© 2000 Voice in the Wilderness Symbolically Exchanging Nothing The Power of Language Bruce A. Peterson

© 2000 Voice in the Wilderness


Symbolically Exchanging

Nothing

The Power of Language

Bruce A. Peterson


Language is Symbolic

• We use symbols to communicate• We create symbols-symbols create us• We trade symbols• We misuse symbols• Meaning is in people not in words

© 2000 Voice in the WildernessCommunication Process


Trading Symbols


Symbolic InteractionHumans Trade Symbols


Triangle of Meaning*

User

Thing(Referent)

Word(Symbol)

*Ogden & Richards





0




Kenneth Burke’s HumanBeing bodies that learn language

thereby becoming wordlings

humans are

the symbol-making, symbol-using, symbol-misusing animal

inventor of the negative

separated from our natural condition

by instruments of our our own making

goaded by the spirit of hierarchy

acquiring the foreknowledge of death

and rotten with perfection.









humans are the

symbol-using, symbol-misusing animal

inventor of the negative


Noun to be

it is


Verbto do

do


nothing

(do)

+ action

= GUILT


to do

what

with

GUILT


do

who

you


nothing+ action =

GUILT



Created


the power

the negative

of



© 2000 Voice in the WildernessCommunication Process


humans are thehumans are the

symbolsymbol--using, using, symbolsymbol--misusing misusing animalanimal

inventor of inventor of the negativethe negative


Triangle of Meaning*

User

Thing(Referent)

Word(Symbol)

*Ogden & Richards© 2000 Voice in the Wilderness

nothing+ action =

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© 2000 Voice in the Wilderness Symbolically Exchanging Nothing The Power of Language Bruce A. Peterson