Mighty Meanings

Words alone… have the power to render objects (Tuan, 1991, p684). The words used to describe virtual spaces and activities on the internet, both reflect and shape our way of imagining virtual space. Words have power to draw immediate impressions, creating connotations and stigmas. Humans know the world through sensations, perception and conception (Tuan, 1979 - Van Luyn, 2013). Just as ‘spaces becomes places though human imposing meaning on it’ (Van Luyn, 2013) lexical choice has the power to ‘build sustain and destroy’ (Tuan, 1991, p694).

The term super highway creates an impression of a fast paced, multiple lane, infrastructure with a purpose for rapid transportation. The power of placing the word information in front of the term super highway, creates the perception of information at speed. As Tuan stated people have the power to build (Tuan, 1991, p 693) positive and negative connotations. The use of the word super to describe a virtual space connotes a place of supremacy. In contrast, the term sexting is stigmatically loaded. This negative perception is conceived from sensations around deviate sexual behavior. However perceptions of sexting differ, as ‘societies differ in the degree of importance they assign to [a]… word’ (Tuan, 1991, p691). Words and their meanings also differ according to certain characters imparted (Tuan, 1991, p688) upon it. This then narrows the focus to the power of naming. ‘Naming is power – the creative power to call something into being, to render the invisible visible, to impart a certain character to things’ (Tuan, 1992, p 688). Naming is not only linguistically powerful but it has the power to construct space and place.

To name and to ‘talk is an integral part of the process of construction’ (Tuan, 1991, p684). Initially transformation of virtual space into place begins with naming. ‘To call a feature …[a wall] is already to impart to it a certain character, but to call it [a firewall] it is to significantly enhance its distinctiveness’ (Tuan, 1991, p688). The distinctive and descriptiveness of naming a space, transforms it into a virtual place. A firewall is a security system implemented to protect platforms of the virtual world. The use of fire, in the name creates the perception of defense. The use of the word wall creates the impression of a three dimensional structure historically used for protection. The naming of the three dimensional virtual gaming world, SIMS, is a derivative of the term, subscriber identity module (SIM). This SIM is your virtual identity, storing all your memory, activities and online identity. Through this example of naming the virtual gaming space, SIMS; we see the power of naming along with its pragmatic meaning.

The terminology of the virtual world, whether it be, super highway, sexting, firewall, platform, virtual world, real world, all of these new technological linguistic terms serve to shape our understanding of, and access to the virtual world.

Reference List:

Merritt, P. (2012). Firewall [Image]. Retrieved from: http://angryblackbitch.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/firewall.html

  

Tuan, Y. (1991). Language and the making of place: A narrative-descriptive approach. In Annuals of the Association of American Geographers, 81(4), 684-696.

Van Luyn, A, (Lecturer). (2013 August 26). Stories and Places. Podcast retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au.