“The pioneering and still essential text on semantics, urging readers to improve human communication and understanding with precise, concrete language.”
This is much more accessible for me than Korzybski’s Science and Sanity, which was my first introduction towards this field of knowledge of the meaning behind words, in their different events, contexts and circumstances.
In 1938, Stuart Chase revolutionized the study of semantics with his classic text, The Tyranny of Words. Decades later, this eminently useful analysis of the way we use words continues to resonate, especially during these digital times of social media, fake news and wide interpretations.
Chase was a social theorist and writer who despised the imprecision of contemporary communication. Wide-ranging and erudite, this iconic volume was one of the first to condemn the overuse of abstract words and to exhort language users to employ words that make their ideas accurate, complete, and readily understood.
He encourages to ask and analyze further what people really mean with certain words and sentences, in certain contexts, during certain moments of events. Linguistically, he goes through major topics such as science, economics, politics, religion and social comments to give examples which become more clear the more you read.
In short, The Tyranny of Words will let you question general communications in life, which is a valuable asset towards trying to ascertain fiction from reality and lies from the truth. This is certainly a good read, which is worth your time, and it’s still relevant.
Rating: ***
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