A potential problem for communication

Words, generally, are used to reference things or ideas -- no kidding, right?

Well, it gets a little more complicated.

Imagine a triangle: you, the word "ball," and an actual basketball.

The word "ball" has a real-world point of reference.

Now, let's say we could monitor the minds of three people, and we can know exactly what images and associations they "see" in their minds when a specific word is spoken.

So, I say the word "ball."

Person One sees a basketball -- it is round, circular, and it bounces.

Person Two sees a football -- it is not round, but it is an inflatable athletic item that bounces.

Person Three sees a grapefruit -- it is round, circular, but is not useful for athletics, at least not games that last very long.

In the above example, the same, common, every-day term -- "ball" -- unwittingly has become part of a communication breakdown.

So I am not attempting to define "ball," or to pick one definition over the other.

But the more controversial or sophisticated word used, the more difficult it is to communicate clearly.

Dan Aykroyd promoting Crystal Head Vodka

There pics are too good to pass up, even if they are a couple of weeks old.

NEW YORK - MARCH 18: Actor Dan Aykroyd promotes his Crystal Head Vodka at Park Avenue Liquor Shop on March 18, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Content © 2010 Getty Images All rights reserved.

Updates!

Last weekend, I blogged and Tweeted from the 2nd annual Myrtle Beach Beer Fest; you can see the blog posts at Malty Hops.

I've been blogging daily at Liturgical. I try to post at least one quotation per day, usually from a collection I began compiling about 16 years ago.

Here's one book I've been quoting quite a bit lately:

All done!

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Here's a good Beer Fest crowd

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