A convention is like a special rule that everyone agrees to follow so things work smoothly.
Imagine you and your friends are playing a game where you take turns throwing balls into a basket. If no one agreed on the order, it would get confusing, who goes first? Who goes next? But if you all agree that the person with the tallest height goes first, then the shortest goes last, that becomes a convention. It’s not magic; it's just something you all decided to do so the game is fair and fun for everyone.
How Convention Works
- People talk about what they want.
- They agree on a rule or way of doing things.
- Everyone follows that rule, it becomes a convention.
You see this in real life too! When you line up at school, you follow the same order as your classmates, that’s a convention. It helps everyone know what to do without someone having to shout instructions every time.
So next time you follow a rule or do something the same way as others, remember: it might just be a convention, and conventions make life easier for all of us!
Examples
- A group of friends agrees that 'blue' means 'happy' during their game.
- Kids in a class decide that raising your hand means you want to speak.
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See also
- What are polysemous symbols?
- How Does Language & Meaning: Crash Course Philosophy #26 Work?
- What is Deep, mysterious meanings?
- What is semantic?
- What is ends?