Knower(s)

3. Theory of Knowledge Diagram Mathematics Ways of Knowing Natural Sciences Sense Perception Ethics Reason Knower(s) Emotion Areas of Knowledge Language Human Sciences Arts History

4. TaK - Language “In the beginning was the Word...”

5. What could you know about the world if you had no language or means of communicating with other people? TaK - Language

6. Two volunteers to describe the drawings......

8. Perception: • What elements did you consider to be important? Why? • What elements did you forget? • Was it easier to memorise/describe the representational picture, or the geometric shapes? Why? • Reason: • What role did reason play? • How did you decide what to describe? Why? • What did you not try to describe? Why? • Emotion: • How was it trying to describe the picture? • How was it listening to the description? • Language: • The limitations of language (the difficulty of describing how to tie a shoelace compared to showing how to do it) • How was it for those with less English?

9. There is an element of translation in every communication. • A sends a message to B. • B receives the message and interprets it. • Misunderstanding takes place. TaK - Language

10. “If you can’t say it, you don’t know it” Hans Reichenbach TaK - Language “How often misused words generate misleading thoughts” Herbert Spencer

11. Communication Spoken/Written Language Body Language Arts TaK - Language Maths Models Symbols ? Language is a subset of Communication • but not all communication is language. • What else is there?

12. TaK - Language Communication - Arts Pablo Picasso Francis Bacon A picture is worth a thousand words…?

13. Communication - Body Language TaK - Language

14. Communication - Body Language TaK - Language

15. TaK - Language Body Language Body language is a form of non-verbal communication involving the use of stylized gestures, postures, and physiologic signs which act as cues to other people. Humans, sometimes unconsciously, send and receive non-verbal signals all the time. Perhaps 70% of communication is non-verbal

16. TaK - Language • What can body language communicate more effectively than spoken language? • What can spoken language communicate more effectively than body language?

17. Communication -The Language of Clothes TaK - Language

18. Communication -The Language of Clothes TaK - Language

19. Communication - Symbols TaK - Language

20. Communication - Symbols TaK - Language

21. Communication - Symbols TaK - Language

22. Words are symbols … this word represents thatthing TaK - Language Tree =

23. What do we mean by ‘Language’? • Language is rule-governed. • Language is intended. • Language is creative and open-ended. TaK - Language

24. Rule-governed: • Grammar • Rules • Accepted vocabulary • Needs social agreement TaK - Language

25. Make a coherent sentence using all 12 words: TaK - Language injured at of there the road were six people lying the side

26. TaK - Language • The Montillation of Traxolineby Judy Lanier • “It is very important that you learn about traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristanniansgristeriate large amounts of fevon and then bracter it into quaseltraxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our most lukizedsnezlaus in the future because of zionterlescelidge” • What is traxoline? • Where is traxolinemontilled? • How is traxolinequaselled? • Why is it important to know about traxoline?

27. Someone to read out the following:

28. TaK - Language Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at a Uinervtisy, it deosn'tmttaer in wahtoredrtehltteers in a wrod are, the olnyiprmoatnttihng is taht the frist and lsatltteer be in the rghitpclae. The rset can be a taotlmses and yuo can sitllraed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseaetehhuamnmniddeos not raederveylteter by istlef, but tehwrod as a wlohe.

29. Intended: • Language is a form of communication, but not all communication is language • You are bored in class, you catch someone’s eye and make a yawning gesture • You are trying to look interested in what someone is saying but find yourself starting to yawn. TaK - Language

30. Creative and open-ended: You can write or speak a sentence that has never, ever appeared in the English language ... TaK - Language

31. In groups, define – • A triangle • A table • Love TaK - Language

32. Language enables us to communicate new information, to learn about people and places and ideas we have never encountered before… ... but to what extent should we trust it? TaK - Language

33. Why is it so difficult to communicate effectively? TaK - Language

34. Some of the reasons... • Most of the message we communicate is non-verbal. • The words we use are vague, imprecise, and can be interpreted in different ways. • We may have a “hidden agenda” that is not mutually understood. • In this community, we all have different language histories and experiences – verbal and non-verbal! This contributes to the “problem” of communication. TaK - Language

35. Problems of meaning • Language changing • Language used to influence and persuade. TaK - Language

36. Problems of meaning • Vagueness: fast, slow, nice, bald • Ambiguity: • “Refuse to be put in the basket”, • “Flying planes can be dangerous”, • “Eats, shoots and leaves” • Secondary meaning: love, death, school, priest • Metaphor: • “She has her head in the clouds”, • “My brother is a butcher”, • “My doctor is a butcher” • Irony: “Nice weather!” TaK - Language

37. Vagueness • Without thinking about it too much, write down a figure for each of the following: • He lives close to his school. How near does he live? • She is a heavy smoker. How many cigarettes does she smoke each day? • He is middle-aged. How old is he? • Her mother earns a lot of money. What is her annual income? TaK - Language

38. Changing language • Language reflects our changing world. • Gender issues • Political correctness • Technology • Slang • International travel • Internet + media TaK - Language

39. Language used to influence and persuade Propaganda and manipulation through language using: • Emotionally laden words • Weasel words • Grammar • Revealing and concealing TaK - Language

40. Emotionally laden words: • Terrorist / Freedom fighter • Pro-life / Pro-choice • Free speech / Hate speech • “Blocking your child’s access to objectionable material on the internet is not called Censorship – it’s called Parenting” Al Gore TaK - Language

41. These are all expressions used by the British press while covering the First Gulf War… TaK - Language

42. Weasel Words: • “many”,“ should”, “probably” • “Probably the best lager in the world” • “Our product can reduce wrinkles by 25%” TaK - Language

43. Grammar: • “We bombed many villages” • “Many villages were bombed” TaK - Language

44. Revealing and Concealing: • “I have invited an attractive blonde to the party” • “I have invited a cellist to the party” • “I have invited my sister to the party” • “I have invited a marathon runner to the party” • “I have invited a lesbian to the party” • “I have invited my best friend to the party” TaK - Language

45. Changing language • Language reflects our changing world. • Gender issues • Political correctness • Technology • Slang • International travel • Internet + media ToK - Language

46. TaK - Language • Some key points: • A great deal of knowledge comes through language and this makes possible an intellectual division of labour • Language is a sub-set of communication and is rule-governed, intended and creative • We need to understand what a sentence means before we decide whether it’s true or false • Much of language is ambiguous and open to interpretation • We use language to label and classify. This brings with it the danger of misclassification and stereotyping • We use language not only to describe, but also to influence and persuade

47. TaK - Language • Some more questions: • How does language influence your perception? • How can you make sure you have understood a message that is conveyed to you? • What arguments are there for and against political correctness? • What kinds of texts are easiest to translate? Which are the most difficult?

48. TaK - Language • ToK Prescribed Title 2007 • Does language play roles of equal importance in different Areas of Knowledge?