Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Speaking and speakers

"speaking must have speakers, but not merely in the same way as an effect must have a cause."(120)
In looking at this we can see that language does not have meaning outside of those who use it. Language gains its power when we speak to ourselves as well as speak to others who understand our language but this is different than cause and effect. cause and effect implies that it only exists while speakers are speaking but instead the mere existence of speakers or people who can receive language in a meaningful way holds language in a state of being. This makes me think of Latin insofar as it is just barely in a state of being because some have the ability to receive the language and i guess (baring pronunciation issues) people can speak it a little.

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