This text is just the introduction of a topic, which really interests me and it’s a sociolinguistic topic. It refers on the relativity of words, because of their position inside the different cultures or social groups. Thus, it’s also taking a look at the definition of “interpretation”, which connects directly with the topic.
I love words. I love every single word. I even more fancy, trying to (re-) construct the central, real and essential meaning of every word (“[Haupt-] Kern” in German). Almost sterilize them, leaving them naked. My “word(s) reconstruction” causes an almost suspicious neutrality. Α color blindness. For others. Not for me.
However, there are words that are not simply words; these words encapsulate other words. Terms, ideas; they need a whole group of smaller words, in order to come to the fore and deliver their deepest meanings succesfully.
The constantly alternating idea of democracy portrays how people choose to understand words – and in this particular case broadly established and “accepted” terms – according to their urgent need for satisfying their very personal needs. People not only translate words and whole ideas in their brain as they want; they also have the power to alter the words real meaning and content. That should be absolutely graspable.
Now, imagine in our super contemporary world how often this “word-alteration-process” takes place. Well guessed. Every single second.
The coming of internet and its almost uncountable possibilities, brought a totally new understanding and perception of language. Thus, it was not only me, who reconstructed words (of course in my own way). Outside, over there, behind monitors, they hanged out, trying to produce something new. Not just language of course.
But consider this. Think about democracy. Democracy in its very deep Kern. Remove every political association. You now are free. Probably. At least, you now chose what democracy means to you.
Because simply everyone interprets words the way it is, in his very own best interest, the rest of the world does not even bother reconstructing (and examining) words meaning again. That is why democracy and thousands of other words meanings were dangerously dichotomized.
Lignes invisibiles 
I’ve been thinking about “kern” too, although not quite in those terms. I notice that some folks glom onto a word and use it for their own purposes, when it doesn’t mean that thing at all. However, I have to be sure I’m not doing the same thing, and your insightful post was a good reminder for me. Thanks!
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Hello and sorry for my later reply – kind of lost inside the concept of time. Some words are magical meaning that if somebody starts analysing them, there is so much more making its appearance. Words inspire me is what I may try to say. Hope you are doing fine!
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Reblogged this on Nelson MCBS.
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Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.
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