So what exactly is this entity?
It is one of the rare paradoxes staring straight into the human eyes but without even earning their attention, leave alone perplexing them. It is a THE basic software necessary to run THE most vital necessity of society, the function which is not just a function but also the very foundation of any society, COMMUNICATION. Yes indeed, no society can exist without communication amongst its members. In fact it is only through communication that an understanding is arrived at, responsibilities are assigned, rights are explained and interaction to further propagate, innovate and improve a certain action, ideology or function are brought to being. In essence the very fabric of society is woven and brought to existence by the thread of communication.
What communication is to society, “Common reference database” is to communication. That is, “Common reference database” is the thread that has woven and brought into being the possibility of communication. It not only forms the very basis of communication it is the very fabric from which the dress of communication has been prepared. So how do we define “Common reference database”?
It would be defined as “a generalized agreement upon MEANINGS IMPLIED by a variety of syllables, sounds, gestures and script symbols for the ease of conveying thoughts, ideas and feelings between individuals”. Please understand that this definition may seem to be defining language and its script but it is not so it goes a step beyond, it explains the very origin of language.
By their very nature sounds, syllables and symbols have no meaning. For example if the shape of all the letters in front of our eyes were to be changed they would suddenly become meaningless patches of black and white to us but the new shape they have taken would continue to convey the same meaning and insight to some other person (as these shapes, or words do to us) because these new shapes are Japanese and the person reading them is conversant with it. Similarly these shapes and symbols (or words as we like to call them) though conveying a lot between us are no more than black patterns on white sheet (totally meaningless) to a person who does not understand English script.
Similarly with words, what sounds as meaningless gibberish to a person from one country is a complete language to others of a different country (example, Chinese to an Englishman). So we see clearly that neither the symbols of script nor the sounds of language have any inherent meaning its only our “generalized agreement upon MEANINGS IMPLIED by a variety of syllables, sounds, gestures and script symbols for the ease of conveying thoughts, ideas and feelings between individuals”, through conditioning (at home, in socio-cultural milieu) and education (at school and in the socio-cultural environment), that gives them their (the symbols of script and the sounds of language) attached meaning.
Here again we must emphasize the importance of this mutual agreement (upon MEANINGS IMPLIED by a variety of syllables, sounds, gestures and script symbols) since it is because of this agreement only languages could be developed and hence communication made possible between individuals. And as ever from here begins the interesting part, from the innate intelligence sprung out this innovative concept of agreeing upon MEANINGS IMPLIED by a variety of syllables, sounds, gestures and script symbols to facilitate communication but as always our social intelligence mishandled this wonderful tool completely. This forms the basis of “FROM COMMUNICATION TO CONFUSION” phenomenon.
