Have you ever thought about what is a common ground between a business and a theatre? Both require certain skills connected to performance and performing – be it certain roles or practices that must follow one script or another. However, what is an even more basic underpinning of both is language. One may wonder what that even means – of course you use language in theatrical performances (unless it’s a pantomime) and in business, however broad the definition. The thing is, language unites many areas of one’s life; Theatre, business, doctor’s office, everyday existence – the usage of language is ever-present and without it, we wouldn’t be able to convey what we want as efficiently as we do now. Theatrical performances aren’t language exclusive, there are more elements to it of course, and those include artistical aspects such as music, makeup, clothing, and many, many more. Other areas of human culture are more depended on language, for example literature. Storytellers have existed long before the written word, it was what allowed us, as a species, to survive and share the necessary knowledge. Some scientists argue that passing on the knowledge between individuals and between generations is what helped our ancestors form more cohesive groups and evolve to what is now known as Homo sapiens, a modern-day human. If not for the language, we wouldn’t be here – quite literally. On the other end of the spectrum, we have business and all that’s connected to it – certain phrases carrying meanings only known to those who partake in given practices, one could even call them a slang or a jargon. It’s a more specialized version of a common language so, theoretically, everyone has a potential to learn it if so desired. Whether that is true or not is another story, but what is important here is that without being able to communicate through words (be it spoken or written down), it would be practically impossible to get where we are today. It is crucial to mention that as of now, we live in a very fast-paced, highly commercialized world – we can travel wherever and whenever, we can buy things advertised to us and advertise things for other to purchase from us. All the small elements that constitute those behaviours and practices have been put together into a metaphorical box, refined and organized within that box, and then released into the world as a compact and evolve-able version of the language we all use. Were not for that box, the exchanging-goods-and-services machinery wouldn’t be nearly as fast as it is today. What does it all mean, though? We use language in various areas in our lives, be it orally or in writing. We adapted to the changing environment and so did our tools, language being one of them. We can communicate with each other, even when the words and phrases seem impossible to understand at first. It’s all thanks to the ability to decipher the meanings, as language is a diverse tool used in all little nooks and crannies of our human lives. All that is required is one’s willingness to take on this task and, maybe, a bit of patience.
Artykuł opublikowany w ramach konkursu pisarskiego „Język w biznesie i życiu”
Autor: Martyna Rembielak