Want to See My Etchings? Visualizing “Language as a Window into Human Nature”

By Tim Roy

RSA Animate has produced another wonderful visualization, this time animating a lecture by Steven Pinker deconstructing the manner in which language can be used to create meaning.

The piece, which runs almost 11 minutes, “breaks” the commonly-held belief about the ideal duration of online video (2-3 minutes tops) and is a solid example of an exception to the rule. The combination of the engaging style of Pinker’s narration, complete with examples from Fargo, When Harry Met Sally, and James Thurber, and the visual rendering of his words, held my attention effortlessly. It is an apt demonstration of how words and images can combine to create immersive experiences.

For those interested in the substance as well as the form, there is much to digest. Pinker’s views on the tension between relationship models, actions, and use of language are important facets to consider when presenting information. We have always been told that words are important; this piece provides solid insight into why.