Crossroads Understanding Language Games

Abstract

In this essay, Mauws and Phillips argue that the current usage of the language game concept has been a very weak version. They assert that, as originally presented by Wittgenstein, it is a considerably more nuanced and powerful idea than has been previously presented in the organizational literature. They draw from Wittgenstein, from arguments outlined in the 1992 debate in Organization Science and from their own perspective on the meaning of language games to present a thoughtful, scholarly and very lucid treatment of the subject. They demonstrate the usefulness of paying serious attention to original sources when translating an idea from one arena to another.