The Infinite Power Of Symbols
Filed under: customers, gadgets and gizmos, HTC, innovation, lifestyle, smart phone, thinking, trends
Have you ever wondered if the art of language is turning full circle?
For thousands of years pictures and symbols were used as a method of communication and to tell a story. Ancient Egyptians are well renowned for hieroglyphic and picture stories.
I think that words are being replaced in 2010.
While symbols, icons and pictures have always been used, I’m starting to think we are turning full circle. Words are being replaced by pictures, symbols and logos, even a colored light can tell you information. I look out at the city sky line and not a word is seen and yet I know what the buildings are advertising. Banks, telecommunications and so on, even gambling. They are all recognized by their logos. I recently updated Microsoft Office only to be surprised that the tool bar is mainly icons. This got me thinking that perhaps big business has decided to remove the words to make a global symbol language.
While typing this I noticed the hot keys on the laptop I am using have pictures underneath the PF number. The on/off button has no words. How do I know it’s the on/off button? Purely by the symbol 
I then looked at my TV and DVD remotes, no words. The on/off button is the same . How do I know how to increase or decrease the volume? By using the V- or V+. Ok that one is a little easy, “V” for volume. This is one I don’t get. To pause a DVD player I press the 
symbol. Why does two parallel oblongs mean pause? Here are some more symbols, some you may recognize, others you may not.
Take a look at the following link for an extensive list of icons.
I pick up my HTC HD2 and sure enough the scroll menu is all pictures and icons, not to mention the applications. No words. Even the white goods in my home have symbols. Earlier I mentioned colors can tell us information, think of traffic lights. Technology is created to make life easier, however is it making us lazy as well?
Is the human race doing a full circle in our written language, moving from words to pictures just as the ancient Egyptians did?
I find you always hit the nail right on the head with your blogs Larry.
I believe that language is forever changing.
To much information “written” can be overwhelming.
How many of us sigh when we have a slab of paper work thrown in front of us
Would coloured symbols make the “slab of paper work” of more interesting?
As children we all looked at pictures in a book rather than read the story and still had an understanding as to what was unfolding.
The Ancient Egyptians knew how to communicate as a picture can tell a thousand words.
WOW again such an interesting look at the world. I was always amazed at the fact that sign language for the deaf is different in America as it is here. What a waste of an oportunity I always thought that a universal language would be great to learn such as ( is it spelt Esperanto?? ) but that never took off. I am such an awful speller that my sister sent back a letter that I wrote with the mistaken spelling circled in red and gave me a dictionary for hetha hahaha I laugh now but always wanted an easy way to communicate with anyone. maybe this is a really good thing but i must admit a great poem or book with the brilliant use of language will always blow me away.
Great question Larry….and I’d probably say – partly.
Using symbols as an efficient way to convey a message has always been a tool of communication, but we seem to be getting more acclimatised to ‘custom’ symbols these days.
There’s a great post in Gizmodo about the origins of many of these symbols, including the ‘power’ symbol depicted above, and it’s well worth a read:
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/08/the-secret-histories-of-those-ing-computer-symbols/
M@
Hi Larry, interesting post.
I’m not convinced on full circle but the miniaturisation of many products and the actualisation in marketers creating brand ‘equity’ has been a big catalyst in symbol use.
Symbols, founded upon semiotics (Saussare was a big proponent), allow sentient beings to connote these multiple meanings to provide definition to the object/function symbolised.
It’s become another language, and its universality is the beneficial result arising from continued globalisation and ‘glocal’ (global+local) promotion.
Regards,
David
I have been interested in this for a number of years and it applies all to often in daily life. We (ie ordinary people) look for patterns which we can repeat, to ease the cognitive load on our minds (ie how we form a habit or undertake a unconscious behaviour or task). We are presented with so many patterns, and here’s the but, unfortunately the patterns are not consistent. So for example
1) tv remotes are all different in terms of volume and channel button locations, although they use the same symbols (- +) and ()
2) mobile phones tend to have the same symbols for call and hangup, but the buttons are located in different spots
3) normal phones and calculators show numbers either one of 2 ways, with 123 across the top line or 789 across the top line (like a data entry number pad).
I think that we are doing what we have always done ie breaking down words into the most commonly understood and easiest way of remembering items, but for me we have not yet mastered the consistency bit to make it much easier for people to complete tasks without being overwhelmed or confused.
