Return to flip book view

Unit 1.1: WordsContents1.1.a Introduction 21.1.b THE BET, by Anton Chekhov 61.1.c Questions for Review: “The Bet” 221.1.d Aristotle’s Rhetoric 251.1.e Questions for Review: Rhetoric 291.1f Wittgenstein on Language 311.1g Questions on Wittgenstein on Language 341

Unit 1.1: Words1.1.a IntroductionWords are the building blocks of all communication: writing,speaking, listening, and reading. To misunderstand words and howthey function is key to communicating well.The art of understanding how words are used is essentially aboutgrasping the nuances, contexts, and connotations associated withthe way words are employed in different situations. It involvesdeveloping a sensitivity to the diverse ways in which languagefunctions and being attentive to the subtleties of meaning that canarise through language use. Here are some key aspects of this art:1. Contextual Awareness: Understanding how words are usedrequires attentiveness to the specific context in which theyappear. The meaning of a word can vary depending on thesetting, the participants involved, their intentions, and thecultural or social norms at play. Being aware of thesecontextual factors helps in interpreting and respondingappropriately to the intended meaning.2. Pragmatic Understanding: Pragmatics deals with the study oflanguage in use, focusing on how context, speaker intentions,2

Unit 1.1: Wordsand implied meaning influence communication.Understanding how words are used involves recognizing thepragmatic aspects of language, such as implicatures,presuppositions, and speech acts. It involves considering notonly the literal meaning of words but also the intendedmeaning, implied messages, and the overall communicativeintent behind the words used.3. Cultural and Societal Factors: Language use is influenced bycultural and societal factors, including shared values, norms,and expectations. The art of understanding words involvesbeing sensitive to these cultural and societal influences, asthey shape the meanings and associations attached tocertain words. Recognizing cultural and societal nuanceshelps avoid misinterpretations and fosters effectivecommunication across different communities.4. Contextual Inference: Sometimes, the meaning of a word orphrase may not be explicitly stated but can be inferred fromthe surrounding context. Understanding how words are usedrequires the ability to make appropriate inferences based onthe available information. This involves drawing on3

Unit 1.1: Wordsbackground knowledge, making connections, and filling ingaps to arrive at a coherent understanding.5. Flexibility and Openness: Language is a dynamic and evolvingsystem, constantly influenced by social, technological, andcultural changes. The art of understanding wordsnecessitates a willingness to adapt and learn, being open tonew usages, emerging meanings, and evolving linguisticpractices. Staying attuned to changes in language use helpsmaintain effective communication and avoidsmisunderstandings.Developing the art of understanding how words are used is acontinual process of observation, listening, and engagement withlanguage in its various forms. It involves an active and mindfulapproach to language, recognizing that meaning is not fixed butemerges through the intricate interplay of words, context, and theintentions of those involved in communication.4

Unit 1.1: WordsIn this unit, we will explore the meaning of words and how theyfunction through short stories, insights, and more. Let’s begin with“The Bet” by Anton Chekhov.5

Unit 1.1: Words1.1.b THE BET, by Anton ChekhovChekov’s famous play, The Bet, is considered a masterpiece for itsuse of keywords and recurring themes. This wordplay is essentialfor good communication: keywords act like a thread runningthrough a piece of writing, that gives it continuity and cohesion.Keep an eye out for the use of the following key words throughoutthe story:The key words in Anton Chekhov's short story "The Bet" are:Bet: The central concept of the story, where a wager is madebetween the lawyer and the banker.Two million: The amount of money involved in the bet, whichserves as a symbol of material wealth and the stakes of the wager.Solitude: The theme of isolation and seclusion, which is exploredthrough the lawyer's voluntary confinement for fifteen years.Wisdom: The lawyer's pursuit of knowledge, education, andintellectual growth during his confinement, representing the valueof wisdom and intellectual development.Time: The passage of time is a significant element in the story, as itaffects the characters' perspectives and attitudes towards life andthe bet.6

