Breakthrough Communication: A Powerful 4-Step Process for Overcoming Resistance and Getting Results

CHAPTER 9How Language Creates Meaning

If you’ve ever sold a “preowned” vehicle, complained about “those bureaucrats in Washington,” or “downsized” a business unit, you’ve engaged in more than just selling a used car, voicing your concern about government officials, or firing people at work; you’ve engaged in creating meaning with language, to some desired end. Language—we dress it up when it suits us, saying “preowned” for used; we dress it down when sharing our frustration, calling politicians “bureaucrats”; and we address it carefully when we refer to the termination or firing of people as “downsizing.” In virtually every aspect of our lives, we can observe how meaning creation is accomplished with the use of selective wording, framing, and ...