Look at babies – they look for visual cues because they do not yet know how to talk. A visual cue such as a smile is common across all races on earth (been studied in depth). So we first learn this way and then out language evolves.
Also we must consider body language – again a non verbal cue. We can pick up cues about people without even talking to them. Of course we then make generalisations about people because of our learned behaviour, but this occurs not because we talked to someone but because we have learned a response early in life.
Could talk for ages on this and other related topics lol……
I think it’s been driven for several decades now by the electronics industry wanting to manufacture one version for all markets and do limited extra labelling of words for specific countries. That way they can reallocate stock according to demand. Probably started in Japan in the late 60′s and had grown to what you have observed in 2010 Larry. When I was a kid, my grandparents’ radiogram would have been made in Australia or England and I bet just had words.
You got me thinking about computers though – limited space to identify keys would be a factor too.
Absolutely right Larry – everything is symbols these days. Funny how many of them are universally known. I dont think its making us lazy its just a matter of convience really.
I think you’re right LS – I think we are moving towards an international written language using symbols. Business have been onto it for sometime now, well the ones who see global opportunities have done it well. Look at McDonalds as an example, the ‘Golden Aches’ at more recognisable by more people on the planet than a ‘Crucifix’ and its meaning. Some would say sad, but TRUE. Symbols and icons appeal to us because we feel comfortable with their meaning – good symbols mean the same thing to all that see them no explanation needed. Companies like Apple know this and apply it really well – pick up any of their products and you can use them without reading the instructions – doesn’t that make you feel special. Love it – bring it on – I’d like to see more of that sort thing..
You’re right on the money! Symbols are taking over, no matter where you look, we are surrounded by them.
Shaun you bring up a very good point about children using pictures to read a story, they then accociate words to the pictures. Does that mean pictures were created first, then words were to follow. It makes me think of the chicken or the egg debate.
Heather you raise a question. Does sign language have symbols and logos. How about braille for that matter. I think we need to do some research on that one. If you find any thing in relation to this let me know. I would be very interested.
Given that cave paintings, jewellery and ceremonial burials are some of our first indications of humans creating a lasting legacy to our culture that we can study today, the power of symbols as a way of communicating something is deeply ingrained in the human psyche.
Language as a reflection of our culture is something that is constantly evolving, as evidenced by the great vowel shift that occured in the English language a few centuries back, and now with the advent of SMS language. The way we spell, define and visually represent concepts is constantly going to change – but I suspect that the written word as we know it isn’t going anywhere. The written word allows us to express much more complex ideas that a symbol does.
The increased used of symbols that we’ve witnessed over the last 20 to 30 years seems to me more of an attempt to simplify aspects of an ever more complicated world.
Having said that I still haven’t memorised what all the symbols on our oven at home mean… I would far prefer the words bake and grill to symbols where I have to try and refer to a non-existant oven manual.
Gwyn, I do agree with you in that the spoken and written language does allow us to express far deeper than any symbol or a picture and will be forever evloving. I’m with you on the oven. I once livedit had only symbols on how to operate. It always got the better of me. One time I wanted to use the timer to no avail. Fell asleep on the lounge and woe and behold I was awoken by the smoke alarm. Whoops. While telling you that story it reminded me of another WHOOPS in the same house. The dish washer had a small fault, one that was easily forgotten (only once). After I had turned it on I noticed a knife escaped being washed. OH no probs, I will put it in.. Open the dishwasher door and bloody hell. The stupid thing didn’t stop when the door was opened. It was an instant HOT shower not only for me, the entire kitchen was wet. As I say only did that once. Frightened the begeebies out of me.
Canuuseit, here is an interesting fact in relation to body language. Though there has been some researchers who will dispute it. Human communication consists of 93% body language and paralinguistic cues, while only 7% of communication consists of words themselves.
I remember a band called Missing Persons sang a song “WORDS” way back in 1982. OUCH showing my age. They were perhaps ahead of their. The chorus is . “What are words for, when no one listens any more? What are words for? When no one listens it’s no use talking at all”.
Don’t know much about the songs, but as an avid poker player, I can tell you that body language is a fundamental tool in playing the game :
http://www.bodylanguageuniversity.com/public/184.cfm
I never knew there was a university though…
Ouch yourself Larry, I even remembered the melody for that (ahem) rather catchy song….