Unit 1.1: WordsCapital punishment: The idea of capital punishment is debatedbetween the lawyer and the banker, highlighting philosophical andethical perspectives on life and death.Books: The lawyer's main source of engagement andentertainment during his confinement, representing the power ofliterature and its ability to shape one's worldview.Freedom: The concept of freedom is explored throughout thestory, as the characters reflect on the true value and meaning offreedom in relation to material possessions and intellectualpursuits.Inner transformation: The story delves into the inner changes thatoccur within the lawyer as he undergoes his self-imposed solitude,revealing the potential for personal growth and self-discovery.Life's meaning: The story raises existential questions about thepurpose and meaning of life, as both the banker and the lawyerreassess their perspectives on wealth, knowledge, and happiness.These keywords capture the central ideas and themes inChekhov's "The Bet" and provide a starting point for furtherexploration of the story.✒IT WAS a dark autumn night. The old banker was walking up anddown his study and remembering how, fifteen years before, he hadgiven a party one autumn evening. There had been many clever7

Unit 1.1: Wordsmen there, and there had been interesting conversations. Amongother things they had talked of capital punishment. The majority ofthe guests, among whom were many journalists and intellectualmen, disapproved of the death penalty. They considered that formof punishment out of date, immoral, and unsuitable for ChristianStates. In the opinion of some of them the death penalty ought tobe replaced everywhere by imprisonment for life."I don't agree with you," said their host the banker. "I have not triedeither the death penalty or imprisonment for life, but if one mayjudge à priori, the death penalty is more moral and more humanethan imprisonment for life. Capital punishment kills a man at once,but lifelong imprisonment kills him slowly. Which executioner is themore humane, he who kills you in a few minutes or he who dragsthe life out of you in the course of many years?""Both are equally immoral," observed one of the guests, "for theyboth have the same object -- to take away life. The State is notGod. It has not the right to take away what it cannot restore when itwants to."8

Unit 1.1: WordsAmong the guests was a young lawyer, a young man offive-and-twenty. When he was asked his opinion, he said:"The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral, butif I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment forlife, I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is betterthan not at all."A lively discussion arose. The banker, who was younger and morenervous in those days, was suddenly carried away by excitement;he struck the table with his fist and shouted at the young man:"It's not true! I'll bet you two millions you wouldn't stay in solitaryconfinement for five years.""If you mean that in earnest," said the young man, "I'll take the bet,but I would stay not five but fifteen years.""Fifteen? Done!" cried the banker. "Gentlemen, I stake two millions!""Agreed! You stake your millions and I stake my freedom!" said theyoung man.9

Unit 1.1: WordsAnd this wild, senseless bet was carried out! The banker, spoilt andfrivolous, with millions beyond his reckoning, was delighted at thebet. At supper he made fun of the young man, and said:"Think better of it, young man, while there is still time. To me twomillions are a trifle, but you are losing three or four of the best yearsof your life. I say three or four, because you won't stay longer. Don'tforget either, you unhappy man, that voluntary confinement is agreat deal harder to bear than compulsory. The thought that youhave the right to step out in liberty at any moment will poison yourwhole existence in prison. I am sorry for you."And now the banker, walking to and fro, remembered all this, andasked himself: "What was the object of that bet? What is the goodof that man's losing fifteen years of his life and my throwing awaytwo millions? Can it prove that the death penalty is better or worsethan imprisonment for life? No, no. It was all nonsensical andmeaningless. On my part it was the caprice of a pampered man,and on his part simple greed for money. . . ."Then he remembered what followed that evening. It was decidedthat the young man should spend the years of his captivity under10

