In economics, a monopoly (from Greek monos / μονος (alone or single) + polein / πωλειν (to sell)) exists when a specific individual or an enterprise has sufficient control over a particular product or service to determine significantly the terms on which other individuals shall have access to it.
Monopoly is also a board game published by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. The game is named after the economic concept of monopoly, the domination of a market by a single entity. Monopoly is the most commercially-successful board game in United States history, with 485 million players worldwide. If you win the game, you become a monopoly, you are a king that beat all others, you owned all things.......
What is a word? Wikipedia said "A word is the smallest free form (an item that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content) in a language, in contrast to a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning. A word may consist of only one morpheme (e.g. wolf), but a single morpheme may not be able to exist as a free form (e.g. the English plural morpheme -s). A word is a substantive expression of pictures in the mind. Words are carriages, representations, evidence of the search of essence and meaning. Words are vehicles, containers of thoughts, emotions, ideas and knowledge. The meaning of a word is “a speech sound or series of speech sounds that communicates a meaning, also, a graphic representation of such a sound or series of sounds.” Webster’s New Explorer Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Incorp. Springfield, Massachusetts. 1999.
Word, it is a vehicle for expression of feeling, thoughts,emotions, ideas and knowledge. It is a vehicle or a communication tool for the expression of any human being. Word is dead without the meaning of expression of a human being. Expression using word is a natural human behavior. Word is expressed by the form of language used e.g. Malay, English, Japanese, Siamese etc. Human being in democracy country have freedom of choice to choose any language for communication; they also can choose any word in the language for express their meaning in the usage of any languages. Language and word usage is a choice of the user for their personal use. Unless on official function of a nation, where a specific national language is mandatory under their national law, personally any human can use any word or languages they choose in their private life. The freedom is protected under Human Right Charter by United Nation and the constitution of the country.
In language, recently a group of people raised the issue of monopoly of specific generic word to be use only for specific function and usage, and for specific people and institution. They are also lobbying to use the word for their own social usage, and prohibit other to use the word, unless they are the members of the same institution. I do not know whether there is any name or word obtained copy right or exclusive right in any countries of a specific generic word, which are general term and commonly used in many countries. This is modern world,with the internet and borderless communication possible around the world, can monopoly of generic word from a particular language be possible..... I wonder, unless it is Microsoft Words.
Democracy is the freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of speech; as long as you do not break any criminal code and civil law of the country, and cause any bodily hurt to other people. You have liberty to exercise your vocal expression, to communicate with other human being , to communicate with God, with whatever language you use, even a language that only you know.... word is used to communicate, that means two or more parties must be involved in the communication process. It is action oriented involvement of personal choice. Can you bar or prohibit any person to use word to express his or her own feeling when in the closet, while praying , while sharing, while giving a speech within the 4 walled building. If you do not want to hear that particular word, just close your ears, in a democracy country, no one will force you to hear the word you do not want to hear....that is human right.
Privacy is the liberty to use information, data, and anything in of personal nature in secrecy. It is not to be disclose to others, unless authority is given. If I use any specific word to my self or my organization routine activities, it is my privacy; only I and people that I authorized will be using it. The group of members in the organization has common goal to use that specific word for their own routine. If you listen to my word and peep into my activities,you have infringed the privacy of mine and the organization. It is breach of Law of Privacy.
A generic word use in closet, only for the members of organization, not communicate to outside world by the users, and unless the outsiders volunteer or try to communicate and listen, there is no way the outside world can be involve in their communication process. Can it cause undesired behavior? the answer is negative, communication is two way process, there must be a receptor(a person who choose to listen). Is there chances to cause the undesired behaviors, especially when the doors are closed? the answer is again impossible. Mind your own business....when the doors are closed, unless you are a willing party to listen.
If a word can caused the commotion of inhuman activities and violence; that is perceived as not a good word. Words like foul languages, provocative words are not good words. A sensible person will stop using it. But a word is a word, it is a dead non-living symbol of expression, how a simple word can caused a destructive behavior change to a human being?. A psychologist will tell you that unless it is a negative and provocative word, or a person have negative encounter with the word in their past life, a word by itself cannot caused unnecessary or undesired response. If it did,just avoid using it, that is the solution for the simple problem. But Psychologist said a word of negative tone can caused undesired response; a word of positive, peace ,joy, hope, and word of divine nature; will reinforce a human behavior in a positive way. The psychologist said, unless there is a personal psychological problem(phobia or fear of that specific generic word); wrong perception of its actual meaning; or there is a hidden unknown problem affected the person influenced by external stimuli.
A politician can use a simple word to create consequence they desired. Politic are external influence that can cause a person to change his behavior by using a political slogan, a provocative word, even a peaceful word. It can be used for creating a mass behavior and chain effect of commotion, that rally for a hidden political cause. That is the evil of using a word for ultimate political agenda. A good and responsible politician will not play up the issue and obtain short term gain of popularity; rather he will use his position to influence for cooling down and searching for a mutual understanding and acceptable solution. Good politician will look at localized controversy, at long term and global perspective. If the word is good for people, why politicize it?. Politician is for people, for serving the country....not to provoke people for ultimate personal political motives. Ordinary citizen should take opportunity of the crisis to know the true face of some politician and throw them away in the next election.
Is there such thing as monopoly of generic word, copy right of generic word(not name),prohibition of usage of a specific generic word in the modern world?????. When the usage of word is not for economic or commercial transaction; but for betterment of mankind. If the law will create to bar or prohibit the generic word for usage by the public for a good purpose, what type of law is it? what will be the public perception? a law is for protection of citizen and the public.
If it is a borrowed word from other language, we need to look at the root of the word, the original meaning and its common usage in the home country where the language and word is used. Then we need to look at global perspective, is the word used universally for the same purpose or not. This will provide us the fact and figure(the truth) to support or lobby for the issue.
If any country is to prohibit any word from any language. Just stop using the language, we have so many languages in the global world to choose , that can express our communication needs. All Languages are beautiful, it is a communication tools for feeling. A global citizen who have travel to places and countries, no matter what race you are, what religion you believe and where you come from; you will understand the beauty of cultural diversity, including languages. English is universal and global language, Chinese is becoming more important and have economic value; Siamese is romantic with gentle tone; Aramaic is historical and rare, no one will understand and stop you; Latin and Greek will make you vocal and look like lawyer; Ahom and Shan language will be liked by people who are environmental friendly,you are closer to the mountain and rivers. Create your own language like the scout used to communicate by flags, symbols and signs; or by speaking in a strange tongue that God only understand you....if you don't like people to understand you, and want to be yourself. That is still your choice and you have a liberty to communicate in any way you like. The language that restrict the usage will one day died of no users, like many ancient language and tribal language which have been extinct, where no one will use it any more. Basically if a language cannot serve its purpose of communicating , it will disappear in the modern world.
Finally, the innocent ordinary people must use common sense in the usage of the words, the tools for communication; the tools for saying good words; the communication for mutual understanding; the ways for peace and betterment of the mankind......there is beauty in the word, it is the universal asset of all mankind, no one has the right to take it away. Just use common sense and not fall into the traps of politician who are waiting for the right opportunity to use the sensitivity of ordinary people for their ultimate political agenda. There is no winner for simple controversy of word, the actual winner is behind the scene, hidden from the public. It is still simple basic common sense of people that prevail.
Ironically, it happens in the modern world; where there is human right; where there is democracy; when the mankind are fighting for universal problem of climate change; borderless communication; global world; speedy travel, and there are people who make a choice of living in a self, inward world of themselves; just to monopoly a word, it is pity.... that they only see some little grass and not the forest in the meaning of word........and the world.
Word without feeling is dead, and has no meaning for mankind communication. The most important factor in communication is the feeling of love; love to share the content of the said communication with the willing receiver.
Word with LOVE( additional "l") is world, world without love is merely word only. Word with love is word with hope, for you and the world. If you love the word, give the word you want to monopoly with a little touch of love; for the fellowman. A giving of love and sharing of love, with the word to the world, you will find the word more meaningful. That is the beauty of the simple word, communication of mutual understanding and love. The word with "l" or "love", reveal that we are the world(same earth), we are the children of the world(global citizen), and the word with love....is a loving world for you and me.
Peace for the word, and for the world.
Related articles:
1. TRANSLATING THE NAMES OF GOD:Recent experience from Indonesia and Malaysia(2001), by D. Soesilo,THE BIBLE TRANSLATOR Practical Papers Vol. 52, No. 4, October 2001: pp. 414-423, uploaded from http://www.krisispraxis.com/archives/2010/01/translating-the-names-of-god/
2. Ban on 'Allah' word will interfere with Sikh prayers(2010), by Harcharan Singh, President, Malaysian Gurdwaras Council, http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/121296
3. The Official Website of A Common Word, http://www.acommonword.com/(In A Common Word Between Us and You, 138 Muslim scholars, clerics and intellectuals have unanimously come together for the first time since the days of the Prophet to declare the common ground between Christianity and Islam).
4. The word Allah present in Selangor anthem, says Khalid, by WANI MUTHIAH, The Star dated January 7, 2010, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/7/nation/5427607&sec=nation
5. Malaysia v. The Herald, wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_v._The_Herald
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