Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
As you can tell there are many rules. That may be why English is such a difficult
language. The rules don't end here, as now sentences will be put together to form
paragraphs. Not all combinations of sentences will form meaningful or valid paragraphs
and once more we need to follow guidelines, which have been set up in defining the
language. But assuming we have some valid paragraphs, these put together will make up
what is referred to as a chapter. Obviously there are more rules in determining this
composition, just as before.
Now taking a group of related and meaningful chapters, the combination will
result in a novel or work of nonfiction. We now have what is referred to as a topic and I
shouldn't have to remind you of the necessity of following certain rules in order to
achieve a meaningful topic. The last grouping will give us our library, that is, putting a set
of topics together gives us this structure. Assuming all our topics pass the test of
“validity,” at this point we have no special rules as to what can go into our library.
Some might say that I missed a few groupings such as putting words together to
form a phrase. What about bunching three novels together for a trilogy or a set of works
together to get a volume? Why not put all the psychology topics in one department and
young adult fiction in another? You would have a very valid point but I am just trying to
outline the main tenets of a language. As I said earlier, all languages will follow a similar
set of rules, whether they are a foreign language or a computer language.
Just because there are rules for forming valid words and sentences and the like
doesn't mean that everyone conforms to them. I have worked with many people who
make up words. I'm sure you have too. These individuals use so-called “words” and
“sentences” as though they were as common as all those that are valid. This does make
for frustration and confusion and lack of understanding. However, it does gives me plenty
of material for my topics. If you've read any of them, you're aware that I have a great deal
of fun making up words. Someone has to do it. My 2005 topic,
for seeing eye dogs only
and its two sequels deal with missing intelligence as well as oxymorons, acronyms,
pleonasms, words and near words. There's another combination that I just heard about
recently, but it's not included here because I can't spell it.
Corporate America has its own set of words and phrases, but good luck finding
documentation anywhere. This makes it extremely difficult to figure out exactly what
they mean. If you are part of the business world as I had been for over twenty-five years,
mostly as a consultant, you may find it difficult in determining what people are talking
about. If you are outside the environment and you try to understand what is being said,
it's even worse. Perhaps that's why big business has so many problems.
If a language has no rules, you will never be able to use it or understand it. Too
many rules mean that there will be rebellion and once again you may as well have no
rules. Obviously there have to be some rules but there is a limit. You can't have too few
precepts nor too many. That middle ground will result in a successful language that meets
the needs of a group of people. This applies to everyday communication as well as the
languages of computers.
