Open Manifesto #2

 

Tablo reader up chevron

{for Keren}

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Mind your language—An introduction by Kevin Finn

Everything we do is a form of communication. Where we live, how we dress, what we choose to do, how we talk to each other. All of these communicate at some level or another and contribute to the story of who and where we are. These stories have shaped our existence and the relationships we have with each other—our past, our present and our future. And we are continually communicating—telling—these stories.

Many of our early stories were visual, recorded in the form of primitive marks, drawings, paintings and pictograms, developing into art, dress, dance and music. But perhaps our most accomplished form of communication is language, written and verbal. Its evolution, complexity and diversity are success stories in their own right­—language has the ability to express complex or abstract ideas in a fairly accurate manner. The diversity of language also reflects another success story—the number of different cultures inhabiting our globe. 

Language is a primary element, identifier and communicator of culture, but world travel and the workings of global economics have caused the number of languages to diminish. As a result, the strength of some of those cultures is also weakening. Perhaps it is a case of survival of the fittest, but cultural diversity is of immense value. From each individual culture come stories rich with knowledge. At the very least, it makes our world a more interesting place. 

Though it is difficult to pin down the exact number of spoken languages currently in use, ‘linguists estimate that there are about 5,000-6,000 different languages spoken in the world today... [but] the majority of the languages in the world are unwritten and many of them are now disappearing.’  1

Perhaps it is a case of survival of the fittest, but cultural diversity is of immense value. From each individual culture come stories rich with knowledge. At the very least, it makes our world a more interesting place.

One language. One culture.
When a language is not used, for whatever reason, it is in danger of becoming redundant—if not extinct—and this can also affect the culture it belongs to. Although this loss is not the primary reason a culture may die off, it certainly strikes at the heart of its identity. Assimilation to a new or dominant language can bring wider access to the world, but this may come at quite a price. If a language dies without being recorded and translated, the traditional (and contemporary) stories of that culture—and the knowledge that comes with it—also disappear.

‘The most threatened [languages] are the indigenous languages of Australia and the New World. Of the approximately 200 surviving Australian languages, more than half have less than 10 speakers. Two dozen have a single elderly speaker. Young Aborigines now predominantly speak English. There has been a similar pattern in California where Indian languages disappeared at the rate of nearly one a year during the late 20th century.’ 2

According to a recent Good Weekend [Australian newspaper supplement] report by John van Triggele: ‘27 Australian languages are down to a single speaker. A further 63 are down to two to six speakers and another 80 are classified as “almost extinct.”’ 3

In the case of Aboriginal languages, there was an insistence on keeping distinct languages separate from one another. But, as Noel Pearson, a Cape York Aboriginal leader, outlined, ‘these were not people living in distinct groups. They mingled, intermarried, moved around. Typically, everyone in a camp would be multilingual. They’d speak four to five languages but they’d own a language in relation to their country. They might not live there all the time, or even most of the time, but they were connected to country through language. So the prime function of that maintenance of diversity must have been identity. The survival of language is paramount for our sense of self.’ 4 

According to American Linguist John Haviland, ‘language reaches back in time and place in a way nothing else does in Aboriginal society.’ 5

However, the British linguist David Crystal believes ‘the momentum of loss [is] powered by cultural assimilation through globalisation and the ongoing drift to the cities. It’s the third mass extinction of languages each in the name of human progress.’ 6

Considering the cultural importance of language, Mr. Crystal’s prediction is frightening. ‘The prospect in a few hundred years of just one language per nation, and then just one language for the whole world… is indeed real.’ 7

Less is less.
Cultural diversity is also the bearer of creative diversity. As a result, the (albeit relatively slow) approach to an homogenous culture with a singular language is worrying as it would be depressingly one-dimensional. 

This homogenizing of today’s world is also responsible for reducing the diversity of our national and international creative output. For example, the acceptance of American ‘culture’ by most countries has either been avid or involuntary, but most definitely all-embracing. 

Much of this can be attributed to the creeping acceptance of language, predominantly slang, as well as fast foods, Fast Moving Consumer Good’s (FMCG’s) and, in particular, film and music. Along with written and spoken language, film and music are incredibly potent forms of language and story telling. But in the past few decades, film and music have been co-opted, assimilated and hugely influenced by corporate America.

