Sandra Alva
Social Scientist at CCGS, Sao Paulo, Brazil
E-mail: sandra_a@globalculturz.org
All languages are media, though media consist of several other complex components. From verbal to the scripted one, languages have played a vital role in human communication and preservation of knowledge. Language needs an effective media for an effective communication and it’s true vice-versa.
The history of the evolution of languages is quite interesting. They are a complex system of arbitrary sound signs. This arbitrariness has given human mind to expand its imagination manifold. With the invent of print media, like Gutenberg Press, languages got more stability historically and geographically as well. Textual language began to dominate over verbal one and established a more authentic communication in human society. It also unburdened human minds to retain the knowledge and information through memory.
The results produced by languages and media together are magical for the entire civilization. A language is an abstract form of communication and its meaning depends upon the people who belong to the same lingual community. Abstract words provide an opportunity for the human brain to imagine ‘anything’ and generate ‘concepts’. Conceptualization is not possible without languages.
Truth, as considered, is part of human nature and voice of the soul. In order to dominate others and selfishness, we begin to hide truth and language becomes a tool of the same. In today’s world politicians, businessmen and ideologues use such a dubious language by which one cannot infer anything. Media is an extension of expression so it can be used to communicate truth as well as lies. Post-truth is a new phenomenon to acquire and retain power and money. This creates a difficult situation for common citizens of the globe.
