Oh, words. As English majors we spend a lot of time thinking
about them, and it seems like the further we progress in our studies, the more
frustrating they become! I recently had a conversation with a grad student
about word usage. She mentioned that a few of her classmates got “slammed” for
using terms without considering every possible definition and the implications
of such definitions. I feel like I’m getting close to that point in my
undergraduate career. Maybe that’s why it takes for.ev.er. to write my papers
nowadays. I spend a lot of time analyzing individual words for fear of getting
“slammed.”
However, when I feel like I’m struggling, I think about the
ESL writers that I work with in The Writing Center. They, like any learner of a
second (or third, etc.) language, truly grapple with word choice and proper
definitions. Locke writes, “This is a natural and almost unavoidable
imperfection in almost all the names of substances, in all languages
whatsoever, which men will easily find when, once passing from confused or
loose notions, they come to more strict and close inquiries” (822, left
column).
It doesn’t help that the English language is notorious for
complicating definitions, from words with multiple (and very different)
meanings to idiomatic expressions. Locke continues, “For then they will be
convinced how doubtful and obscure those words are in their signification,
which in ordinary use appeared very clear and determined” (822, left column).
In my experience, what Locke just described is one of the biggest challenges in
learning English.
I’ll admit: I do love words. It’s so satisfying to put a
string of words together and know that you somehow managed to convert your
thoughts into a meaningful statement others can now understand. But how fully
do they understand your thoughts? We can’t always know that what we meant to
say is what others understood. To this end, I agree with Locke’s assessment of
rhetoric, which obscures understanding.
“And therefore we have but very imperfect descriptions of
things, and words have very uncertain significations” (823, left column).
Language certainly is uncertain.
Kerry- I love where you are going in this post. As a speaker of a second language, I can associate with the difficulty of understanding precisely what is meant by either an expression or a singular word. I am currently teaching English to Spanish speakers in Big Sky during the week, and because I'm a native speaker and language usage comes relatively naturally to me, I never realized the difficulties our language in particular presents. We have expressions that make no sense, and that just get worse as they are adapted for the generational and regional contexts-- like what the hell do you mean 'that you're dipping out for a minute to bum a smoke?'. Though I do think Locke and you are correct, some of his harsh demeanor can be justified in my mind through the fact that he really didn't care about language at all. He saw it only as a medium through which he could convey knowledge, and in that sense, the intrinsic beauty is eliminated and it is stripped down to its essential function.
ReplyDeleteAfter our many workshops with ESL writers, it is always comical to me how often we still find ourselves referring to grammar and spelling as our biggest difficulties in working with these writers. I know I do -- but WHY do I? Shouldn't I be more concerned with their concepts and thought process than with whether or not they understand articles?
ReplyDeleteI've heard both sides of these arguments in the Writing Center (and I know you have too) and I find myself agreeing with both. I think it is important for us, as tutors, to realize that we are here to facilitate a conversation on/in writing. However, I think that it is also important for us to remember that those concepts and thought processes can be LOST in translation if the language of the rhetoric is misconstrued. I still haven't figured out how to walk this line with ESL Writers -- as with any writer that comes in our door, I think it is entirely situational, but I do know that I have significant work to do as a tutor in this particular area.