LANGUAGES In DOCUMENTATION

Abstract

In approaching the problem of languages—of how they affect communications in general and documentation in particular—there is a strong temptation to draw an analogy with the wheelbarrow (but with apologies to the wheelbarrow, which did in fact represent an advanced development in the evolution of transport). Language is nothing more than the wheelbarrow stage in communications, and there the matter has rested. We must remember, when we are discussing languages, that we are merely making the best of a primitive development which, sooner or later, will have to be superseded if it is not to choke further human advance. The flood of information or plague of print which we hear so much about is only felt as such because of the antiquated vehicle we continue to employ for handling it. To illustrate, if we were still restricted to wheelbarrows for manhandling all the goods of the world we should now be talking about the plague of commodities instead of the shortage of freights.

Citation

MATTHEWS, R. (1963), "LANGUAGES In DOCUMENTATION", Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 15 No. 9, pp. 259-266. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb049938