Words Are More Than Just Words
Bryan Kelly
June 2019
On a programmers forum I complained about the improper use of the word “subclass.” The concept is that of a developer beginning with a set of software called a class. That class, any class, can be taken as the starting point of another class. The developer can utilize all that has been created before and add new functionality.
Shifting perspective for just a moment, the mathematical concept of a subset is something that contains part or all of another set, but never more. If it contains more, then it is a superset. That makes logical sense.
In this programming example, the new class contains everything of the original. As the purpose is to add more, it becomes a superset of the original. It can never be less, and if nothing is added no advantage is gained. Therefore, it is super class, not a subclass. My complaint is that the new sets are being called subclass. On seeing this, I wondered if there was something I had missed so looked up the terms, reread some passages and realized that, no, there was nothing I had missed. The word subclass, in that context is being used incorrectly. The response that has stuck with me as one person defended the use: “They are just words.”
The reply is: No, they are not just words, with a strong emphasis on “just.”
Words are what truly make us so different from all the animals of the world. Words provide us with advantages that they cannot possibly conceive of much less understand.
Words are what we use to describe what just happened to us. We can describe our actions and the consequences of those actions. Those that listen can learn from our experience and gain our hard earned knowledge without the pain and expense of our experience. We can leverage off the knowledge of others rather than starting from the beginning.
Words are what allow me to read what Sir Isaac Newton wrote and to understand his discoveries about gravity. Newton is one of the greatest minds of history. He was able to make realizations that extremely few people could do. Words are the things he used to describe his discoveries in a manner that minds like mine can understand.
So they are not just words. They signify what truly makes us human. When we misuse them, then we are discarding a major part of our humanity.
There are some essential requirements for words, and one in particular. We all know it, but often neglect to consider it.
For each word we use, we must share the meaning. We must have the same mental concept for each and every word we use.
For this discussion I have selected a word that has been misused and abused quite frequently over the years. This is not the time to broach that that particular discussion, but it does serve well as a center point for this discussion. That word is socialism.
When I say socialism, and in order for us to engage in a fruitful conversation, the meaning I have must be the same meaning that you have when you say socialism. When we have different meanings for socialism then we may either think we are in agreement when we are not, or think we disagree when we do.
We must recognize that language evolves over time. This is part of human nature. This is not something we might change in the short term. However, we must bring these concepts into the front of our minds. When we disagree with each other, and even when we agree, it is important to consider: When we use a particular word, socialism for example, are you thinking the same concept as I?
This is seldom a problem when using simple words such a door or window. But socialism is a more complex concept. It can be completely described in just a few words. However, there are many interpretations of the word.
When we talk about socialism, or any major topic, we must actively consider: Do you have the same concept of socialism as do I. If there is a disagreement, we are much better off discovering that early in the conversation.
There is a second and third complication. We have cultural and regional differences in our words. Those in difference cultures will capture a word and derive slightly and even significantly different concepts. Even when explained in detail, our culture will shape the not just the word but the words used to describe it and ways that escape all but the most pedantic examination. We seldom desire to exert that much effort into a single word and subsequently veer off into different definitions. We also have different meanings from on region to another. In a place as diverse and widespread as the United States, with different cultures from the Deep South to the North East and out to the West, these differences can and often do become significant. When politicians such as Bernie Sanders use the word socialism, I suspect that those in the Deep South often have different meanings than do those in New England, or California. When he throws in modifiers that do not really belong together, such as: Democratic Socialism[1], there is no doubt that the audiences will derive multiple definitions.
So, when we hear words and terms that are unusual, or even phrases that combine antonyms such as Democratic and Socialism, the resultant portmanteau is guaranteed to produce different thoughts in different minds.
There are two major points to this essay. First, be aware of this concept. Be aware that my concept of a phrase may not be the same as yours.
The second is to take the initiate to discover if there is a difference and discover just what those differences might be.
And that might be the difficult part. This will require effort on our part. The expenditure of effort to understanding others seems to be a rare commodity.
Let’s work on that.
[1] Whatever Sanders might be intending when he says Democratic Socialism, combining the two antonyms does not bode well.