UNSPOKE N LA NGU A GES d
Cho Zhi Ying
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What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say. Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Introduction Communication plays a huge part in our lives. It is the bridge that brings individuals together. It is the connection between people, made possible through the imparting of information and news. It is the sharing of ideas and feelings. You communicate when you order food, ask for directions, make your point across and ask a question. You communicate to share your personal experiences, to complain about unfair treatment, to spill your guts. It does not matter if you are speaking English or another language. From over 7000 languages in the world (Lewis, 2009), as long as the other party speaks the same language, you will most definitely be able to get your message across. Such is the use of languages in everyday life. But, what about the role of unspoken languages in our dayto-day communication?
Non-verbal communication is always quietly at work. Like what they say, a picture speaks a thousand words. A picture can speak volumes about an incident or accurately portray a person’s feelings. Besides pictures, we should also consider the language of colours, the language of music, and even the language of love. Drawing inspiration from the usage of unspoken languages and some of my personal experiences, I have put together this book of photographic images. Through this book, I hope to share with you my own intepretations of the various unspoken langauges. To me, this book serves as a reminder that there is more to communication than just words. I hope that these images will provide a source of inspiration and perhaps remind you of how communication, verbal or otherwise, affects your life.
Language of
colours
Green indicates “go” and red translates as “stop”. When blue signifies cold, red is seen as hot. The language of colours is universal, and can be understood by people living in different parts of the world. However, there may be some meanings that are specific to certain cultures. For example, in most of Asia, red is linked to marriage, prosperity and happiness, whereas in South Africa, red is the colour of mourning. (Morioka & Stone, 2006) Can you imagine living in a black and white world? But, what about people who have colour vision deficiency? Do they perceive the world differently? As we all know, a rainbow is made up of seven colours - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. To people with deuteranopia and protanopia,
the colours of the rainbow appear as shades of yellow and blue. Deuteranopia is a form of dichromatism in which there are only two cone pigments present. It is a colour vision deficiency caused by the absence of green retinal photoreceptors, affecting red-green hue discrimination. Protanopia is a form of dichromatism in which red appears dark. It is a severe kind of colour vision deficiency caused by the absence of red retinal photoreceptors. To people with tritanopia, the colours of the rainbow appear as shades of pink and cyan. Tritanopia is an exceedingly rare colour vision deficiency in which only two cone pigments are present, and is caused by the total absence of blue retinal receptors. (Fu, 2006) Can you imagine seeing the rainbow in another manner?
Normal colour vision
Dichromatic vision (Deuteranopia and protanopia)
Dichromatic vision (Tritanopia)
Monochromatic vision
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Entertainment and art are not isolated. Entertainment in art is like colour in pictures. Martin Kippenberger
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Language of
&
sound smell
We experience all kinds of sounds and smells in our daily lives: sounds such as the unending whizzing of cars as we walk along the streets, the chirping of birds in the trees, the pitter-patter of rain on the window, the occasional tapping of fingers in the classroom, and the perpetual typing on the keyboards in the office. We smell the stench of fish in the wet market, the fragrance of flowers as we walk past the florist, the aroma of tea in the cafe, and the scent of perfume in stores.
What about the sounds and smells of nature? What do you notice when you take a walk in the park, or a stroll along the beach? Hear the gentle crashing of waves and the light rustling of leaves. Smell the salty sea and the fresh forest air. Nature speaks to us through its sounds and smells, and the resonance of tranquility is loud and clear.
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I have been here before, But when or how I cannot tell: I know the grass beyond the door, The sweet keen smell, The sighing sound, the lights around the shore. Dante Rossetti, "Sudden Light"
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Language of
&
sound smell memories
Does a certain sound or smell trigger a memory of a long-lost moment in time? It is common for a smell or a sound to trigger a vivid recollection of an associated event in the past, even if it involves a
different sensory modality, and even if the event happened a long time ago. The human brain displays impressive crossmodal associative recall. (Srinivasan, Zhang & Zhu, 1998)
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Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day. Anna Mary Robertson Moses
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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. Leopold Stokowski
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Language of
music
Music crosses cultural and linguistic barriers, making it one of the most powerful languages available.
Apart from entertainment purposes, music has also been used in sacred ceremonies and rituals. (Neumann, 1997)
Even though each nationality has its own musical style and format, people have come to appreciate music from all over the world.
Music is not just merely the travel of sound waves to your ears. Music can help to set the mood. Think catchy pop music in trendy clothing stores, dance music in clubs, or classical music in restaurants. Music can soothe one's mind and soul, helping the listener to relax and relieve stress.
Today, you will find Asians appreciating the music of classical composers such as Bach and Mozart. You will also find indigenous African tribes singing to the music of Western pop heroes.
Most importantly, music lifts spirits.
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If music be the food of love, play on. William Shakespeare
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Language of
love
Of the countless ways of expressing love, there are five key categories that are universal and comprehensive. These are the five love languages coined by Dr. Gary Chapman, a marriage counselor with more than 30 years of experience. The five languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.
It is said that by recognising and using the right love languages, relationships can be strengthened and improved. These love languages can manifest in friendships, in the workplace, in families, and in just about every human connection.
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The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said. P e t e r F. D r u c k e r
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Bibliography
Chapman, G. (2004). The five love languages: how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate. Moody Publishers, USA. Fu, Michael. (2006, October). Color blindness. Retrieved from http://www.eyecaresource.com/conditions/color-blindness/ Lewis, M. Paul (ed.) (2009), Ethnologue: Languages of the World Sixteenth edition. SIL International, USA. Morioka, Adams & Stone, Terry (2006), Color Design Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Color in Graphic Design, Rockport Publishers, USA. Neumann, B. (1997). Rock ‘n’ roll to rock of ages. Private, South Africa. Srinivasan, M. V., Zhang, S. W., & Zhu, H. (1998). Honeybees link sights to smells. Nature, 396. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v396/n6712/full/396637a0.html
Special thanks to
Chow Chee Yong, Bernard Cho, Phyllis Lee, Tan Min Yi, Maria Shirley U, Ong Xiu Li, Samantha Leong, Kueo Miao Ru, Zachary Phua, Phyllicia Wang & Robot Ninjas for your guidance, support and assistance. Also, many thanks to dear friends who spurred me on and helped me in one way or another!