Maturana's Party: Sense-making through everyday language

Introduction

The following is an attempt at moving Maturana’s theory of language closer to practice. The intent of this article is to add another layer of insight to understanding sense-making that emphasizes the role of the everyday and unreflective use of language in making sense of the world around us so we can act in it (Snowden, 2008). Influenced heavily by the Cynefin framework and its supporting literature, Maturana’s work is used create a two-domain image of the flow of everyday sense-making elaborated upon by the work of Francisco Varela. It is hoped that this paper makes clear the importance of understanding the role of our quotidian use of language in creating a world that makes sense to us.

Maturana’s Theory of Language

Maturana is insistent throughout his work that human beings exist in language or what he refers to as “languaging.” The term languaging carries more meaning than “linguistic” as it refers to linguistic acts (e.g., gestures, spoken word, facial expressions) tha…