Words and Meaning

Words have meaning, and they have meaning for a reason. Words are used to convey information from one person to another, and this process involves the use of symbols in the form of words for which the communicator and the audience have the same definition. There are real consequences when this system breaks down, when the person communicating has one definition for a word and the person to whom he or she is communicating has another. There could be a case where the two people involved in a specific communication event would both have the same erroneous definition for a given word, and if so, they could still communicate so that the meaning intended is the meaning perceived. While it might seem that such an error is harmless, given that the message intended is communicated, this as well has consequences because one or the other party may try to communicate with a third party later and use the same erroneous definition, or a third party could overhear and misunderstand. Often, the erroneous definition is one widely accepted, but this imprecision in thinking has consequences at some point. It is never a good idea to accept an erroneous definition, for precision in thought and in communication are linked, and each can produce poor outcomes for the person who indulges in them.

The consequences can range from the trivial to the vital, depending on the circumstances involved. Daily speech uses many archaic phrases in the wrong way, with people not really understanding what

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Category: Psychology - W