‘The vocabulary we have does more than communicate our knowledge; it shapes what we can know’. Evaluate this claim with reference to different areas of knowledge.
As a unique language designed for every area of study, vocabulary is an important bridge linking us to the understanding of certain knowledge. Many people consider vocabulary as the foundation of knowledge. If we wish to master a certain area, the prerequisite is acquiring an extensive range of vocabulary in that specific area. This is because by enhancing the vocabulary, we are able to do more than identify the knowledge; we are capable of proceeding to a higher level of understanding. However, we usually see vocabulary as mere words and expressions. What we do not realise is the possibilities and underlying potentials that vocabulary can create.
Mathematics is in the core of many fields of knowledge. Even now we are surrounded by the application of math. Once, I was asked: what is mathematics? Most people, in fact, even I myself answered numbers, equations and formulas. What a majority felt was mathematics is just a way of manipulating numbers by relating them to one another. Can mathematics, such a beautiful and wise knowledge, be defined in a few and simple words? When I was introduced to Einstein’s famous mass-energy equation, E=mc2, in one of my classes, then only I realised how wrong I was. My definition for mathematics was actually the vocabulary of math. In the context of physics, the mathematical vocabulary has played a significant role by summarizing complicated meaning and principles. Nevertheless, this would just be a formula for anyone just looking at it. In fact, E=mc2 is not just a formula which demonstrates a relationship, but it can reveal the countless possibilities of energy sources as it has proven that any existing matter contains the ability to produce energy. In short, everything around us is able to provide energy! Anyone with deep knowledge and understanding in this area would view this relationship as a way to overcome the energy crisis that the human race is facing.
Mathematics too has created powerful weapons. I believe no one will trust that the atomic bomb, which killed millions of people, was just a bunch of numbers, expressions and formulas in its pure form. Numbers and equations standing alone might mean nothing and therefore be harmless. But when they are linked together and applied, they can turn into something very powerful. From Einstein’s equation and the origin of the atomic bomb, I believe that the vocabulary of math is not just an expression of relationships: it is a tool that extends the potential of knowledge and our level of understanding to the fullest.
Unlike math, art is a more emotional and creative area of knowledge. Hence, its vocabulary is not similar to math. Among the many forms of art, I am fondest of poetry and painting. What interests me is that both of them can be telling the same story but express it in different language. I strongly agree with what Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting is poetry that can be seen rather than felt; poetry is painting that can be felt rather than seen. “ [1] The language in paintings is performed through illustration, colours and graphics, whereas the language of poetry is in the form of words. Although they exist in two different forms, they do share a common area. From my point of view, we shall never truly understand the meaning behind each drawing or poem by just looking at its surface. In either case, we need to use our imagination and emotion to ‘read’ their vocabulary. Without them, what we shall see will be merely illustrations and words but not the actual underlying value within each picture and between each line. Therefore, I disagree with the claim stating vocabulary shapes what we can know. I believe the language of art does not what we can know; rather it leads us realise how to know an issue, which is through our emotion and imagination.
The painting of ‘The Street’ by Balthus (1933) [2] portrays the image of one of the streets in New York during the 1930s.The painting would signify nothing if I put my imagination and feelings aside. However, if I dedicate my feelings to it, I would be able to comprehend the message from the painter by ‘seeing’ through the vocabulary of that painting. Stephen Dobyns [3], poet, has put the meaning within the painting into word form. Similarly, in order to look from the poet’s perception, emotion and imagination will be our first condition. Hence, the vocabulary of art enables us not only to observe with our naked eye but to view the world from the spiritual perspective by unlocking our emotion and imagination. Only through that are we able to comprehend and appreciate the genuine beauty of art.
We should define history as an area of knowledge about the discovery, collection, organisation and presentation of information about past events. However, I think what history does is more than just evaluate the occurrence of past events. History, from my point of view, is an area where we can review what our ancestors have done in the past and learn from their mistakes. This is one of the main benefits of studying history, but sadly, most of the people do not understand the meaning of it. If we merely take history as a study case or story from the past, it has lost its function and value.
What we shall do by learning the language of history is applying it in our daily life, as an alarm of the decisions that we are about to make. History has shown us the consequences of moving the wrong direction. For instance, in American history, it is believed that the reason the Civil War began is because of the incompatibility of pro-slavery and anti-slavery ideologies. I think that the government at that time should consider the possibilities of the occurrence of such imbalanced thought within the society and never had underestimated the strength of the weaker. Just because of one mistake, it led to the bloodshed of the Civil War. [4] Thus, the language of history in the form of the chronology, reason and result of an event enables us to learn the value and act as a reminder to ourselves in the future.
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The claim is true to a certain extent that the vocabulary in each area of knowledge does more than convey information; it actually allows us to understand the connotation and provides us the ability to expand the value of the knowledge to the fullest. From the part where it describe vocabulary as an ability to ‘communicate our knowledge’ show that the vocabulary is the access to any area of knowledge and that it expresses information. Nevertheless, never should we neglect that vocabularies are often developed to simplify conversation by reducing complicated concepts. As a result of specialisation in each area, the overuse of jargon usually obfuscates conversation thereby suppressing the exchange of idea. Furthermore, the part where the claim mentioned ‘what we can know’ implies that there is a limit to knowledge. I believe that there is no limit in an area of knowledge. It is infinity and is developing every moment. This is where the vocabulary plays a significant role. Vocabulary is not just a bridge towards information; it is the tool that we should utilize to enlarge the area of knowledge to its maximum.
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[1] http://thinkexist.com/quotation/painting_is_poetry_that_is_seen_rather_than_felt/170397.html
[2] http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/paintings&poems/street.html
[3] http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/paintings&poems/street.html
[4] http://www.examiner.com/american-history-in-national/the-ten-biggest-mistakes-american- history