By Merle

Communication takes many forms. Our bodies communicate through body language, our eyes reveal the sensory modality we use to construct any thought which immediately becomes speech, and speech itself takes more than one form.

Our conscious speech, which will be referred to as forward speech, is not the first speech to emerge and to reveal the level of our language development. As early as four months of age a form of communication called reserve speech is used by some infants to communicate needs. So far as we know, all infants begin aural communication as reverse speech with forward speech developing some months later. Reverse speech merges with forward speech and the two are normally emitted simultaneously before the age of two years.

Reverse speech often is complementary to forward speech in that it enlarges upon the message, amplifies it, and broadens the scope. Reverse speech may also negate the forward message, or it may be an internal dialogue which has nothing to do with the message of forward speech. Unlike forward speech, much reverse speech is difficult to understand without specialized training Reverse Speech Theory.

The messages we get in reverse speech are referred to as reversals. Reversals may often be found in dialogue with a great deal of emotional content, sometimes coming seconds apart. In normal conversational dialogue reversals are usually found no further than 15 seconds apart.

Reversals are rated on a scale from one to five with five being the clearest. A five reversal is almost as clearly heard as forward speech. A reversal with a rating of one is very unclear and is detected with much difficulty. Rating a reversal has to do with the clarity of the speech reversal.

Another component of the reversal has to do with the language it contains. Reversals are categorized into 12 types. Categories are determined by the way the reversal complements, expands, contradicts, mirrors, emphasizes, and in some way relates to the forward message.

Usually, monologues, speeches which are read, and lectures have very few reversals, if any. As mentioned above, most reversals occur during conversational speech which has emotional content.

The phenomenon of reverse speech may be most readily explained by the dynamics of Carl Jung’s model of the psyche. His model breaks down into three categories, 1) Consciousness, which Jung said “is an intermittent phenomenon… Every night we sink into unconsciousness, and only phases between waking and sleeping have we a more or less clear consciousness. To a certain extent it is even questionable how clear that consciousness is.” Everything passes into consciousness by way of the unconscious according to Jung. Sense perceptions, objects and events all become conscious for moments and then pass out of consciousness as our awareness shifts to something else or turns itself off. The relationship between the conscious and unconscious states is extremely complex. 2)Personal unconscious is made up of contents which have disappeared from consciousness through having been forgotten or repressed. 3) The collective unconscious Jung describes as “a second psychic system of a collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all individuals. This collective unconscious does not develop individually, but is inherited. It consists of pre-existent forms, the archetypes.”

The inheritance of this collective unconscious can well be explained by the phenomenon of reverse speech. Reversals are not initiated by our conscious psyche so far as we can determine. It appears that they have their origin in the collective unconscious. Support for this is in the language we use for reverse speech. Metaphors and archetypes are sprinkled throughout reverse speech and we must know the meaning and intent of these symbols if we are to understand the message sent by the reversal. Reverse speech may explain how each of us gains our collective unconscious. David Oates and others have shown that each of us picks up metaphors from others and use them in our reverse speech, even though a metaphor may be a personal metaphor specific to one person. These metaphors and archetypes are used only in our collective unconscious (reverse speech) and are not seen in our conscious speech.

Although reverse speech is largely an unconscious activity, a good interviewer can elicit reversals, even reversals of a specific metaphorical nature. It takes training and a great deal of practice to use these communication tools.

Reverse speech has found a hook-up not only with Carl Jung’s theories, but also with the theoretical base of Psycholinguistic Programming (NLP). The eye movement detection which reveals the sensory mode of the cognitive pattern construction can also reveal the mode in which a person is constructing reversals. If eye movement can be observed along with forward dialogue, there is much information to be gained from correlating these with the reversals.

Returning to the messages we glean from reverse speech, we see that much of the reverse speech dialogue is couched in the same language as we use in forward speech. So we have language that we use consciously being used in reverse speech with interspersals of metaphors and archetypes. If all reverse speech was in the language of metaphors or archetypes, it would be much more difficult to decipher.

Finding reversals to interpret is the crux of reverse speech. Seventy-five percent of training and practice time is spent on locating reversals in reverse speech. They are normally found in dialogue of emotional content where the voice trails off into mumbles, where we stutter, where we repeat or where we back up and take another direction in our conversation.

The usual way to find reversals is to play a tape through to the end and reverse the direction of the tape slowing it to a speed which accommodates the listener. When the listener hears sounds which may be words, the tape is reversed to hear forward dialogue, the reversed again to hear the speech reversal. After this operation is repeated four or five times, and no clear message is forth coming, one can assume it was gibberish that was heard and continue on looking for reversals. When a reversal has been established, the exact forward dialogue is noted along with thepoint where the reversal begins and ends. In this manner, an entire tape is transcribed.

The transcription is validated with the subject of the interview as to its content. Transcriptions are held in strictest confidence and should be known only to the transcriber and the subject.

