The Meaning of Meaning

The Meaning of Meaning

Although the original text was published in 1923 it has been used as a textbook in many fields including linguistics, philosophy, language, cognitive science and most recently semantics. The book has been in print continuously since 1923. The most recent edition is the critical edition prepared by W. Terrence Gordon as volume 3 of the 5-volume set C. K. Ogden & Linguistics (London: Routledge/Thoemmes Press, 1995). For full publication history, including serialized publication in The Cambridge Magazine prior to the first edition of the book, consult W. Terrence Gordon, C. K. Ogden: a bio-bibliographical study (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990) or contact the author.

Richards sets forth a contextual theory of Signs: that Words and Things are connected “through their occurrence together with things, their linkage with them in a ‘context’ that Symbols come to play that important part in our life [even] the source of all our power over the external world” (47). In this context system, Richards develops a tri-part semiotics—symbol, thought and referent with three relations between then (thought to symbol=correct, thought-referent=adequate, symbol-reference=true) (11). Symbols are “those signs which men use to communicate one with another and as instruments of thought, occupy a peculiar place” (23). “All discursive symbolization involves […] weaving together of contexts into higher contexts” (220). So for a word to be understood “requires that it form a context with further experiences” (210). [1]

The book would later influence A.J. Ayer's Language, Truth and Logic, an introduction to Logical Positivism, and both the Richards–Ogden book and the Ayer book would, in turn, influence Alec King and Martin Ketley in the writing of their book The Control of Language, which appeared in 1939. This book would eventually lead C.S. Lewis to write the twentieth century's most powerful defense of natural law and objective values, The Abolition of Man, which would be published in 1943.

References

  1. ^ Richards, IA and CK Ogden. The Meaning of Meaning. Harvest/ HBJ 1989

Coincidental titles

See also

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