Unit 1.1: Wordsthe strictest supervision in one of the lodges in the banker's garden.It was agreed that for fifteen years he should not be free to crossthe threshold of the lodge, to see human beings, to hear thehuman voice, or to receive letters and newspapers. He was allowedto have a musical instrument and books, and was allowed to writeletters, to drink wine, and to smoke. By the terms of the agreement,the only relations he could have with the outer world were by a littlewindow made purposely for that object. He might have anything hewanted -- books, music, wine, and so on -- in any quantity hedesired by writing an order, but could only receive them throughthe window. The agreement provided for every detail and everytrifle that would make his imprisonment strictly solitary, and boundthe young man to stay there exactly fifteen years, beginning fromtwelve o'clock of November 14, 1870, and ending at twelve o'clock ofNovember 14, 1885. The slightest attempt on his part to break theconditions, if only two minutes before the end, released the bankerfrom the obligation to pay him two millions.For the first year of his confinement, as far as one could judge fromhis brief notes, the prisoner suffered severely from loneliness anddepression. The sounds of the piano could be heard continually11

Unit 1.1: Wordsday and night from his lodge. He refused wine and tobacco. Wine,he wrote, excites the desires, and desires are the worst foes of theprisoner; and besides, nothing could be more dreary than drinkinggood wine and seeing no one. And tobacco spoilt the air of hisroom. In the first year the books he sent for were principally of alight character; novels with a complicated love plot, sensationaland fantastic stories, and so on.In the second year the piano was silent in the lodge, and theprisoner asked only for the classics. In the fifth year music wasaudible again, and the prisoner asked for wine. Those who watchedhim through the window said that all that year he spent doingnothing but eating and drinking and lying on his bed, frequentlyyawning and angrily talking to himself. He did not read books.Sometimes at night he would sit down to write; he would spendhours writing, and in the morning tear up all that he had written.More than once he could be heard crying.In the second half of the sixth year the prisoner began zealouslystudying languages, philosophy, and history. He threw himselfeagerly into these studies -- so much so that the banker had12

Unit 1.1: Wordsenough to do to get him the books he ordered. In the course of fouryears some six hundred volumes were procured at his request. Itwas during this period that the banker received the following letterfrom his prisoner:"My dear Jailer, I write you these lines in six languages. Show themto people who know the languages. Let them read them. If they findnot one mistake I implore you to fire a shot in the garden. That shotwill show me that my efforts have not been thrown away. Thegeniuses of all ages and of all lands speak different languages, butthe same flame burns in them all. Oh, if you only knew whatunearthly happiness my soul feels now from being able tounderstand them!" The prisoner's desire was fulfilled. The bankerordered two shots to be fired in the garden.Then after the tenth year, the prisoner sat immovably at the tableand read nothing but the Gospel. It seemed strange to the bankerthat a man who in four years had mastered six hundred learnedvolumes should waste nearly a year over one thin book easy ofcomprehension. Theology and histories of religion followed theGospels.13

Unit 1.1: WordsIn the last two years of his confinement the prisoner read animmense quantity of books quite indiscriminately. At one time hewas busy with the natural sciences, then he would ask for Byron orShakespeare. There were notes in which he demanded at the sametime books on chemistry, and a manual of medicine, and a novel,and some treatise on philosophy or theology. His readingsuggested a man swimming in the sea among the wreckage of hisship, and trying to save his life by greedily clutching first at one sparand then at another.IIThe old banker remembered all this, and thought:"To-morrow at twelve o'clock he will regain his freedom. By ouragreement I ought to pay him two millions. If I do pay him, it is allover with me: I shall be utterly ruined."Fifteen years before, his millions had been beyond his reckoning;now he was afraid to ask himself which were greater, his debts orhis assets. Desperate gambling on the Stock Exchange, wildspeculation and the excitability which he could not get over even inadvancing years, had by degrees led to the decline of his fortune14