But in the past few decades, film and music have been co-opted, assimilated and hugely influenced by corporate America.

Perhaps it is for reasons of this nature the recent UNESCO Conference on Cultural Diversity (a world first) was organized in Paris—October 3rd to October 21st, 2005. In an effort to alleviate the march of American dominance in the Arts world, the conference objective was to ‘be an international legal agreement to implement the principle that culture cannot be reduced to a commodity. Concretely, it would potentially allow each country to exclude its cultural policies, including ‘audiovisual services’—otherwise known as media—from ‘free trade’ deals like the World Trade Organization.’ 8

In a recent report in The Australian [newspaper], Richard Harris, the executive director of the Australian Screen Directors Association, [said] ‘the convention’s most significant achievement was ‘to establish that there is a difference between cultural and economic products—there is something intrinsic to cultural products which means they should be treated differently under trade rules.’ He added ‘one of the most significant elements of the US’s opposition is that it is a symbol of how it views the world differently on cultural issues.’ 9

Evidently, the United States opposes the plans proposed at the UNESCO conference. But, the partial backing received by the US comes from very interesting, if not worrying, quarters—Israel, Japan and, unfortunately, Australia.10 With the majority of the world fighting to preserve, protect and promote cultural diversity in the Arts, Australia is offering support against that very notion. Are the diverse traditional and contemporary languages and creative expressions of the world to be simply stunted—all in the name of economic trade and human progress? Surely this would be devastating.

A ‘Glocal’ voice.
“The way we speak can be separated out from the language system we use and in many cases it is this ‘voice’ which is the important part of the message.”11 

Language and voice are integral to culture and identity. However, discussions about Australian identity, particularly within graphic design, generally become heated very quickly due, in part, to the mention of another form of language—visual language. Apart from the fact humans are visually inclined from birth, one of the most obvious links between written, verbal and visual language is ‘interpretation.’ Being visually inclined, we regularly interpret written or verbal language through visualization of the stories or messages constructed with words.

In terms of Australian graphic design (commercial visual language), some argue that embracing an international visual language gives Australian design and business credibility and wider exposure. There is certainly some merit to this argument, but does it mean we should neglect the immediate influences that may contribute to a distinct Australian (visual) voice? 

This is not about being colloquial, parochial or introverted. It is about being affected and embracing those influences surrounding us and integrating them into a strong voice capable of contributing to the international discourse. It is about an individual and identifiable approach. It is about identifying with land and culture. And it is about being influenced by the ideas and possibilities of being ‘Glocal.’12 “I don’t consider Dutch Design to be design generated in the Netherlands. I consider Dutch Design a kind of work, or an attitude about work, or even a brand of work, that could theoretically occur anywhere at anytime.”13 (Michael Rock)

This idea of Dutch Design ‘theoretically occurring anywhere anytime’ is valid, but it is still identified with its homeland—Holland. Other contemporary examples in graphic design are: Swiss typography and the German Bauhaus. 

Though a distinct approach or ‘voice’ contributes and influences the international visual discourse, it can still be successfully identified with a specific country. It is the strength of these voices, which allow them to be adopted internationally without losing their origins. As a result, those voices have the potential of becoming ‘Glocal’ voices. 

Obviously, this approach is very achievable. The precedents are there. In its own way, it embodies the argument to value and protect cultural and visual languages throughout the world so alternative ways of communication remain active and alive, inspiring and influencing us at every turn.

More is more.
Of course, the demise of some languages—written, verbal or visual—is natural. But the importance of language(s) to our sense of self is more than evident. The battle is to retain significance in today’s global village.

The battle is to retain significance in today’s global village.

Obviously, there is a direct relationship between spoken, written and visual languages, but geography and environment also play a role. As our spoken and written languages disappear, and our various cultures weaken, those specific visual languages weaken also. As a result, the importance of retaining the diversity of visual language is increasing. How we interpret those myriad voices expands our knowledge and influences our creative output further, as well as shaping our identity.

How we interpret those myriad voices expands our knowledge and influences our creative output further, as well as shaping our identity.

It gives us the ability to share a unique view of our land and our world with the wider global community.

The following pages tackle some of these themes, and more. They contain various thoughts about interpreting visual language*: its strengths, its influence, its problems, its potential and its importance. Regardless, we continue to communicate and tell stories daily. Of particular significance to graphic design and the commercial arts, there is a need to ensure visual language is used to do more than simply sell or promote. Its other potentials have equal, if not greater, relevance and importance.

