What is Language?

This lecture focuses on language itself. It asks many questions. What is Language? How do we acquire and use language? Do we exist inside/outside of language? The word is the beginning and the end, so where do we fit in to the word.

Ferdinand de Saussure, linguist, and Jacques Lacan, psychologist, help us explore the subjective and objective realities of the word and our relationship to it. Enjoy this introduction to the nature of "The Word."

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• Language
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[ronaldonmg]

I just want to say that it's perfectly possible to think without having words, or at least to think things you don't have words for (yet).

Do you really supppose that deaf-mutes or speechless animals don't think?

[gerrywhite]

Words are just one type of language. Anything within the symbolic order is language, anything that represents something outside of itself. There is a signifier and what is signified. Shapes, images, and even feelings could be language. We use language to discuss, even with ourselves inside our own minds, what we experience. What do you th

[brazilianspiritzz]

body language, part of language.

[taboosun]

Very nice explanation of language. I thought I had understood this subject on a deeper level, but you brought more understanding to my consciousness and have helped in the expansion of it as well. The three words especially helped show how language really is the environment we live in.. Its interesting to think about. Thanks..

[jcliveron]

words are suppousedly mean to be our limits of knowledge not the knowledge of a thing get it?

[KiraVicious]

@RankAndFileGuy Really? I didn't know that

[RankAndFileGuy]

@KiraVicious There is no official language of the United States. English indeed is dominant, but it's not the offical language of the US.

[oooodaxteroooo]

id like to contradict. we do not exist in language. frustration, an orgasm etc. are mere symbols. these feelings exist without a label. and pretty much as with colors we do never know if these things mean the same feeling for somebody else. we just know we use the same symbols. through language we can sort of make ourselves understood, but we dont exist in it. these feelings have meaning in themselves in as much as they are distinct from each other (remember: colors), they dont need words.

[theenglishteacher33]

This video was quite instructional and interesting. Aren't you making more videos anymore?

Thanks for this one anyways, I enjoyed it.

[TDP788]

i thought of something that had no symbol, but i gave it one. it was a black hole jungle that was whispering and summoning me

[KiraVicious]

@A1R5N1P3R Well I'm American 'cause I was born in the same continent as you that's called "American" continent. Also as far as I know the official language from USA is english.

USA education system is a complete shit.

[A1R5N1P3R]

@KiraVicious sarcams? Now that's english; Sarcasm - that's American. See? Americans are smarter than you too...