From: info <info-AT-j12.org> Subject: RE: AUT: Re: Language and Communication Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 01:43:54 +0100 Thomas wrote: Well, it is an advantage but sometimes it still doesn't help. Let me tell you hadgi, I have been lucky enough to have received a pretty good education in languages (including Latin and Ancient Greek) and it does not help me too much in understanding what some of these authors are talking about (even though , as you correctly state, their creations tend to be latin or greek based). They have developed an esoteric language. My response: There are some interesting questions here: In Russia the Marxists used the term communism - i.e. a Latin term with implicit westernisation. However the Makhnovschina used the term obshina (meaning the village commune). Also Russian furnishes us with the word Mir which means world, peace and perhaps human species being. In English we have Council Communism - the word council being a french word introduced by the Normans for the purpose of governance, whereas in Germany they had the term Rat, which can be translated as moot in english - a rendering which is already less formal. Whether it is an antiquated expression is what would be called a moot point. If you are wondering what all the palaver is, consider the African term palaver which is another word for popular assembly. Whereas a more nordic term could well be allthings to all people. Clearly language can be used to convey as much a context as a specific referent. This might be an educational context or one linked to this or that specific culture. Inward looking communities often erect language barriers around themselves so that only those who have mastered their lexicon are listened to - perhaps this is the case for all sorts of groupuscules who attach highly esoteric meanings to particular words. However the same occurs in other social spheres. Often the work place gathers a number of initials and specialist use of words as people develop a shorthand to communicate amongst a work community which is all familiar with what is being said. However if we want to develop a means of communication open to the widest possible sections of the working class then we have to deal with these nuances. Some debates might occur in a highly abstruse language because of their technical nature and the small number of people interested. Other issues need to be spoken about in a way that is broadly understandable. Fabian --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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