A Pragmatic Guide To Communication & Change.pdf - NLP Info Centre

In an article entitled "Language, Emotion and Disease," Dr. Wallace Ellerbroek" makes
some astute, if unorthodox, observations. Staff psychiatrist at the Metropolitan State
Hospital in Norwalk, California, Dr. Ellerbroek's article addresses the effects of language
on our rperceptions and behaviors. He contends that, "...each word you use as a label for
something makes you see it in an entirely different way." He cites the case of "essential"
hypertension, a medical condition for which the cause is unknown. His description
includes the process of denominalizing the medical term, a rare action in the field of
medicine in which nominalizations abound. Contrary to the generally
84
Nominalizations
Linguistially, nominalization is the changing of a DS "process" into a SS "event." In
other words, it is the changing of a verb which is active in time into a noun which is static
or unchanging in time. Since a verb is a process word, it implies active participation by
one or more elements. A noun, on the other hand is static and unchanging. It implies no
active participation by other elements. Abstract nouns called nominalizations are
excellent examples of the process of distortion.
We are taught quite early in our educational experience to form abstract words. Words
like "friendship," "sensation," "strategy," etc., assist us in formulating and learning
creative and sophisticated concepts. But we are generally not taught to denomioaleze
these words. Although the use of these words is important in our complex and technical
society, they can also limit a person's sense of control over his life. It is a subtle
distinction to make, but the following illustration demonstrates the power these words can
have. In this case, the nominalization is the word "decision."
The woman in the above illustration is talking about a "decision" in a special way. She is
indicating that she no longer experiences herself in a position to change. She has given up
her responsibility to get things done or to even he interested and blames it on something
that she is powerless to ct,nge. This is much like the example of Sharon in
8 1 - 1
Chapter I who talked about how her bad "relationships" kept her from getting close to
anyone. As with the above illustration, when a person talks about "relationships" in that
way, it can indicate a failure to recognize his active participation or responsibility in the
continuing process of "relating" with another person.
The illustration below demonstrates how difficult it can be to deal with this linguistic
pattern. Without knowledge of the Meta Model response, the woman in the illustration
finds herself in just as helpless a position as the man who has nominalized his experience.
Nominalized Individual
When a person systematically uses nominalization, like "love," "fear," or "respect," it
may be a good indication that he perceives himself as having few choices and little or no
control in his life. The following excerpt is from et highly "nominalized" client. Much
like the young man in the illustration above, he is frustrated by the lack of choices he is
aware of and by a strong sense that he has lost control over the events of his life.
It's just that this darned relationship isn't working out. I mean, every time I turn
around, it ,laps me in the fetce. It's like I can't do anything without it being there to
remind me of MY nhligaho-, and you know whatapain they
82
4. Reuersed referential index occurs when the speaker is stated as receiving the action