16
How effective is linguistic communication, really? (piefed.world)
submitted 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
26 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Just-language, without any irl stuff, probably doesn't really achieve communication. Because the words don't carry their definition. And they definitely don't carry any real experience-stuff (sight, sound etc) either.

It's just assumed that you're connecting the word to the definition/experience, in your head, in a way that makes communication happen.

And that's a big assumption. It might be only 80% congruent. Or 50%. Or 5%. We could be a race of Chinese boxes for all we know.

IRL there is a verification to the process. If I order a pizza and I get a pizza then that's a pretty good sign that the communication is working.

But on the Internet, where it's just-language? Forget it. Howling solipsists all the way down.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [S] 1 point 6 hours ago*

That we all glean the same meaning from the "usage patterns" is close enough. And that says nothing about referring to real experiences.

I suspect that rigorous language : science, engineering etc, is more valid and validatable. But the casual stuff not so much. And set foot into esoteric subjects and the howling really begins..

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent