Transformations at the Dawn of Verbal Language

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychoanalysis

Background:

• Preverbal functioning involves a direct link between sign and signified, evident in infant behavior and early emotional communication.
• Emotional bonds between mother-infant and patient-analyst often rely on this direct, non-symbolic communication.
• Existing understanding of language acquisition focuses on translation, overlooking the creative aspect of meaning-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the transformative process from preverbal to verbally symbolic language.
• To elucidate how meaning is created rather than merely translated during language acquisition.
• To examine the impact of verbally symbolic language on the development of subjectivity and self-experience.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of the transition from preverbal to symbolic communication.
• Exploration of psychoanalytic concepts related to language and subjectivity.
• Case study analysis, referencing Helen Keller's experience with language acquisition.

Main Results:

• Acquiring verbally symbolic language creates a 'space' between symbol and experience, fostering new subjectivity.
• This transition allows individuals to become both subject and object, enhancing self-awareness.
• Symbolic language enables a broader range of feelings and cognitive processes, fundamentally altering self-perception.

Conclusions:

• The development of verbally symbolic language is a creative act that constructs meaning and new forms of subjectivity.
• Understanding this transition is crucial for fields like developmental psychology and psychoanalysis.
• Helen Keller's narrative exemplifies the profound impact of language on human consciousness and self-experience.