April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Engineer

Dear Reader,

In “Human Behavior as Language: Some Thoughts on Wittgenstein” (2006)   Ribes-Iñesta explains that “the [socially meaningful] practices themselves lend their meaning to grammar” [words added by me]. Although many of us have not been instructed to enjoy and express the subtle nuances in meaning which are created by how we sound, it is never too late to learn this. In every language there is Sound Verbal Behavior (SVB) and Noxious Verbal Behavior (NVB), the two response classes which naturally occur when we are feeling safe or threatened. To dismiss one or the other is to engage in meaningless conversation. Pretending or trying to feel safe doesn’t make us feel safe, and, acting forceful and defensive prevents us from being happy and relaxed.

In SVB the speaker positively affects the listener, but in NVB the listener is negatively affected by the speaker. Stated differently, in SVB the speaker and the listener co-regulate each other, but in NVB the speaker and the listener dis-regulate each other. What is considered “socially meaningful” is different from culture to culture. The words of a president, written by speech writers, may sound sincere, but they can’t create SVB. Once we realize the great contrast between SVB with NVB we will change many well-accepted concepts.

Wittgenstein wrote “When language games change, then there is a change in concepts, and with the concepts the meanings of words change (1969, p. 65).” Indeed, the “meaning of words change”, when we shift from SVB to NVB or from NVB to SVB. We haven’t taken note of this because of our “language games.” One of our games is the assumption that spoken and written words are instances of the same convention. Ribes-Iñesta writes “According to what has been said, a basic assumption is proposed: language, as it is spoken and written in daily life, works as an instrument or tool” (italics added by me). It is easy to miss this, but he didn’t say anything! He has written something, but he writes about it as if he has said something. This happens all the time. It is a big problem, a language game, which remains completely out of sight as it is out of our hearing range.