language? How does language facilitate, extend, direct, or limit thinking? How does language generalize experiences? Can language be compared with other human forms of symbolic representation (art, music, or math)?

Language and Knowledge: The BIG Questions How does the capacity to communicate personal experience and thoughts through language affect knowledge? To What extent does knowledge actually depend on language? How does language come to be known? Is the capacity to acquire knowledge innate? In most statements, facts are blended with values. How can an examination of language distinguish the subjective and ideological biases as well as values that statements may contain?

Language and Translation: What can you learn about your own language by studying a second language? There are approximately 3000 languages worldwide We tend to think our own language fits reality. Every language contains words that have no equivalent in other languages. Ex) Quaint has no precise equivalent Idioms muddle things further