Unit 1.1: Wordsand the proud, fearless, self-confident millionaire had become abanker of middling rank, trembling at every rise and fall in hisinvestments. "Cursed bet!" muttered the old man, clutching hishead in despair "Why didn't the man die? He is only forty now. Hewill take my last penny from me, he will marry, will enjoy life, willgamble on the Exchange; while I shall look at him with envy like abeggar, and hear from him every day the same sentence: 'I amindebted to you for the happiness of my life, let me help you!' No, itis too much! The one means of being saved from bankruptcy anddisgrace is the death of that man!"It struck three o'clock, the banker listened; everyone was asleep inthe house and nothing could be heard outside but the rustling ofthe chilled trees. Trying to make no noise, he took from a fireproofsafe the key of the door which had not been opened for fifteenyears, put on his overcoat, and went out of the house.It was dark and cold in the garden. Rain was falling. A damp cuttingwind was racing about the garden, howling and giving the trees norest. The banker strained his eyes, but could see neither the earthnor the white statues, nor the lodge, nor the trees. Going to the spot15

Unit 1.1: Wordswhere the lodge stood, he twice called the watchman. No answerfollowed. Evidently the watchman had sought shelter from theweather, and was now asleep somewhere either in the kitchen or inthe greenhouse."If I had the pluck to carry out my intention," thought the old man,"Suspicion would fall first upon the watchman."He felt in the darkness for the steps and the door, and went into theentry of the lodge. Then he groped his way into a little passage andlighted a match. There was not a soul there. There was a bedsteadwith no bedding on it, and in the corner there was a dark cast-ironstove. The seals on the door leading to the prisoner's rooms wereintact.When the match went out the old man, trembling with emotion,peeped through the little window. A candle was burning dimly inthe prisoner's room. He was sitting at the table. Nothing could beseen but his back, the hair on his head, and his hands. Open bookswere lying on the table, on the two easy-chairs, and on the carpetnear the table.16

Unit 1.1: WordsFive minutes passed and the prisoner did not once stir. Fifteenyears' imprisonment had taught him to sit still. The banker tappedat the window with his finger, and the prisoner made no movementwhatever in response. Then the banker cautiously broke the sealsoff the door and put the key in the keyhole. The rusty lock gave agrating sound and the door creaked. The banker expected to hearat once footsteps and a cry of astonishment, but three minutespassed and it was as quiet as ever in the room. He made up hismind to go in.At the table a man unlike ordinary people was sitting motionless.He was a skeleton with the skin drawn tight over his bones, withlong curls like a woman's and a shaggy beard. His face was yellowwith an earthy tint in it, his cheeks were hollow, his back long andnarrow, and the hand on which his shaggy head was propped wasso thin and delicate that it was dreadful to look at it. His hair wasalready streaked with silver, and seeing his emaciated,aged-looking face, no one would have believed that he was onlyforty. He was asleep. . . . In front of his bowed head there lay on thetable a sheet of paper on which there was something written in finehandwriting.17

Unit 1.1: Words"Poor creature!" thought the banker, "he is asleep and most likelydreaming of the millions. And I have only to take this half-deadman, throw him on the bed, stifle him a little with the pillow, and themost conscientious expert would find no sign of a violent death. Butlet us first read what he has written here. . . ."The banker took the page from the table and read as follows:"To-morrow at twelve o'clock I regain my freedom and the right toassociate with other men, but before I leave this room and see thesunshine, I think it necessary to say a few words to you. With a clearconscience I tell you, as before God, who beholds me, that I despisefreedom and life and health, and all that in your books is called thegood things of the world."For fifteen years I have been intently studying earthly life. It is true Ihave not seen the earth nor men, but in your books I have drunkfragrant wine, I have sung songs, I have hunted stags and wildboars in the forests, have loved women. . . . Beauties as ethereal asclouds, created by the magic of your poets and geniuses, havevisited me at night, and have whispered in my ears wonderful talesthat have set my brain in a whirl. In your books I have climbed to18

