Abstraction

We defined an SoA [State of Affairs] as the conception of something which can be the case in some world. We also saw that the constitution of an SoA is not only determined by what is said, but also by how what is said is moulded into the predicate frame. These various points boil down to the view that SoAs are not things which exist in reality, but are themselves interpretations or representations of reality. They present a certain codified “view” of reality rather than being part of reality themselves.— The Theory of Functional Grammar Part 1, The Structure of the Clause, page 107

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Get that? Reality is a step or two (or three or more) removed from what you are trying to say. Now, throw in a bit of Cognitive Linguistics, and what isn't said is just as important as what is said. By saying things in one way, we are excluding all the other possible ways of presenting it.

Witness the "debates" that are happening in the political realm in our country lately. By presenting the arguments in a certain way, both parties are seeking to control the conversation. What they don't say, and how they don't choose to present their arguments tells you far more than what they do say.

It's a miracle we communicate at all...
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