Semantic Shift: The Instrument of Social Engineering

The Centuries-old neglected Modern Autocracy

Everything we see, do, or feel has a meaning. Linguistically we need specific information or beliefs intended to carry out in every communication we carve with others. We try to communicate with others and what it means to their stands to balance subjective perception and objective conveyance of a conveyed memorandum. It solely is a harmonious state of a word using various phrases; still, the current linguistically descriptive terms varied by type. All point to diverse motives and emphasis.

The Concept of Linguistic Deviation

In the practical meaning, and frequently, the linguistic variance of phrases, actions, and phenomena are deliberately manipulated. Words and phrases also evolved to be the subject of continual chronological reform elicited by the dynamic modifications of a given society at many points in the epoch and location.

It is liable for influence by limitless elements, including culture, ethnicity, race, values, and education. Just like some variabilities, what defines, yet means to a third-party bystander is a space that requires particular scrutiny and periodic revisits to stave off misuse; meanwhile, conserve synchrony between the members of its societal proprietor. Hence must avert maleficence of propaganda and conspiracy.

In other words, the definition is the confirmation of implying behind the terms, phrases, or symbols. They fall into two parts; intentional, which tries to give the sense to a given the word; and extensional definitions, which aim to list the objects that time describes. However, a significant type of meaning is the class of ostensive variety, which communicates the essence of a phrase by bringing up examples. Any given term may possess several distinct conceptions and numerous significances and, thus, with multiple definitions.

Traditionally, the fallacies and rules of definitions have been given attention so that they must also set out distinct fundamental attributes of the thing that are the subject of definition.

Definitions should resist circularity. It must avoid using the phrase interpreted as a piece of the meaning that infers to the prior knowledge of the original term. The definition also must not be too wide or too narrow. The explanation must not be obscure, or the description should not be adverse where it can be favorable.

However, Limitations of any definition given that a natural language such as English contains, at any given time, a finite number of words of any comprehensive roster of descriptions must either be circular or rely upon primitive notions. Therefore, various scholars have chosen to leave some terms undefined.

According to scholastic philosophers- the highest genera (also called the ten generalissimos) is undefinable since a more top family cannot be assigned under which they tend to fall.

Some people have opposed the notion that- every explanation of the meaning in a term must clarify itself. “As though an explanation will hang in the air unless supported by another one,” claiming that explanation of a word is only desired to avert misinterpretation.

The vagueness of meaning refers to the confusion about what is communicated, as the accepted context may lead to varied interpretations of the essence. Many phrases in many vocabularies have numerous definitions.

Ambiguity is an outcome of a spurt belonging to the statute of character, that the context defines the information exchange. If the sender is physically absent and the contexts explicitly divergent, as is when the receptor is a reader, and the sender was a writer.

What is a Meaning?

One point to noteworthy is the “Semantics.” The following levels to the relationship between phrases and their referents.

The Semantic Shift

Semantics is the examination of how connotation is expressed through signs and language.

Understanding how facial expressions, body language, and tone affect the meaning and how words, phrases, sentences, and punctuation relate to purpose are examples.

Various subgroups of semantics are studied within the fields of linguistics, logic, and computing. For example, linguistic semantics is a history of how words have been previously used; logical semantics includes how people imply and correlate in terms of likely pursuit and beliefs.

Amid an overwhelming discrepancy between definitions, meaning, and perceptions of words, phrases, or symbols; yet, we can repeatedly vouch for the periodic alteration of existing definitions.

Redefinition is the process of applying modifications to the meaning of something. It primarily influences the way people think about something in unique ways. For instance, Social networking has redefined the meaning of friends or has redefined the way people notice mental illness.

Meaning, definition, and redefinition, whether intentional or involuntary, are continually churning and deviating, as they are not only the body of objective creation of the humans but also must follow every individual’s perception at any given point of time, place, and situation. They concoct the fundamental factors behind Semantic change or drift, which is a perfect environment of evolution and propagation of hype of sensuality.

Every word entails fluctuation of senses and connotations. They can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the magnitude that cognates across space and time have exceedingly different implications. It is the prevailing notion that a variety of forces trigger semantic modifications. These include Linguistic, Psychological, Sociocultural, Cultural effects, and political factors.