Unit 1.1: Wordsthe peaks of Elburz and Mont Blanc, and from there I have seen thesun rise and have watched it at evening flood the sky, the ocean,and the mountain-tops with gold and crimson. I have watchedfrom there the lightning flashing over my head and cleaving thestorm-clouds. I have seen green forests, fields, rivers, lakes, towns. Ihave heard the singing of the sirens, and the strains of theshepherds' pipes; I have touched the wings of comely devils whoflew down to converse with me of God. . . . In your books I have flungmyself into the bottomless pit, performed miracles, slain, burnedtowns, preached new religions, conquered whole kingdoms. . . ."Your books have given me wisdom. All that the unresting thoughtof man has created in the ages is compressed into a smallcompass in my brain. I know that I am wiser than all of you."And I despise your books, I despise wisdom and the blessings ofthis world. It is all worthless, fleeting, illusory, and deceptive, like amirage. You may be proud, wise, and fine, but death will wipe youoff the face of the earth as though you were no more than miceburrowing under the floor, and your posterity, your history, your19

Unit 1.1: Wordsimmortal geniuses will burn or freeze together with the earthlyglobe."You have lost your reason and taken the wrong path. You havetaken lies for truth, and hideousness for beauty. You would marvelif, owing to strange events of some sorts, frogs and lizards suddenlygrew on apple and orange trees instead of fruit, or if roses beganto smell like a sweating horse; so I marvel at you who exchangeheaven for earth. I don't want to understand you."To prove to you in action how I despise all that you live by, Irenounce the two millions of which I once dreamed as of paradiseand which now I despise. To deprive myself of the right to themoney I shall go out from here five hours before the time fixed, andso break the compact. . . ."When the banker had read this he laid the page on the table,kissed the strange man on the head, and went out of the lodge,weeping. At no other time, even when he had lost heavily on theStock Exchange, had he felt so great a contempt for himself. Whenhe got home he lay on his bed, but his tears and emotion kept himfor hours from sleeping.20

Unit 1.1: WordsNext morning the watchmen ran in with pale faces, and told himthey had seen the man who lived in the lodge climb out of thewindow into the garden, go to the gate, and disappear. The bankerwent at once with the servants to the lodge and made sure of theflight of his prisoner. To avoid arousing unnecessary talk, he tookfrom the table the writing in which the millions were renounced,and when he got home locked it up in the fireproof safe.21

Unit 1.1: Words1.1.c Questions for Review: “The Bet”What is the central theme of Anton Chekhov's story, "The Bet"?a) The power of money and material possessions.b) The value of human life and the pursuit of knowledge.c) The consequences of making hasty judgments.d) The importance of maintaining social status.In "The Bet," what is the initial wager between the banker and theyoung lawyer?a) The banker bets the lawyer $100,000 that he cannotwithstand solitary confinement for five years.b) The lawyer bets the banker $100,000 that he can remainisolated for fifteen years.c) The banker bets the lawyer $1 million that he cannot readall the books in the banker's library in ten years.d) The lawyer bets the banker $1 million that he can escapefrom the banker's mansion within twenty-four hours.How many years does the young lawyer spend in solitaryconfinement?a) Five years.b) Ten years.c) Fifteen years.d) Twenty years.22

Unit 1.1: WordsWhat does the lawyer request from the banker shortly before thefifteen-year period ends?a) A visit to the outside world.b) A letter of apology.c) A copy of the Bible.d) The money he has won.What does the banker plan to do in response to the lawyer'srequest?a) Provide him with books to read.b) Offer him a chance to escape and win his freedom.c) Kill the lawyer to avoid fulfilling the bet.d) Pay the lawyer his winnings and end the bet.What does the banker find when he enters the lawyer's room on thenight of the bet's deadline?a) The lawyer has escaped through a secret passage.b) The lawyer has committed suicide.c) The lawyer has fallen into a deep sleep.d) The lawyer has finished reading all the books.How does the story "The Bet" conclude?a) The banker pays the lawyer the money and they becomefriends.b) The lawyer escapes from the banker's mansion and goeson the run.23