This confidentiality must exist for the benefit of the client for this person may be in psychotherapy or the client may be in the criminal justice system where confidentiality could mean the difference between a trial verdict which stands and a mistrial.

Possible uses for reverse speech other than psychological analysis, and criminal justice, is therapeutic use with children, therapy with the dying and validation of charges of abuse which children may lodge against adults. Reverse speech may also be used in espionage activity, as a part of interviewer techniques in personnel offices, and to aid sales persons. The uses it can be called to serve in detecting dishonest, wayward, or hidden communication is unlimited.

Resources

Jung, C.G. Analytical Psychology: Its Theory and the Practice (Vantage Books edition 1970) New York: Vantage Books, 1968.

Collected Works, Vol. 9i: The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Princeton: Bollinger Series, Princeton University Press, 1969.

Robertson, Robin. C.G. Jung and the Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious. Peter Lang: American University Studies, 1987.1

By Jim Stutt

What is Reverse Speech,and why do we (humans) utilize it at all? I tend to think of it this way; when humans first existed, their form of communication was telepathic. As huankind evolved, they started forning sounds and associating them with meanings. In time, all communication was accomplished through the new medium – speech. Why? Because it was easier to listen to sounds and not have to concentrate on trying to tune to another’s thoughts. Once it was found that people were no longer communicating telepathically, deceit found its way into communication. Since people at first would naturally treat speech in the same way as telepathic communication, they would not think of not taking the speeoh at face value.

However, the mind (soul, etc.) knew that it had to communicate the.truth in some manner. Since humankind no longer practiced the ability to communicate telepathically, another way had to be found. And that way is Reverse Speech.

This may account for the reason that Reverse Speech occurs in children before normal or forward speech. The soul of the child entity is reaching out and trying to communicate in a manner that it knows will be heard and understood.

As the children age, they learn the normal speech patterns that are utilized in the current times. As they learn more and more about the way the world works, they too are drawn into the practiced speech patterns that exist as the norm. This may account for the single word reversals children first start with, which then expand to whole sentences as they get older. The single word communicates their want or need effectively. However, upon getting older and learning forward speech patterns, the right brain of the child now has to work harder to effectively communicate ideas and feelings to others.

As far as reversal content being higher in casual or emotional conversation, I’m not sure that is an accurate statement. I have noticed in my own tapings that there seems to be a greater number of reversals as the persons involved in the conversation get comfortable with each other. I think this is called rapport between the individuals. This would account for the fact that prepared speeches, monologues, etc. have low reversal content. There is no rapport between speaker and listener. I have listened to tapes of people crying, angry, frustrated and generally in a high emotional state, without hearing high quantities of reversals. I have checked these same tapes over a period of 3 to 4 weeks with no change in the number af reversals found. I have also noticed that in any given tape, the number of reversals increases towards the end of the conversation than at the beginning. This may be do to the fact that the individual is putting forth a large amount of concentration, hence control, of what is being said. With rapport, words come forth more freely with less concentrated thought behind the choosing and speaking of the words. As to whether the person being taped is aware of the machine and therefore not at ease, I’m not sure.

Which brings me to another point. I have noticed that the sooner I listen to a tape after it is made, the clearer I hear the reversals. If I wait several days between making the tape and listening, I hear the same reversals, but with far more effort on my part to discern them from the gibberish. I wonder if this is because the forward (and unconscious hearing of reversals) is fresh in my mind if I listen immediately, and forgotten or filed away if I wait a few days. Maybe an interesting experiment would be to record a tape, and then immediately listen to it for reversals, documenting only the reversal without the forward speech, and then listening again in two or three days and documenting the tape in normal fashion. It might be enlightening to see how many of the “original” reversals heard are documented.

Of course, after the reversal is documented, it must be classified. And in classifying them I would create what I would call CLASS. Class would be either Internal or External. Once the reversal is put in a class, I think it would then be much easier to categorize it into one of the existing categories. The existing categories seem to be adequate to cover all possibilities, however, it. seems to me that more, if not all, of the forward conversation needs to be documented. Since a lot of reversals that are normally hard to categorize in context to one or two sentences, might be more recognizable as a lead/trail reversal with more forward dialogue present. Of course, this requirement then makes some sort of transcription service a necessity.

But then, I tend to feel that reversal structure and tense are more important when analyzing a tape than categories are. Yes, categories are important. But content and structure are what defines how to categorize something.

And in thinking about structure, and how people communicate, I wonder if maybe greater importance should be given to the Semi-Formed reversal. It seems to me that people in general have a hard time saying what they feel or want to say. And since the active speech center is located in the left brain control section, would it not stand to reason the right brain, in forming a reversal, has a lot of left brain control to overcome to produce the reversal. Therefore, in overcoming this control, the reversal might not be perfectly formed due to the stress this creates in the indivduals left-right brain hemispheres. And also, this is such an important issue to the individual that its just as hard to say in reverse as forward.

