A language is a powerful tool that allows people to express themselves and communicate. However, billions of conflicts are caused by misunderstandings or misinterpretations of someone’s words. Each person thinks differently, which reflects not only in communication but in life as a whole. Therefore, Bad Birds and Better Birds in the book by Jean Aitchison can facilitate a better understanding of how people use words and meanings, which helps in communicating and learning languages.
The chapter’s premise is based on the prototype theory used in cognitive linguistics. For convenience, one can provide an example of the color blue as a conceptual category. Conspicuously, every person will imagine different kinds of blue when he or she hears this word. Some interesting findings indicate that people tend to ascribe some characteristics to a specific conceptual category, thus making blue ‘bluer’. One can also do this with the categories of animals, fruits, and any other concept. Despite such a cognitive pattern proved, the theory seems to broaden unknown and open areas for research rather than has flaws. The main explanation is that many factors influence the human ability to bind specific characteristics to a conceptual category, thus centering it in the row of numerous possible variables.
One of the most striking examples touches on the theory’s applicability in practice. It was a dilemma about the Yorkshire Ripper whether he deserved a long-term sentence or psychiatric treatment. Simply put, one had to find out if he was bad or mad. The most attention-inviting detail was the assumption that people with mental disorders cannot lie. Consequently, the meaning of ‘to lie’ also depends on context because even white lie exists. Thus, the Ripper’s inclination to pathological lying could have been examined. In addition, it does not point out the theory’s imperfection but calls for attention to the extra-linguistic factors that determine how communication will go and justify the choice of specific concepts. Court proceeding means legal context abundant with clearly articulated definitions for various subjects, objects, and phenomena.
Communication in two languages will also impact the perception and the ability to attribute particular features to a category. Each language has particular concepts and corresponding words unknown to people from other countries. Such a phenomenon is most vividly demonstrated during translating and interpreting. A translator or interpreter needs to find the most relevant option to convey the speaker’s message containing unknown concepts. In some cases, there will be necessary to use a long explanatory phrase instead of one word because there is no such concept in the other language. Thus, communication in two languages requires one to understand that foreigners can mean completely other despite using a supposedly similar concept.
The chapter provides valuable insights that have altered the way I approach language. It has become an axiom that people can attach different characteristics and meanings to the same concept or word. Various factors influence this phenomenon, including geography, culture, economy, community, and family. This assumption can help in communicating with others, namely, attentively listening to what they say to understand properly what exactly is meant. Moreover, when learning a new language, it is better to use a definition dictionary or listen to explanations from a native speaker because the meanings and emotional coloring of a word or expression vary.
In conclusion, the prototype theory proves that people tend to ascribe particular characteristics to a specific concept, thus emphasizing one representational item over the others. The theory may seem to have disadvantages, but one can consider them steps to studying what impacts human perception and alters the way of choosing words. It has been found that two-language communication should be based on the recognition that foreign people think differently, which influences the understanding of both dialog partners. Finally, the information in the chapter suggests that various factors determine how people categorize words and communicate.