General Response

I believe I should use this post to briefly respond to some of what has been said, and also to raise a new topic.

Mary stated that:
Describing a completely new color would be impossible.

I strongly agree with this speculation. Each and every being has a different extensional background. One may say that the color reminds them of "a jungle." The next observer may say that the color reminds them of "a coral reef." As Hayakawa illustrates for us, Lynne's personal computer at home is certainly different than George's personal computer that has yet to be purchased. Both are personal computers, but they are not the same. It is impossible for one object to have two different meanings or contexts, as is Hayakawa's speculation.

Similarly to Eric, the explanation of the process undergone during the dictionary-making process left me in awe! Hayakawa mentions that the editors put their best efforts into avoiding being bias when choosing the definitions of the word. I can't help but feel suspicious whenever using the dictionary as a resourse from now on.

Early on in the blog, there was a discussion of symbols and their progression through time. Hayakawa explains the loosening up of a word's definition by explaining the former meaning of a hood (used by a monk) and current ones (such as the hood of a car). How a symbol relates to a word once again deals with one's personal experience. If a child is raised in a fairly well-to-do suburban area, home might mean a well-kept apartment building. If a child such as Tarzan is questioned about his abode, he would define "home" as the jungle.

Eric -- Your views about Hayakawa versus Orwell were greatly enlightening. You couldn't be more right. They seem to be total opposites!

Arvind stated that:
Most animals can express feelings such as “I am hurt and I can’t get up” or “Get out of the way”, but they cannot express laws of nature or mathematical theorems.

I remember hearing that during the time of the infamous Tsunami that the animals had migrated to slightly elevated land to avoid the uproar of the ocean. Did anyone else hear this, or is it something that my mind conjured independently? If it is true, I must disagree with Arvind's statement.

Reflections?

(Samantha Maliha)