But there is an optimistic side to the survival of languages providing further proof our sense of identity is still largely related to language and reminding us of its significance to who and where we are in the world. 

‘There are at least 165 languages spoken in the United States today. Consequently, it is somewhat misleading to describe the U.S. as being an English speaking country. The same caution applies to other multicultural nations as well.’14

Think of the many languages we still have; the many ways of writing; the many ways we see things; the many ways we tell stories; the many peoples there are; the many cultures; the many colours; the many skins; the many ways we speak; the many ways we make each other different; the many ways our surroundings make us who we are; the many ways we interpret and engage with the world… and celebrate them.

Kevin Finn, 
Founder & Editor

*Theme to Open Manifesto, issue {2}.

__

References:
1. Dennis O’Neil: 1998-2005. http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_1.htm

2. Ibid.

3. Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, Good Weekend supplement, September 10th, 2005, page 25.

4. Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, Good Weekend supplement, September 10th, 2005, page 27.

5. Ibid.

6. Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, Good Weekend supplement, September 10th, 2005, page 27, taken from the book Language Death by David Crystal.

7. Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, Good Weekend supplement, September 10th, 2005, page 27.

8. http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/2286.html

9. The Australian Newspaper, ‘UN to back France against US culture’, Charles Bremner.

10. Ibid.

11. David Crow, Visible Signs, AVA Publishing SA, 2003, Page 9.

12. Glocalisation, a neologism and contraction of globalization and localization, entails one or both of the following: ‘The creation of products or services intended for the global market, but customized to suit the local culture.’ Using electronic communications technologies, such as the Internet, to provide local services on a global (or potentially global) basis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glocal. Simply put, it means being global but with an awareness of local relevance and importance at the same time.

13. Michael Rock. From ‘Mad Dutch Disease’, a 2003 lecture by Michael Rock at the Premsela Institute, Amsterdam. www.designobserver.com The Editors Observed LVIV.

14. Dennis O’Neil: 1998-2005. http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_1.htm

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Visual language—An essay by Edward de Bono

You can recognise a friend instantly because visual perception allows many things to be assembled at once. Imagine trying to recognise a friend by building up and using a verbal picture on every occasion. The ‘totality’ of a visual impression is one of the key advantages of visual language.

The ‘totality’ of a visual impression is one of the key advantages of visual language.

When I lecture, I draw continuously on an overhead projector. As a result, the attention of the listeners is always on the point of development of the image. This is very different from presenting a fixed slide, which shows the same ultimate picture. But one of the limitations of visual language is that, often times, everything must be shown at once—for example, as in a printed advertisement on a page. If it were possible to allow the image to develop step by step, it would be much more powerful because the attention would thereby be controlled instead of choosing its own path. The brain organises incoming patterns into routines and is a self-organising information system or pattern-making system.

The brain organises incoming patterns into routines and is a self-organising information system or pattern-making system.

Pattern-making systems are always asymmetrical (having a lack of symmetry) and can be explained visually in the following simple diagram.

It is true that this simple diagram could be described in words, such as: “the path from A to B is not the same as the path from B to A”. While this verbal description may be technically correct it does nothing to convey the function of an asymmetric system.

When the asymmetric system is presented as a diagram it becomes very easy to see how the formal tools of lateral thinking are logically based on the system. For example, it becomes very easy to see how ‘challenge’, ‘concept extraction’ (finding the general objective), ‘provocation’ (provocative suggestions) and ‘random entry’ (introducing random elements) all arise from the very nature of the system. Of particular interest, it would be completely impossible to see this from a verbal description of asymmetry.

Of course, the process of provocation seems totally irrational. To suggest that a car might have square wheels is an engineering nonsense. But from this provocation comes the idea of anticipatory suspension. With the introduction of a provocation, or ‘Po’*, the following visual diagram of an asymmetric pattern shows very clearly how and why this can come about.

*Po cars have square wheels.

A visual language shows the interplay of complex factors in a way that would be very difficult if using verbal language. This interplay contains powerful factors but also uses more subtle factors and nuances. For example, a picture of a building is always going to be more comprehensive than a verbal description.

A picture of a building is always going to be more comprehensive than a verbal description.

