Nytemuse wrote: > Language has BECOME objective, but it began as subjective. Some random > person saw a tree and said "I'm going to call that a 'tree'." and he told > his friends and they believed him until it became "commonly known". This > can also be illustrated in naming drugs. The name for new drugs is > created by the creator of the drug. Even in the case of a community or > group deciding collectively or voting on a word, SOMEONE had to suggest > it. And the rules for coming up with new words and such were decided by > SOMEONE. On the Nature website I read today that researchers have begun to understand a gene which has a pivotal role in human language. Given that the capability for language is inborn in humans, and in fact is hardwired in the structures of our brains, how can you say that language is truly subjective? We are getting close to a truly objective understanding of the mechanisms that underly language. -- Frank Mayhar frank at exit.com http://www.exit.com/ Exit Consulting http://www.gpsclock.com/