1. The role of language and speech in mental activity

RELATIONSHIP OF PSYCHE AND LANGUAGE

In this chapter, the relations between some components of the psyche, on the one hand, and language, on the other, will be equally considered.

The role of language and speech in the ontogeny of the psyche and its formed state is very large. Equally great is the role of the psyche in the assimilation and use of language and the formation of speech ability.

The appearance (in relation to children - formation) of speech essentially rebuilds the entire mental sphere of a person: such processes as perception, memory, thinking, imagination, voluntary attention, are formed in man only with the participation of speech and are mediated by it. Speech, speaking as the most important higher mental function, organizes and connects all other mental processes. Leading to the restructuring of all the qualitative characteristics of thinking, memory and other mental functions, speech becomes a universal means of influencing the world, "... together with the word a new modus operandi, a new mode of action , is introduced into the human consciousness" (43, p. 371). In the mind of man, the processes of thinking and imagination are intimately connected with speech activity, forming a specifically human type of thinking activity — speech thinking. The development of speech is closely connected with other mental processes. So, being involved in the process of perception, it makes it more generalized and differentiated; verbalization of the memorized material (fixation of visual-sensual representations by means of appropriate words-definitions, word-concepts) contributes to the meaningfulness of memorization and reproduction; extremely important is the role of speech in the organization and development of attention functions, in the regulation of human behavior by a person, etc.

On the other hand, the inability to use language and speech in the ontogenesis of the psyche or a restriction in its use leads to a delay, deficit and distortion of many aspects of mental development (which, for example, occurs in children with congenital or early acquired deafness, children with early acquired aphasia, children with alalia and in other cases of deviating development).

In turn, certain mental disorders (and, above all, intellectual development) disorders of certain groups of children with developmental disabilities, as a rule, lead to a delay or pathological impairment in the mastering of a number of language components (primarily, semantic, syntactic and lexical) .

As for the already formed RDs and the psyche, language, as is well known, is very often used in mental activity - in its various forms and at various stages of its implementation. Many acts of social activity based on mental activity cannot take place at all (for example, laws and statutes, prayers, oaths, etc.) without language and speech (RD ). The speech itself and the use of language outside of mental activity are impossible; any speech (linguistic) act of mental activity “begins,” “continues,” and “ends,” while evaluating the results of speech activity. The language (if necessary for the individual) organically fits into the mental activity and serves it. Figuratively speaking, language is the servant of non-linguistic (including mental) activity.

It is impossible not to take into account the fact that the process of generating speech is a transition from meaning that exists in a “figurative form” to text that exists in a language, sign form, and the process of speech perception is a transition from text to meaning .

So, the general position is that language and psyche are closely connected, and these connections are multifaceted and ambiguous.

The main function of the psyche - a reflection of reality in the "figurative form". The human psyche, being a holistic education, at the same time includes mental processes (sensations and perception, memory, thinking, etc.), states and feelings, the fundamental properties of the personality (spirit, soul, worldview, social orientation, aspirations, abilities, and other component of the "highest level" of the person, as well as character, emotions, will, temperament, etc.).

Language (including ordinary or idio-ethnic language), as already mentioned above, is a sign system designed to carry out communication and multifaceted mental activity.

The psyche "manifests itself" in images. Images directly or indirectly associated with objects - "originals" from the surrounding reality. The images somehow reflect the properties and relationships characteristic of these objects.

The language “reveals itself” in signs. Signs act as deputy images of objects and their relationships. The sign itself (more precisely, its exponent, the sound complex) does not contain any information about reality (ideal or material). [156] Signs - conditional substitutes images. Signs only refer to images and their relationships. [157] For example, the very sign “table” (namely, its exponent) as a sequence of sounds [s], [t], [o], [1] does not contain any information about the table, namely its structure (table top shape, number of legs, height, etc.), its “individual” function (table, dressing, office, surgical , etc.), as well as our diverse personal relation to the “abstract” table or to the “concrete” table, the one that is now in our field of perception (does it mean for us or not, is it convenient or and inconvenient, etc.).