Unit 1.1: Wordsc) The banker decides to kill the lawyer to avoid fulfilling thebet.d) The lawyer refuses the money, stating that life is morevaluable than wealth.What is the significance of the last line in "The Bet": "Fifteen yearsbefore, his millions had been beyond his reckoning; now he wasafraid to ask himself which were greater, his debts or his assets."a) The banker realizes the emptiness and futility of materialwealth.b) The banker has become bankrupt and is left with nothing.c) The banker reflects on his poor financial decisions andregrets making the bet.d) The banker believes that the lawyer's life is worth more thanany amount of money.24

Unit 1.1: Words1.1.d Aristotle’s RhetoricThe Rhetoric is Aristotle’s most famous and influential work oncommunication and persuasion. The following outlines the keyelements of this monumental work. Once you have gone throughthe material, try the questions below (some of which will appear inthe end of unit quiz).Ethos: Ethos refers to the credibility and trustworthiness of thespeaker or writer. It involves establishing yourself as an authority onthe subject matter, demonstrating expertise, integrity, and agenuine concern for the audience's well-being. Building ethosinvolves presenting relevant qualifications, sharing personalexperiences, and using reputable sources to support yourarguments. By establishing a strong ethos, you enhance yourpersuasive power by gaining the audience's confidence andrespect.Pathos: Pathos taps into the emotions and values of the audienceto evoke a desired response. It involves appealing to their hopes,fears, desires, and shared values. By using emotional language,25

Unit 1.1: Wordsstorytelling, vivid imagery, and relatable examples, you can createan emotional connection with your audience. Pathos allows you toengage their empathy, compassion, and sense of justice, makingyour message more relatable and memorable.Logos: Logos relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and rationalarguments to persuade the audience. It involves presentingwell-structured and coherent arguments that are supported byfacts, data, expert opinions, and cause-and-effect relationships.Logos requires you to analyze your audience's logical frameworkand craft arguments that align with their values and beliefs. Byemploying logical reasoning, you can build a strong case andcounter opposing arguments effectively.Arrangement: Arrangement refers to the organization and structureof your message. A well-arranged message captures attention,maintains interest, and facilitates understanding. It typicallyconsists of three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.The introduction grabs the audience's attention, establishesrelevance, and previews your main points. The body presents yourarguments in a logical and coherent manner, supporting them with26

Unit 1.1: Wordsevidence and examples. The conclusion reinforces your mainpoints, provides a call to action or a memorable takeaway, andleaves a lasting impression.Style: Style involves the use of language, rhetorical devices, andtone to enhance the effectiveness of your communication. Itencompasses choosing appropriate words, using metaphors,similes, and other figures of speech to create vivid imagery, andemploying rhetorical devices like repetition, parallelism, andcontrast for emphasis. A well-crafted style captures the audience'sattention, makes your message more engaging and memorable,and reflects your unique voice and personality.Delivery: Delivery focuses on how you present your messageverbally and nonverbally. It includes aspects such as voicemodulation, pace, gestures, facial expressions, and body language.Effective delivery requires confidence, clarity, and audienceengagement. By using appropriate intonation, varied vocaldynamics, and expressive gestures, you can enhance yourmessage's impact, maintain the audience's interest, and establisha connection with them.27

Unit 1.1: WordsBy understanding and applying these key elements of rhetoric, youcan become a persuasive communicator who engages theaudience, influences their beliefs and actions, and fostersmeaningful connections through the power of effective andcompelling language.28

Unit 1.1: Words1.1.e Questions for Review: RhetoricWhat is the key purpose of establishing ethos in communication?a) To evoke emotional responses from the audience.b) To structure arguments in a logical and coherent manner.c) To build credibility and trustworthiness.d) To employ vivid language and rhetorical devices.Which element of communication appeals to the audience'semotions and values?a) Ethosb) Pathosc) Logosd) StyleWhich element of persuasion relies on logical reasoning andevidence?a) Ethosb) Pathosc) Logosd) DeliveryWhat does arrangement refer to in communication?a) The organization and structure of the message.b) The use of language and rhetorical devices.29

