The ‘Many Worlds Interpretation’ theory of quantum physics and meaning explication in a second language context

Abstract

The Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) theory is an application in quantum mechanics which has been adopted for use in computer programming and technology, physics, mathematics, cosmology,   psychology, philosophy, etc. (Tyson 2008). Its benefits to studies in meaning explication remain untapped  largely because the interactions between linguistics and the physical sciences have been  guarded and thus limited. The aim of this paper therefore was to use the Many Worlds Interpretation theory to explain how an appropriate meaning is constructed by a listener from among myriads of other  possible interpretations in an interaction, particularly in a second language situation. Decoherence tools of history, experience and environment were applied to some linguistic samples of sentences, dialogues, metaphors, jokes, cartoons, etc., to elucidate how the appropriate meaning is arrived at. From our  analysis, it was found that while speakers are engaged in linguistic interactions, they are usually  constructing different ‘worlds’ from which emerges one that is appropriate to the situation and which  exposes the intended meaning. It was also noted that this intended meaning becomes the classical world  as a result of perspectivisation. Previous knowledge, enhanced by cultural context, determines largely  the content of what is perspectivised. Thus, the paper concludes by proposing that the MWI theory can  lead to a parallel worlds linguistics approach, a notion that can be very useful in showing how meaning  construction in social interactional situations (such as conversations, classrooms, literature, religious affairs, performances, etc.) is enhanced by individual manipulation of cultural choices, particularly in  second language situations.

Keywords: classical worlds, decoherence, environment, experience, history, linguistics, many worlds, parallel worlds, perspectivisation, quantum physics, superposition