Language, the origination of place

(d'Arbeloff, 2011)

Language, both in reality and virtual contexts, is a powerful and humanised tool, fundamental to communication, whether in the form of arts, body language, the written word or speech. The beginning of language is powerful in the sense that all achievements or accomplishments made by mankind stem from it. The use of virtual "language" to describe places and activities online shows the deep human influences. For example; superhighway, tagging and trolling are emotive words used for unemotional actions. As discussed in Tuan's article (1991. pp 684)  "without speech humans cannnot even begin to formulate ideas, discuss them and translate them into action that culminates in a built place"


Place is the personalised version of location, created through the use of language. "Specific sites are made meaningful through humans interacting with them" (Van Luyn, 2013) therefore becoming more personalised to either an individual or group of people. This place is therefore created through the use of language in imposing people's interpretations to create meaning. Virtual place is created through the interpretations of users'+ dividing the map of the network into more meaningful categories. Tuan (1991. pp 694) explains this connection stating that "if we are under obligation to build well, we are also under obligation to speak well, for the two are part of the same uniquely human, world-making process".

The ability to name a place, person or thing is empowering and the direct result of language and its connection to place. Empowering in that "those that have the capacity to name and tell stories about place hold power" (Van Luyn, 2013), over the place through influencing its usage, meaning and future interpretations. This can be seen through the naming of the social network GradCafe.com in general as well as its forum boards and categorised maps. This pertains to language through its use as a tool as "society at large, have come to see that speech- the right to speak and be heard, the right to name and have that name "stick"- is empowerment" (Tuan, 1991. pp 685).

Though the capacity to name something can be empowering to the namer, the "other" is silenced and therefore disempowered. This can be explained through the example of colonisation. The empire having the empowerment of naming silences native's naming rights (e.g. Terra Nullius) interpretation and meaning of the place or space through orientalism. This oppression is a form of cultural power palimpsest. "If people have the power to build, they also have the power to destroy, and on the whole, it is easier to destroy than to build" (Tuan, 1991. pp 693).

References:

d'Arbeloff, N. (2011). Hatsepshut's Temple [blog image] Retrieved from: http://tastingrhubarb.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/language-place-blog-carnival-edition-4.html

Tuan, Y. (1991). Language and the making of place: A narrative-descriptive approach. In Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 81(4), 684-694. Retrieved from: http://www.learnjcu.jcu.edu.au

Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place, Week 5 notes. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: http://www.learnjcu.jcu.edu.au