Language as a repository of tacit knowledge

Harry Collins

pp. 225-239

in: Theresa Schilhab, Frederik Stjernfelt, Terrence W. Deacon (eds), The symbolic species evolved, Berlin, Springer, 2012

Abstract

The relationship between language and practice has been badly and profoundly misunderstood. There is an intimate relationship at the collective level and the content of language is formed by the practices of a community. It is not the case, however, that an individual has to engage in all the practices of a community in order to acquire the language and the practical understanding that goes with it. Were this not the case there could be no societies: societies depend on the division of labour and any profound division of labour depends on practical understanding by those who do not themselves practice what they have to understand. Were it not the case that individuals could learn language without practicing it then the speech of the congenitally wheelchair-bound, or blind, would be noticeably limited. The chapter works through this position, contrasting it with the position developed by philosophers of practice such as Hubert Dreyfus, describes experiments which support the position, and explores the question of the extent to which this means experience can be captured by language.