Symbolism is all around us, and although some symbols are universal, some concepts have symbolic significance that is purely individual. words are made up of symbols (the alphabet), but words also have a deep symbolic significance in themselves. Even the name of an individual is a symbol that represents his/her identity.
- Words can be symbols all on their own, or they can be combined to create symbolism. For example, “She was in a black mood.” Black has many symbolic connections. It could represent grief, but in this context, it represents anger and negativity. It’s rather unfair because black is a perfectly lovely color, but there it is!
- Words are symbols for thoughts, and no matter what language you speak, you use them according to the thoughts you associate with those words. For example, if you had a happy childhood, the word “mother” brings along all kinds of positive associations, but for some people, it just can’t have the same effect, even when they understand the broader cultural context.
Hence, We can conclude, Words Are Used Symbolically and All Words Are Symbols. We may share a mutual understanding of words, or we may fail to understand one another because the symbols (words) mean different things to us based on our life experiences or frame of reference.