Excerpts from
"Changing Your Stripes"

Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor

Understanding How Words Work:
You Can't Say What You Mean!.
by Matt Moody, Ph.D..

What is the meaning of the following phrase: I had a car stolen

If the phrase "I had a car stolen" is spoken verbally, the meaning of the phrase is clarified by accompanying vocal inflections and body gestures; as the Speaker changes the accent and emphasis on particular words, a change in meaning is indicated.

How Words Work. Words provide definitional constraints that narrow possible translations. Meaning is not directly in words per se; rather meaning resides in human beings. As meaning-makers, people "bring" meaning to words, and the act of "bringing" is called translation or interpretation.

A good illustration of how words work is given in the phrase: I had a car stolen.

Is there a single meaning in this string of words? As words can offer only approximate definitional boundaries, it is clear that this five-word phrase can have more than one meaning; yet the phrase does constrain the translator to a few likely possibilities. Putting vocal inflection upon individual words in the following phrases, consider these three possible meanings:

         I had a car stolen — a car was stolen from me, in the past.

         I had a car stolen — "a" single car was stolen from me, whether in the past or present.

         I had a car stolen — I enlisted the help of another person to pilfer a pontiac for me,
                                      a car that was not mine.

The five-word phrase provides interpretive boundaries that narrows meaning to at least three feasible options, and there are more, especially as various voice inflections, body gestures, and emotions are added to the speaking of these words.

As to this five-word phrase, the symbols alone cannot limit meaning down to one possibility. If the Speaker is still alive, we can simply ask that Speaker for clarification — for it is the Speaker's intent of heart that ultimately determines the "meaning" behind any communication (see 1 Samuel 16: 7; 1 Chron 28: 9).

In the process of deciphering sounds and symbols, there are other important factors to consider.

You Can't Say What You Mean. The philosopher Nietzsche said this of language: "Reality is captured in the categorical nets of language only at the expense of fatal distortion." Affirming a similar line of logic, Sir Francis Bacon stated, "words still manifestly force the understanding, throw everything into confusion, and lead mankind into vain and innumerable controversies and fallacies."

A broad definition of language includes all ways of communicating: both written and spoken words, vocal inflections, emotional expressions, body gestures, and every action that "says" something — which is ALL doings and deeds. For instance, the way we obtain and order our material possessions has rich symbolic meaning; likewise, the way we regard plants, animals, and the land "says" something too.

Everything we do, say, and feel . . . expresses "meaning," and reveals the core of the communicator, but all that is "meant" — via a myriad of symbols — requires interpretation by those who receive meaningful expressions. Because of this, here's a vital point: The Speaker's intended meaning is literally at the mercy of those who translate; for this reason, it is hard to say what you mean when those who Receive are NOT "getting it," or possibly NOT wanting to "get it" — for purposes of propaganda or politics, or both.

In a precise and exact sense, you can't say what you mean anyway — at least not through a one-time attempt. For this reason, continuing conversation is required to double-check nuances of intended meaning; it is in the ongoing dialogue that meaning comes clear.

Language is the medium through which "meaning-makers" make meaning. As Jergen Habermas maintained, "language is the reservoir of tradition and the medium in and through which we exist." Because human beings are inherently social and expressive, we don’t merely "use" language, . . . we "are" language! Life happens in language. This means, understanding the inherent properties of symbolic expression can expand our understanding of Self, and thus draw us nearer to Self-fulfillment.

The Nature of Language

1 - People are meaning makers! Words are symbols that only have meaning as living beings negotiate and assign meaning to them. Words—in and of themselves—do not mean.

2 - During communicative exchanges of sending and receiving, words provide descriptive, definitional constraints that disallow certain meanings, and open up other possible meanings. Most words have more than one meaning or definition.

3 - Because any particular word, or string of words, will inevitably have more than one meaning, the sender of symbols can’t simply put accurate ideas directly into the mind of the receiver. One cannot convey accurate ideas using approximate symbols.

4 - Because our world experience is detailed, particular, and specific—and the words we use to describe it are categorical and approximate—a loss of meaning is unavoidable. Reducing the richness of directly-lived experience to a string of sounds or symbols inevitably leads to a loss of meaning; this unavoidable loss of meaning is called communicative entropy.

5 - Human beings often do not possess the competency to adequately use linguistic symbols to convey meaning; hence, the oft used phrase is invoked, "you woulda had to been there," as well as the worn cliché, "you know what I mean?"

6 - Even if people are very articulate with their word selection, words themselves cannot fully encapsulate the richness of reality. Words provide only approximate description as opposed to accurate description. Nevertheless, there is a degree of sufficiency that can be attained as a conversation patiently continues: "I see what you mean" or "I get it now."

7 - After speakers have done their best to send a series of symbols, receivers then try to understand the mind and meaning of the sender by translating that approximate set of symbols. The inevitable loss of meaning that occurs as translators extract incomplete ideas from a sound or symbol is called communicative ellipsis.

8 - In written communications, readers do not have the benefit of voice inflection, body gestures, or experiential context to more fully understand the intent of the author. (Changing Your Stripes, p. 76, 77)

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The nature of language presents obstacles to understanding—yet, language is the very vehicle for facilitating understanding. Human Beings can overcome the inherent obstacles in language by patiently engaging in an ongoing conversation, where elaborations and clarifications can cause a message to ring clear. But there is an additional obstacle to clear communication: Self-Deception.

"God shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie" (2 Thess. 2: 11)

The real occurrence of Self-Deception or being self-deceived — believing a lie, but not being self-aware that this is what you are doing — is a phenomenon that I have studied and taught for many years. It is a key concept for helping people out of their trials and troubles. Self Deception is the same phenomenon that Paul calls "blinded" and "blindness" (Rom. 11: 7, 25) and Jesus called being "blind" (Matt. 15:14).

When a person is blind to the truth that comes from The Truth, the process of logical reasoning is powerless to make that person un-blind; the truths of God are not understood intellectually. This is what Paul was trying to teach in these verses:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, highminded, . . . ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3: 1-4, 7)

There is only one way out of blindness: By reversing the process by which we became blind in the first place. As we forsake our sins, "the spirit of God" will abide with us and thus our "eyes are open" (Numbers 24: 2-4).

Paul taught that only the pure can perceive purely; and that those people "that are defiled and unbelieving" will possess a "mind and conscience" that is also defiled (Titus 1: 15) — and any person with defiled and distorted perceptions, will be self-deceived — blind to the truth.

Read more about the problem that you don't think you have a problem.

* * * * * * *

The Greatest Prize
for Life's labors isn't
in material possessions
or impressive accomplishments,
but in the progress of personal character.
You labor for your own becoming, this is your richest reward.
Who You Become is your greatest possession,
make it your Masterpiece!
(Changing Your Stripes, 2nd Edition, page 274).

The book, "Changing Your Stripes" presents principles for getting out of
the ditch in which you've been dumped (the difficulties of which you are a victim), and
the ditch in which you've jumped (the difficulties for which you volunteer).

"Mastering a challenging situation
is ultimately a matter of
mastering yourself!"
- Matt Moody 

"Changing Your Stripes," teaches you the principles that lead to lasting change,
making you a new kind of creature capable of communicating with calm,
even as storms of contention swirl.

If these principles resonate and ring true,
then . . . this book is for you!

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Changing Your Stripes is a
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Changing Your Stripes

Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor