The View of Language as Communication by Conduit

The View of Language as Communication by Conduit

In an interview with George Lakoff, a linguistics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Ian A. Boal examines the social, political and economic implications of language and its relationship to the conduit metaphor. The interview, published in Boal's essay, Body, Brain and Communication, takes a closer look at the conduit metaphor in connection with computers and communication on the Internet and World Wide Web. More importantly, Boal-who is also a Berkeley professor-solicits Lakoff's views of computer technology and artificial intelligence; their effects on human values and the basic way people communicate and understand information in today's world.

Essentially, the conduit metaphor enables thoughts and ideas to be communicated through connecting cables and wireless transmissions using language as objects and metaphors. An effective conduit metaphor causes the listener to receive and understand the meaning behind a message without having to engage in too much thought. Comprehension of an idea is achieved intuitively, instinctively or with feeling. The conduit metaphor is a basic parable belonging to a larger family of metaphors, many of which can be found on Lakoff's Conceptual Metaphors home page at Berkeley's Cognitive Science web site, http://cogsci.berkeley.edu/.

The conduit metaphor, as described by its creator Michael Reddy, suggests that the mind can interpret ideas as objects that can be put into words, and thoughts are the organization or manipulation of those objects. Reddy says the objects that make up words or language reside in a storage container, or memory, where thoughts and ideas can be retrieved or recalled when needed. When ideas are ...

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... can perform many of their job functions. Just imagine, however, if computers had the ability to not only assume a particular function, but also could think and reason in the same manner as you and I. Are human beings really ready for this type of innovation? The answer to this question may come sooner that we think.

Works Cited

Boal, Ian A. Body, Brain and Communication: An Interview with George Lakoff. Composing Cyberspace. Ed. Richard Holeton. Boston. McGraw Hill Publishing. 1998. (21-31).

Ehrenreich, Barbara. Put Your Pants On, Demonboy. Composing Cyberspace. Ed. Richard Holeton. Boston. McGraw Hill Publishing. 1998. (80).

Lakoff, George. Conceptual Metaphors. 22 Mar.1994. 23 Mar. 2000. http://cogsci.berkeley.edu/

Shirley, John. Wolves of the Plateau. Composing Cyberspace. Ed. Richard Holeton. Boston. McGraw Hill Publishing. 1998. (135-141).