Essence.
One of the advantages of a visual language is the comprehensiveness and totality that can be conveyed. Another advantage is almost exactly the opposite. Caricatures are not photographs. Caricatures do not show something as it really is but distil and emphasise certain features in a way that goes beyond realism and, in a sense, becomes even more realistic. 

Here is another example; a good sign can compress a complicated message into a simple visual form. This is a lot harder to do with verbal language because a visual language can be pictorial or diagrammatic. It can also be half way between the two by using simplified pictorial effects that approach being diagrammatic, something that an equivalent verbal language would find impossible to achieve.

Symbols.
Certain visual symbols come to have a rich identity of their own. For example, the simple arrow can come to mean different things;
– this leads to something else.
– this influences something else or some process.
– these things come together to create something else.
– pay attention to this point.
etcetera.

However, we have yet to reach a stage where we have symbols for a wide range of concepts. If we were at that stage, we could string these symbols together to describe complex situations.  

Indeed, we might still prefer to seek to do this in one visual effort rather than use the sequence effect that verbal language has to use.

We have yet to reach a stage where we have symbols for a wide range of concepts. If we were at that stage, we could string these symbols together to describe complex situations.

Familiarity.
A visual symbol that becomes very familiar still has a high communication value but can, in some circumstances, lose its ‘attention getting’ value. The power of a fresh visual representation is strong in getting attention but has less immediate communication value because the viewer is required to ‘figure it out’ rather than use an established understanding. 

Of course, it all depends on the viewer’s motivation. If the viewer is already interested in the communication then established symbols can work quite well. But if the viewer is not so interested, then a fresh symbol has a stronger chance of capturing attention.

Irritation.
In writing my books, I often use diagrams to explain a point in a parallel way. Usually, these diagrams are optional, meaning the point has been covered in the writing and the visual picture is just a way of reinforcing and clarifying the point.

However, I have been told that some readers find the diagrams to be irritating. This may be because they do not understand the diagrams. It may be that they have understood the point so well from the text that the diagram is superfluous—and hence irritating. It may even be that some people are actually unhappy with a visual representation. This may be because they understand the point but cannot see how they would use the diagram, in conversation, to convey the point to others.

To accommodate these circumstances, I try to include three modes: text, diagrams and metaphors. Incidentally, of these three, metaphors are the easiest to convey to others.

Simplicity.
One of the obvious challenges to visual language is the conflict between being simple and being comprehensive.

If all the factors and processes have to be included then communication becomes rather complex. If only the essence is included then the communication is usually incomplete. There is also no point in communicating the wrong message very effectively, but neither is there any point in having a message so complex that it cannot be communicated at all. Such is the challenge of effective visual communication.

One of the obvious challenges to visual language is the conflict between being simple and being comprehensive.

The future.
There is a real need for a comprehensive visual language, which would at once be international. But there is also a need to develop ‘visual literacy’ in youngsters so that they can comprehend visual language more effectively.

There will always be a need for traditional verbal language but the special advantages of visual communication need to be explored and used more fully than is the case at the moment. This has special relevance not only to less developed societies but even the most developed societies where there is a great need to communicate complex concepts more effectively.

Note: Diagrams reproduced from illustrations by Edward de Bono.

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Interpreting Visual Language: Aboriginal Australia—An essay by Ros Moriarty

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Good vs Evil—A conversation between Stefan Sagmeister and Kevin Finn

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Australian? Graphic Design—An essay by Ebany Spencer

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Expressions of Australian Graphic Design—A conversation between Prof. Ross Gibson and Andrew Barnum

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

The art in design making—An essay by Lissa Barnum

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Time warps in three exhibitions of graphic design—An essay by Katherine Moline

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

A bird’s-eye view—A conversation between Ingvar Kenne and Kevin Finn

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

A thousand words—An essay by Corinne Goode

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Different words, same voice: Rotis Ad nauseum—An essay by Anthony Cahalan

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

A letter to practicing designers—An open letter by Craig Bremner

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Lost for words—An essay by Glenn Churches

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Old New Media—An essay by Daniel Mudie Cunningham

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

The End?—A short epilogue by Kevin Finn

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Contributors biographies—The people behind this issue

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Other issues in the Open Manifesto Series

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

Thanks—Acknowledgments by Kevin Finn

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...
~

You might like Kevin Finn (Editor)'s other books...