We explain what expression is and what oral, written, corporal and algebraic expressions are. Also, what is freedom of expression.
What is the expression?
an expression It is every communicative act of the human beingwhich through some means or language (verbal or non-verbal) become manifest. This word acquires its most concrete meaning in each of the different areas of life and knowledge, as we will see later, but it always retains the same original meaning: that of information that is revealedwhich becomes legible or recognizable, that is, it is expressed.
The term “expression” comes from Latin expressiowhere the verb “express” also comes from. It is formed by the prefix ex– (“outside”) and premere (“squeeze”), in the sense that an expression is what comes out of something when it is squeezed, and figuratively, it is what also “comes out” of our bodies.
Thus, what is expressed is what is communicated to others, while what remains hidden is, precisely, unexpressed, buried within ourselves. Expressing oneself, therefore, is equivalent to bringing out from within oneself what one wants to say.
What we call expression is, at the same time, the act and the result of said process of manifestation of information. For this reason, we usually talk about expressions to refer to words, phrases and idioms of verbal language with which we can communicate (as in “foreign expressions”), or to the different manifestations of other types of information (“genetic expression” in biology, or “analytical expression” in mathematics).
Similarly, when we talk about taking something to its minimum expression or its maximum expression, we mean taking it to its lowest (weak, discreet, small, etc.) or highest possible manifestation (strong, loud, large, etc.). ), respectively.
Oral and written expression
Normally, human beings have two main ways of consciously expressing ourselves: oral (spoken) and written. The two are very different, despite being related and depending on verbal language.
- Oral expression It involves the set of factors that affect human communication through a language shared between sender and receiver. It involves elements such as voice, diction, speech fluency, as well as paralinguistic elements, such as gestures, proxemics, etc. Unless recording devices are involved, oral expression is face-to-face and ephemeral, that is, it occurs in the place and at the time in which the sender and receiver are, and then it disappears, and it is the oldest and most natural mechanism of the human being, that uses the different organs that make up its speech apparatus.
- The written expression Instead, it responds to the invention of one of the most important and revolutionary technologies invented by humanity around the year 4,000 BC. C., that is: writing. It attempts to solve the problems of presence and the disappearance of oral communication, since writing remains over time and can communicate to two or more people who know how to read, even if they are separated by kilometers of land or by the passage of rivers. ages. Written expression, thus, requires learning and practice, since it is something acquired and artificial. It involves both reading and writing, that is, the ability to generate and interpret visual symbols captured on a physical medium.
body expression
By body expression It is the ability to transmit information in a non-linguistic way, through postures and body movements.. This type of expression usually accompanies speech and often even transmits information contrary to happiness, since the way in which the body acts can unconsciously express contents that it wants to hide.
The mastery of bodily expression is common in speakers, politicians and other professions in which full control over the message transmitted is required. It is a continuous source of information that obeys certain cultural and social codes.
For example, arms solidly crossed over the chest are usually interpreted as a message of distrust, defensiveness or even superiority (which is why we will see this gesture repeated in superheroes and other fictional characters whose strength we want to highlight).
In the case of body expression that only concerns the positions and movements of the face, it is commonly known as facial expression.
algebraic expression
In the case of mathematics, and more specifically algebra, an algebraic expression is called a combination of letters and numbers, interrelated by mathematical signswhich allows establishing or proposing different mathematical relationships, especially when there are unknown variables or values.
These expressions allow certain logical or formal relationships to be expressed. Algebraic expressions are handled as if they were composed of ordinary numbers, and can be monomials, binomials or polynomials, depending on whether they have one, two or multiple terms.
Freedom of expression
The ability to express thought is something highly valued in different cultures, since through language it is possible to influence others and share our ways of seeing the world. For this reason, many authoritarian regimes persecute or limit the possibilities of free expression of the individuals they govern, applying methods of censorship, intimidation or directly ending society's media.
Thus, freedom of expression It is the right to freely express one's own thoughts, to express one's opinion, to show discontent or say what you want to say, without any type of institution preventing it and without suffering reprisals based on an opinion. It is one of the fundamental rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and should be guaranteed for all citizens of any country.
References
- “Expression” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Oral expression” in Wikipedia.
- “Bodily expression” on Wikipedia.
- “Freedom of expression” in Amnesty International.
- “Algebraic expressions” at the Open University of Catalonia (Spain).
