How does the Languaging Group work?

A working definition of the role, methods and purpose of this group of the project

• It facilitates at the level of ideation and interconnection
• It monitors and intervenes at the discursive level
• It looks for new ways to integrate different levels of thinking and communication
• ‘Languaging’ precedes and accompanies the act of communication (e.g. Maturana & Varela, 1991).
• It ratified and/or reframes terms of reference that may have been used unwittingly.
• It creates new meanings to make a desired intervention on behalf of the whole team

Anette Lundebye (Coordinator) asks:

Why ‘languaging’?

Perhaps this term suggests a more dynamic mode of engaging with systems of communication and expression. David Bohm suggested – that a “noun is just a "slow" verb; that is, it refers to a process that is progressing so slowly so as to appear static” and because “reality is inevitably a dynamic process undergoing perpetual change” languaging might therefore reflect more accurately the true dynamic nature of reality.”

Languaging is obviously not just verbal – but tacit as well. It engages with communication on many levels. We use various languages to express ourselves such as: body-, visual-, sonal-, numerical – languages to name the obvious. These all relate to different cognitive styles, some conscious some unconscious. Throughout history many different systems of signs / alphabets have been made to facilitate communication.

“The phenomenon of communication depends on not what is transmitted, but on what happens to the person who receives it. And this is a very different matter than transmitting information.” (Maturana & Varela, 1987)

The role of languaging is mainly a process to help situate relevance and make sense. In this process we must be aware and willing to listen and engage. At times we may need to facilitate and mediate, sometimes translate or define whilst other times catalyse and contextualise. All these skills alongside sensitivity I believe are inherent to a metadesigner.

Questions for the Data-Sharing Synergy Workshop

• How does languaging become a context for exploring the way data is presented?
• On which levels, and for what purpose did it operate?
• How do our professonal values, beliefs and worldviews affect our working discourse?
• How can we create platforms to enable shared understandings?
• How can we create synergies of knowledge and wisdom?

See the Data-Sharing Synergies workshop notes for Languaging

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