Chronological Change of Definition

The chronological change of definition is real and sustained. Martha Gill, a political journalist, was a former lobby correspondent, a staffer Economist who served as a Statesman. She once said that the word “Literally” is the most misused language and has changed meaning.

Now as well as meaning “in a literal manner or sense; exactly: The driver took it literally when asked to go straight over the traffic circle.”

Numerous dictionaries have added other more recent usage for the latter word.

As Google puts it:

The term “ literally “can be used “to acknowledge; something that is inaccurate.

If we Stick around long enough, we will discover that vocabulary changes, irrespective of our intention. The process of semantic shift happens for many justifications and in many manners. The four main popular categories are “Broadening,” Narrowing,” “Amelioration,” and “Pejoration.”

Broadening, also realized as generalization or extension. It stands for the process by which the connotation of a word becomes more comprehensive than an earlier meaning. For instance, in Old English, the term” dog” originally pertained to just one unique breed. Nonetheless; In contemporary English, of course, the dog can also refer to many different breeds, and something can relate to, well, anything!

The Narrowing is the opposite of Broadening. It refers to the type of semantic change in which a word’s meaning becomes less extensive. Such as, in old English, deer could apply to any animal, and a girl could mean a young person of either sex.

Today, the exact words have more specific meanings.

Amelioration pertains to the upgrading or rise in the status of a word’s meaning. For example, meticulous once meant “fearful or timid,” and sensitive meant merely “capable of using one’s senses.”

Pejoration is the downgrading or depreciation of a word’s meaning.

The adjective silly, for instance, once meant “blessed” or “innocent,” officious said “hard-working,” and aggravate expected to “increase the weight “of something.

Every editor must study the language as utilized to decide which words to include in the dictionary and determine what they mean. They must carefully monitor which words people use most often and how they use them. That includes corporation sponsorship of public media campaigns.

The material is on societal engineering techniques borrowing strategies that are most efficiently complement aristocracies to rectify civilizations. Within the pieces, the author defines societal engineering as: “the study of the creation and influence of human societies. It is a social science field, dealing with those social dynamics that operate on a large enough scale to affect entire populations.”

In the article, Jesse indicates the importance of recognizing the propensity of any meaning to differ from the answers provided to questions. The latter includes terms such as — what does the word “liberal” mean to you?- What about the word “Christian”?- How about “conservative,” “Jew,” “Muslim,” “Nigerian,” “American”?

The author further states that the answer would vary significantly depending on the person answering the particular question. Latter would perhaps shift overtime for that same person.

The article narrates why definitions of words change based on the beliefs that are attributes around them. The social engineering world uses this phenomenon to explain, analyze and even contribute to altering a word’s associations; henceforth, by doing that, one can merely change a person’s perspective on wording issues.” It works like magic when used right.”- He describes.

The Role of Societal Engineering

Today, societal engineering includes terms associated with a conveyed message and slowly toiling to remake their associations. Thereby their definitions for better alignment with what the audience ought to assume.

The fundamental facet of societal engineering is about; when a particular phrase firmly attributes to the distinct notion that intention becomes embedded in the word’s definition.

For instance- the word “public”; once meant to describe something owned by everyone. Today we all know that not everyone owns every public park, road, or bridge.

Whether we call it marketing, publicity, or the game of words, ultimately, societal engineering precisely yet conveniently benefits a given purpose. That is easily achieved today through the semantic shift.

With the advent of information technology, social media, and partial controlled data, such an endeavor is a matter of convenience to entities that help steer public interest towards their ambitions.

Braj Bihari Kachru (May 15, 1932 — July 29, 2016) was an Indian linguist. He once postulated ideology and power are two of a kind yet vital solicitudes involving every major lexicographic dictionary.

A lexicographer and an observant user must struggle in any intense lexicographical industry. However, Critical lexicography did not receive ample awareness until 1995.

It was when Kachru Lann Hornscheidt; (born 1965 in Velbert, West Germany), a German academic active in the fields of gender studies and linguistics; and Anetta Kahane (born 1954 in East Berlin), a German journalist, author, and activist against antisemitism, racism, and right-wing extremism shed light for the first time on Critical lexicography.

