“ALMOST ALL EDUCATION IS LANGUAGE EDUCATION.”

NEIL POSTMAN

TOK Way of Knowing:Language

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

Language:

Often taken for granted

Rule-governed

Intentional

Creative and open-ended

Can transform and shape thought and action

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 .

GRAMMARWHEN 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…Rule Governed:

N O T A L L C O M M U N I C AT I O N I S L A N G UA G E .E X ) YAW N I N G C A N R E P R E S E N T B O R E D O M B U T I S

N O T L A N G UA G E .

L A N G UA G E I S E N R I C H E D BY I T S M U LT I - S E N S O RY N AT U R E , D R AW I N G U P O N A L L O F T H E S E N S E S T O

C R E AT E A C O M B I N AT I O N O F E X P R E SS I O N A N D M E A N I N G

Language is…Intentional.

T H E R U L E S O F G R A M M A R A N D V O C A B U L A RY A L L O W U S T O M A K E A N I N F I N I T E N U M B E R O F C O R R E C T

S E N T E N C E S.

W E A R E A B L E T O C R E AT E O R I G I N A L S E N T E N C E S.

L A N G UA G E S A R E N O T S TAT I C , B U T C H A N G E A N D D E V E L O P O V E R T I M E . P E O P L E I N V E N T N E W W O R D S

A N D C U LT U R E S B O R R O W W O R D S F R O M O T H E R L A N G UA G E S.

S I N C E M O S T O F O U R K N O W L E D G E C O M E S T O U S T H R O U G H L A N G UA G E , W E N E E D T O B E C L E A R

A B O U T T H E M E A N I N G S O F W O R D S I F W E A R E T O U N D E R S TA N D T H E I N F O R M AT I O N T H AT I S B E I N G

C O M M U N I C AT E D T O U S.

Language is…Creative and Open-ended

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?

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)?

HO W DO E S T HE C APAC I T Y T O C O MM UN I C AT E PE RSO N AL E XPE RI E N C E AND T HO UG HT S T HRO UG H LANG UAG E

AFFE C T KN O WL E DG E ?

T O WHAT E XT E N T DO E S KN O WL E DG E AC T UALLY DE PE ND O N L AN G UAG E ?

HO W DO E S L AN G UAGE C O ME T O B E KN O WN ?

I S T HE C APAC I T Y T O AC Q U I RE KNO W LE DG E I N NAT E ?

I N M O ST STAT E M E NT S, FAC T S ARE B L E N DE D WI T H VALUE S. HO W C AN AN E XAM I NAT I O N O F LANG UAG E

DI ST I NG U I SH T HE SUB JE C T I VE AND I DE O LO G I C AL B I ASE S AS WE LL AS VALU E S T HAT STAT E M E NT S M AY C O NTAI N?

Language and Knowledge: The BIG Questions

•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. •E X ) Q U A I N T H A S N O P R E C I S E E Q U I VA L E N T

•IDIOMS MUDDLE THINGS FURTHER

Language and Translation: What can you learn about your own language by studying a second language?