The Something Monologues

TSM93 : Speech and Language, Shared Agreements - Part 2

Last monologue I presented you with some nonsensical rubbish - a mishmash of things I'd previously edited out of older TSMs. Having no idea where I was going, I decided to pursue the theme of speech and language as shared agreements.  

In today's monologue I explore some of the variables of speech (volume, tempo, tone, timbre and texture - you can add syntax, articulation and several other variables to this list) and how they relate to context. In addition I explore language and how language shifts context through different roles, occupations and cultures. To listen to this monologue, you'll have to endure some really lame impersonations.

The essence of what I am trying to convey to you in today's monologue, is that our entire society functions through unconscious and conscious shared agreements. We begin with speech and language (with thought and feeling) as the foundation and build on them through writing, mathematics, culture, religion, ideas, beliefs, values, specific disciplines and ultimately behaviour and actions.  

In the final part of today's monologue I explore telepathic/telempathic communication and how mind appears to provide a natural translation between human languages and human and non human languages. 

In normal English we use a specific word order, characterized by Subjects, Objects and Verbs. Typical word orders in English include SVO, OVS and VSO. Our friend Yoda speaks with a very different word order - OSV e.g. "Sick I've become. Strong with the Force you are. Your father he is. When nine hundred years you reach, look as good you will not." (see David Crystal's The Cambridge Encyclopedia if Language).

Enjoy !