How Key Words Determine the Mindset & Behavior of People

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) July 24, 2011 -- The creation of languages by human beings has been both a blessing and a curse on humanity, says author Boyé Lafayette De Mente.

Known for his cultural-insight books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, De Mente maintains that languages play the primary role in what people believe and how they behave, and that the only way to achieve understanding and cooperation is through intimate knowledge of key words in the languages of the people concerned.

He maintains that in every language there are key words that are the building blocks of the mindset and behavior of the people; that these key terms determine the values, attitudes and actions of people in both subtle and obvious ways, and that they encompass the whole perspective of the individuals’ view of the world around them and the world at large.

“These key words cover virtually everything that impacts on the lives of individuals, from the food they become accustomed to eating, their relationships with family members and people in general; their self-image, the spiritual beliefs they may have been taught, their sexual self-image, and their attitude towards members of the opposite sex, race, skin color, money, profit, politics and political power,” he says.

De Mente goes on to say that there is no way that individuals, groups, or nations, can totally understand each other and interact in positive ways without knowledge of the concepts hard-wired into the brains of the people concerned by key words in the languages they speak, beginning with the one they were weaned on.

“The origin of individual languages, the size and diversity of their vocabularies, the number of key words they contain and the level of advanced education [if any] of their speakers, determines the cultural “soft-ware” that is installed in their brains,” he continues.

De Mente has identified and explained over 300 key words in Chinese, over 300 in Japanese, over 200 in Korean, and over 100 in Mexican-Spanish—all based on 40-plus years of experience in and with these countries—and published them in books available from Amazon.com.

In a small book that introduces this concept—Bridging Cultural Barriers in China, Japan, Korea and Mexico—he describes 11 of the most important key words in Chinese; 16 in Japanese; 10 in Korean and 12 in Mexican-Spanish that could be described as “master keys.”

De Mente points out that the older, larger and more sophisticated societies the larger number of key words that have. He also notes that in more modern times the meanings and uses of key words in leading languages are being changed by people and institutions that have economic, political and religious agendas, so keeping up with them is an ongoing process.

De Mente adds that he cannot foresee a world united in peace and prosperity until the leading nations speak one or more languages whose key words are based on the same principles—on principles that incorporate the most philosophical rational, humane and enlightened guidelines for human behavior.
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Copyright © 2011 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente
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Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of 70-plus books on the business practices, cultures and languages of China, Japan, Korea and Mexico; on the degradation of American culture, and on the destructive nature of male dominance in particular. His current bestselling book is SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY! – a Little Language Goes a Long Way! A recent title: AMERICA'S FAMOUS HOPI INDIANS! - Their Spiritual Way of Life & Incredible Prophecies! To see a full list and synopses of his books go to: www.BoyeDeMente.com.

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