Summary:This book covers several related topics anchored in the idea of how meaning is created. The central focus in the book is, however, on how language awareness may help us communicate smoothly and solve social problems. The book takes up language misconceptions and their social significance, and promotes the view that regarding meaning (and language in general) as open and flexible, rather than closed and rigid, may lead to critical thinking, innovation, and creativity. The book covers topics such as words and things, words and emotions, fake news and hate speech, and it has been written in the form of short informal dialogues to engage readers and make linguistic concepts accessible. Karol Janicki is Professor Emeritus inthe Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Bergen, Norway. His recent research interests have focused on language and conflict, lay people's language problems, language and education, general semantics, applied cognitive linguistics, and socio-political aspects of language

Contents:
1. Why talk about language
2. Things and what you call them: are you talking about words or animals?
3. Do not take words too seriously : shouldn´t we really?
4. What does the word really mean? Look it up in the dictionary!
5. Meaning is imprecise : it will always be so!
6. Words are symbols and not signals : help and 'help!'
7. One more comment on words and definitions : stop complaining!
8. Define wisely or widely but not wildly - be reasonable!
9. Classifications cannot be right or wrong : Bach in Brazil
10. Words and emotions : "this drives me nuts"
11. Framing - calling a dog an animal friend
12. Descriptions, inferences, and evaluations : how do you know this film is wonderful?
13. The dangerous verb 'be' : He lied but he is not a liar
14. Linguistic freedom, justice, democracy, and inequality : do we need a standard?
15. On the ladder of abstraction : about houses and structures
16. Hate speech : "he should be shot"
17. Fake news : "fierce clashes in Peru"
18. The power of advertisement : the best car ever
19. Miscellaneous - a little more for doctors, lawyers, and others
20. Poor Whoopi Goldberg
21. Conclusion: Beware of Words