A mark (exponent [158]) “table” only refers to a certain image in a certain situation of activity. This applies equally to any other significant word, say, to the word “beauty”, where in the sequence of sounds (or letters) no concept of beauty is contained; but this word refers us to the concept of “beauty”, which was formed in our life experience and is encoded in memory in a complex figurative form.

Currently, a number of scientists agree that knowledge is not encoded in the linguistic form of signs of the language, but in the form of “frames”, [159] which are behind the meaning of the words “semantic networks” and predicative relations [160] (133, 216, 227 and others).

Probably, a person in his speech activity uses all three of the listed forms of encoding information about what is indicated in speech utterances.

Speaking about the relationship between psyche and language, one should not forget that language is primarily a means of activity (speech and thinking), the task of which is to fulfill the needs of the individual (vital and spiritual). The task of language as one of the means of activity is to contribute in every way (along with other means) to the realization of these needs.

Given this, language [161] is “impossible” (unrealizable) outside the psyche outside complex mental activity. However, mental activity (of course, above all in an elementary form) can be carried out without language or with its help.

There are the following main options for the ratio of mental and linguistic activities.

• Mental activity is carried out without the direct use of signs of the language. For example, in some forms of visual perception, in solving some intellectual or artistic tasks (primarily in the early stages of mental activity), etc. Let us also recall the figurative-effective and figurative thinking: these forms of thinking can be carried out without using signs of language.

• Mental activity "throughout its duration" (at all stages of implementation) uses language. For example, a lecture, a speaker, a letter to a friend, etc.

• Mental activity uses language only at a certain, the most "responsible" stage (or stages) of its implementation:

(a) at the stage of the emergence of needs, intentions, speech speech design . For example, we say to ourselves: “We need a bite to eat”, “We need to go to a lecture”, “Let's say the main thing”, “Prove that”, “Tell us about ...” and so on;

(b) at the stage of afferent synthesis (i.e., analyzing the situation in which the activity will take place). For example, before the start of the speech, we often say to ourselves: “Do not worry, the public (audience) really wants to listen to the acoustic properties of the room favors speech perception,” and so on;

(c) at the stage of decision making. When we, in accordance with the situation of activity, for example, we say to ourselves: “I will (or: I will not,) speak”; “I will speak in Russian (or any other) language”; “I will speak quickly (or slowly), lapidary (or deployed)”, etc .;

(d) at the stage of planning activities. When, for example, one of us says to himself: “In order to quickly get to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg from Arts Square, it is better to go along Mikhailovskaya Street, walk to Nevsky Prospect, turn right, take the trolleybus”;

(e) at the implementation stage. I say to myself (see the previous example): “I go out onto Nevsky Prospect, turn to the trolleybus stop”.

At this stage, speech can also be used in the process of monitoring, when the results of certain actions and operations of the activity are compared with the established plan and, if necessary, made appropriate adjustments to the implementation of actions and operations, and sometimes the entire activity. For example, we say to ourselves: “No, I went wrong, there was no need to switch to the other side of Nevsky Prospect. We must return to the other side ”;

(e) at the stage of comparison of the results of completed activities with the plan. For example: “Well, finally, the Hermitage!”

The nature of the relationship of the psyche and language is determined by very many factors: the structure of the personality (in particular, personal needs), the characteristics of mental processes and conditions, the specifics of the activity or the situation of verbal communication in which the activity takes place, the degree of formation of the individual’s mental activity itself, and the level of formation language ability.

When considering the relationship "psyche" - "language" we should not forget that the psyche is a holistic education. In the real mental activity of an individual, one or another mental process, state or characteristic of a person is only temporarily brought to the fore; at the same time, one should remember the inseparable connection in the mental activity of the rational and emotional. Therefore, considering individual private relations in the general system of relations “psyche” - “language (speech)”, it is necessary to bear in mind that this is done primarily for didactic purposes.