Unit 1.1: Wordsc) The establishment of credibility and trustworthiness.d) The delivery and presentation of the message.What does style encompass in effective communication?a) Appealing to the audience's emotions and values.b) Using logical reasoning and evidence to supportarguments.c) The organization and structure of the message.d) Employing language, rhetorical devices, and tone.What does delivery focus on in communication?a) Building credibility and trustworthiness.b) Appealing to the audience's emotions and values.c) The organization and structure of the message.d) How the message is presented verbally and nonverbally.30

Unit 1.1: Words1.1f Wittgenstein on LanguageLudwig Wittgenstein is one of the most famous philosophers oflanguage.Wittgenstein's theory of language, presented in his work"Philosophical Investigations," is centered around the idea that themeaning of language is derived from its use within specificlanguage games and social contexts. Here is a summary of his keyideas:Language Games: Wittgenstein introduced the concept oflanguage games, which are forms of social practices involving theuse of language. Language is not a fixed set of rules but a flexibleand dynamic activity shaped by its diverse contexts and purposes.Each language game has its own rules and conventions, andmeaning arises from the interactions within these games.Meaning as Use: According to Wittgenstein, the meaning of a wordis not found in any inherent property or reference to an externalobject but is derived from its use in a particular language game.Words gain their significance through their functional role within31

Unit 1.1: Wordsspecific contexts, such as giving commands, making descriptions,or expressing emotions.Family Resemblance: Wittgenstein proposed the idea of familyresemblance to capture the diverse ways in which languagegames are connected. Instead of seeking a single defining featureshared by all instances of a concept or word, he argued thatsimilarities and overlapping characteristics create a network ofconnections, much like a family's resemblance through variousfamily members.Private Language: Wittgenstein challenged the idea of acompletely private language accessible only to an individual. Heargued that meaningful language requires a sharedunderstanding within a community and that private experiencesalone cannot establish a coherent language system.Forms of Life: Wittgenstein emphasized the inseparability oflanguage from the broader forms of life and social practices inwhich it is embedded. Language is intertwined with our culture,habits, and ways of life, shaping and being shaped by ourunderstanding of the world.32

Unit 1.1: WordsLanguage and Reality: Wittgenstein rejected the notion of a strictcorrespondence between language and reality. He argued thatlanguage does not mirror reality, but rather language and ourunderstanding of the world are intertwined and influenced by ourlanguage games and social practices.Wittgenstein's theory of language has had a profound impact onphilosophy, linguistics, and the social sciences. His emphasis onlanguage use, meaning in context, and the social nature oflanguage has influenced fields such as pragmatics,sociolinguistics, and the philosophy of mind and language.33

Unit 1.1: Words1.1g Questions on Wittgenstein on LanguageAccording to Wittgenstein, the meaning of a word is derived from:a) Its inherent propertiesb) Its reference to an external objectc) Its use in a particular language gamed) Its grammatical structureWittgenstein proposed the concept of "family resemblance" toexplain:a) The connection between language and realityb) The private nature of languagec) The diversity of language gamesd) The correspondence theory of truthThe art of understanding how words are used involves:a) Ignoring contextual factorsb) Focusing only on literal meanings34

Unit 1.1: Wordsc) Recognizing cultural and societal influencesd) Using words in a fixed and rigid mannerWittgenstein argued that a completely private language:a) Is easily accessible to individualsb) Requires shared understanding within a communityc) Can accurately represent personal experiencesd) Is essential for meaningful communicationThe study of language in use and its contextual aspects is knownas:a) Pragmaticsb) Semanticsc) Syntaxd) Morphology35