The Meaningful Lexicography

To date, one can hardly find an organized theoretical picture of meaningful lexicography. In the global context, the expanse and function of critical lexicography are merely comparative. That is because it fails to take into consideration the theoretical and methodological inspiration of different disciplines. That includes “Critical Discourse and postcolonial Studies,” which likely make definitions robust and analytically descriptive. With this rift in cognizance, there have been a variety of proposed discourses on the manner of approach to Critical Lexicography, termed Critical Lexicographical Discourse Studies (CLDS), as a reply to the appeal. For lexicographers’ ‘ social accountability.’ It is not a hidden reality that the discrepancy of meaning, definition and intent leads to conspiracy, propaganda, and control.

Neil Postman (March 8, 1931 — October 5, 2003) is a well-known American author of twenty books, educator, media theorist, and cultural critic. His latest materials include;” Amusing Ourselves to Death,” Conscientious Objections,” Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology,” The Disappearance of Childhood,” and” The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School.”

Neil once stated-

“When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when a serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; a culture-death is a definite possibility.”

Today, what characterizes most political and administrative scene goes beyond just dysfunctional politics. Instead, it breathes as ruthlessly manufactured control executed behind the spectacles of the entertainment. Societal Scenery is riddled with the distracting and disingenuous curtain of political drama wielding redefinition of the popular phrases.

It is a testament to the leverage of the democratic hypothesis that tyrannical authorities worldwide privilege the veil of democracy for forms of government that sponsor legalized repression.

Semantic Shift on Democracy

“People’s democracy” refers primarily to the East European satellite regions where the Red Army imposed communism after World War II. Given the explicit totalitarianism of their political injunction of those nations, the term became a subject of disgrace. Various forms of democracy exist, all carrying different meanings, like Sovereign Democracy and liberal democracy.

Whether intentional, coincidental, or product of societal engineering, the desynchrony between definitions, meaning public perception of any phrase, is real. That is a sensitive ground for any word at a given point in time and place. Because it would serve as an ideal climate riddled with a Vacuum of opportunity for the benefit of adversaries.

Applied to the market, commodity production engineering occurs as a broadly significant contributor to the business deal when demands outweigh supply. But once mass production became competitively, efficient communication and definitions became a big player in the market terrain; that by itself replenished with mass abundances of comparative stocks.

Over time, with many alleys and clearly defined customer touch-points, designation identity, and strong ingenuity, inked added the maximum value to corporations.

Healthcare and Critical Lexicography

Keeping in mind what was discussed regarding semantic drifts and the influence of societal engineering and critical lexicography. Nevertheless, it applies to everything in our day-to-day lives.

Unsurprisingly, the inappropriate and out-of-context intention of definitions has neither spared the healthcare system. For example, phrases like; Personalized Medicine, Quality care, Value-based Reimbursement, Health, and Healthcare in the current healthcare domain represent a few of the many “buzzwords” filling the industry headlines. Their definition is in the context of the few stakeholders and players’ words.

Value of Healthcare

The Value of Healthcare today is merely based on partiality measures. Today, political rhetoric supports the current value of medical service as the output of baseless third-party algorithms. Their orotundity is barely a buzzword to entice interest without providing any substantial value.

Quality in Healthcare is not a mathematical formula!

We can’t execute genuine quality medical care through mandates, policies, or even new business models. Assigning value-based gauges to population-based medicine is a misfit and a failure based on inadequate definitions.

What is Healthcare Coverage?

Similarly, healthcare coverage is perceived as another human right. The US intends to implement a welfare program. The kind of program that differentiates the latter from social programs only legitimizes its compatibility with the nation’s constitution. Primary care medicine is another phrase with varied interpretations.

What is the Smart Policy of Definition?

Updated and precise definitions of establishing an accurate perception of meaning are noteworthy for every era, society, and scenario. It must strive to promote equal opportunity towards a clear understanding of the connotations and interpretations of phrases.

Despite all, enforcing the latest fundamental policies serve the corporate and administrative interest because the convenience is to clasp the thread of the public mind and access public wealth through semantic modifications.

Originally published at https://www.datadriveninvestor.com on February 14, 2020.