Alfred bloom, in 1981, came to several of the following conclusions regarding language:
“Learning new disciplines largely consists in coming to understand and use appropriately the individual labeled schemas that constitute its fundamental vocabulary.” – Words mean something. The world that we live in is a construct of the words we define it by. The deeper our vocabulary can penetrate into the vastness of language, the more in-depth the reality we exist in. They are the building blocks on which we conceptualize the universe that our lives are bound by. In a very Piagetian-fashion, words build schema that are essential to our current ways of contributing to how we understand.
“Labeled schemas serve as nodes of memory, around which entire knowledge clusters are built.” – They are the sun around which revolve our thoughts and opinions, our values and beliefs. These cores of understanding are in turn powered by our synaptic connections, networks of neurons that fuel our cognition. These pathways provide an interconnectivity of the mind that is enhanced through our development of language. Literacy – a form of understanding – provides a framework for assessing language mastery, and thus cognitive development. The more we read and write, the stronger our intelligence and capabilities will be.
“These schemas lead to the developing of shared perspectives of reality.” – These shared experiences and perspectives are what bind us. They create a magnetism of the mind, a passion for pursuing these similarities. And like networks of neurons, a social interconnectivity is created, around which clusters of knowledge revolve. These shared ideas, that yield a diversity of interpretations and insights, are what feed innovations. They launch ingenuity and spur revelations in thought. Words mean something. They provide us with a source for comprehending that which we perceive. They make it easier to befriend others, making known shared similarities, so that connections can be made.
“Lexical schemas like ‘rhyme,’ ‘rhythm,’ and ‘metaphor’ provide a blueprint for the understanding of poetry.” – Passion and expression, emotion and sincerity… all elements of poetry; all are wonderful forms of the human condition. The word ‘poetry’ is a word that conveys a structure of conceptualization that truly brings out the best in us, the way that all words with meaning do. Poetry is a call to connect, a bridge to close the gap between us. It is a pathway toward understanding one another.
“…They play active roles in how we categorize the world, and hence the way we categorize our attitude to it.” – Speak kindly to yourself. Be poetic. It will not only change the way you see yourself, but also the way you see those around you. Be receptive to inspiration, and inspiration will find you. Expose yourself to memories that your brain can convert into positive pathways toward balance and happiness. Write a poem, listen to a poem. Create art, appreciate art. Inspire others, be inspired. All of these experiences add to the human condition, they increase the quality of life. These experiences begin at the cellular level and build into behaviors, which in turn stimulate those very cells. Words mean something. They are how we share this wild ride through life.
What’s Been Said…