Lately I’m developing courseware on brain networks involved in language. At night my bedtime playlist includes old films about banking. The banking films have clarified several things about money that were unclear before**. For example, checks are not money. Checks don’t transfer value, checks transfer credit or trust.
The combination of subjects formed a metaphor.
Happy Star, owner of Star Mutual Printing, has noticed that his Record Gothic case is used up after setting lots of business forms. He’s ordering more lead from Inland Type Founders in St Louis.
Let’s examine the elements of the check, which haven’t changed much over the years.
In commerce, when we want to buy a product or get a service done we write a check, paper or digital. A check includes the date when it was uttered; the payee or destination of the credit; the amount of the credit in numbers and words; a Memo or Purpose line, and the name of the payer or source.
In language, when we want to accomplish a purpose or convey a message or emotion, we form a sentence. Sentences are the basic units of meaning and emotion. Words are arbitrary divisions inside a sentence. A sentence, like a check, has a syntax form with places to fill in the destination or object; the name of the source or subject; the intended purpose or goal; and the strength of the order or purpose.
In an imperative sentence the payee and payer are explicit as in a check.
I want you to take out the trash.
In other sentences the payee and payer aren’t specified, but both are always known by both parties.
The trash is ready to take out.
Roy Chapin’s observation when touring Europe for Hudson is an excellent example.
I find that a reputation for quality of product is the only thing that can continuously pay dividends.
The payee is the company and the purpose is improving quality. The strength is dividends.
The price or strength is present in both forms. The date is always written on a check and always shown by verb tense in a sentence. The purpose is optional in both, but always known by context.
Sentences and money can also express emotion. A tip expresses gratitude or anticipation. A fine expresses an apology. Both are crucial parts of Natural Law civilization, in language and commerce.
In cultures that forbid tips, the emotional purpose of money is missing. In cultures that forbid compliments or thanks or jokes, the emotional purpose of language is missing. Everyone mechanically performs all duties all the time, precise to the tenth decimal place, and every sentence is an absolute command, precise to the tenth decimal place; but the commands are superfluous because everyone has already accomplished what is required by their assigned duties.
Q: How many Germans does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Precisely 0.00; and we will treat you with contempt because you foolishly thought the question was worth asking.
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** I’ve been writing and cashing checks for 55 years. In the ’70s as bookkeeper I paid, received, recorded debits and credits, dealt with discounts, notes and contracts. So I’m deeply familiar from a personal and business viewpoint. I never tried to think about these matters from the bank’s viewpoint before. It’s illuminating.
Polistra's Mill 