So, with everything taken into account that I know at this time, I feel that Reverse Speech is probably one of the most important discoveries to be made in the area of interpersonal communications ever. The need for people to communicate concisely and effectly has never been greater. And maybe this will awaken people to the fact that they are saying it in reverse anyhow, so why not say it forwards!

By Ken Solberg

“We are not stuff that abides, but patterns that perpetuate themselves.” – Norbert Wiener

Reverse Speech is offering incredible opportunities to increase our awareness about personal and corporate patterns that perpetuate themselves. When that happens we are given the responsibility to make new choices and decisions about patterns that are now contributing to aliveness, energy, balance, and integration.

Before I explore some possibilities regarding Reverse Speech, let me first set the stage and put a little more grounding in the words Reverse Speech by stating the theory as presented by David Oates, an international expert in the art form of Reverse Speech.

“Human speech has two distinctive and complementary functions and modes: The Primary mode is spoken forwards and is constructed by conscious cognitive processes. The Secondary mode is spoken simultaneously with the primary mode, is a reversal of the forward speech sounds, and is constructed by automatic cognitive processes.”

“These two modes of speech are dependent upon each other and form an integral part of communication. In the dynamics of interpersonal communication, both modes of speech communicate the psyche of the speaker – conscious and unconsciousness,”

Alford Korzyski in his book entitled Science and Sanity has coined the phrase “general semantics.” Semantics is a study of the development and change of the meaning of words. General semantics, it seems to me, would be the study of the appropriate use of language. This has been a neglected area in our culture. Now with Reverse Speech on the horizon the study of general semantics is far more demanding.

Language is a process that shapes our reality. It literally not only contributes greatly to the development of our brain, but affects and shapes our whole body. Language affects human structure, the depth of our breathing, and the tension level of muscles. Language is shaping our attitude and response at any given moment.

The dynamics of language increases many fold since we now know that languaging includes reverse messages. The potential for learning and human development is unlimited. Carl Jung, a scholar and student of mythology, has, with his theory of the human mind being divided into three distinct levels, given us unlimited possibilities for human growth and development.

The levels of Reverse Speech according to Jung’s model are as follows:

The first level he describes as consciousness. These are conscious thoughts and emotions, or those just below conscious awareness. Reversals are normal everyday English usage.

The second level he describes as personal consciousness. These are thoughts, emotions, and personality matrices that are below the level of conscious awareness. Reversals are metaphors and shortened sentences.

The third level he describes as the collective unconscious. These are a variety of patterns and issues from the core of our being. Reversals are archetypes, strong metaphors, and occasionally old styled English language, such as King James.

A definition of metaphors as used in Reverse Speech and defined by David Oates is as follows: “A metaphor is an unconscious representation of a feeling, belief, or behavioral pattern. Metaphors are symbolic words. Some have universal meanings in Reverse Speech and others are representational to the individual only. The key to their interpretation lies within the complementarity features between the forward and reverse dialogue.”

David Oates defines archetypes as follows: “Archetypes are like metaphors in that they are also unconscious representations of a feeling, belief, or behavioural pattern – yet the patterns, feelings or beliefs that they represent are more firmly entrenched into our being. They are more universal in their significance and stem from deeper parts of our psyche, possibly the collective unconscious as detailed by Carl Jung. They use words that contain strong religious or mythological symbolism and tend to contain more life that metaphors which are primarily static in their nature. Archetypes give the impression of a live drama being re-enacted in the depths of the mind.”

To the extent we are conscious as to how we use language, both forward and reverse messages, we can determine how we experience ourselves and the world. Now that Reverse Speech has added octaves to our languaging process and has opened up levels of communication beyond our imagination, we can no longer afford to ignore its reality and put up with sloppy use of language. Reverse Speech gives us the opportunity to pay attention to the metaphors and archetypes that describe our reality.

Reverse messages demand that we be awake at deep levels of our being. It demands that we get on with the job of grounding our speech, both forward and reverse, and give meaning to generalizations such as metaphors and archetypes. It is a process of becoming whole; that is, integrating forward and reverse messages, and integration the conscious and below consciousness. Since reverse messages are often full of ungrounded abstractions as well as forward messages, we now have the mandate as Reverse Speech analysts to pay attention to what’s meaningless and bring it down and down until it is anchored in life and in present reality.

This is a challenging work as Reverse Speech is mosaic in its nature and multidementional in its characteristics. Consider not only the three levels of reversals as previously outlined, but also the reversal catagories that have been identified to date by David Oates. They are as follows:

Complementary reversals directly confirm the forward dialogue.

Some reversals are expansive in that they add to the information of the forward speech.

Reversals can be contradictory to what the forward speech says.

Other reversals can communicate to the other person.

Reversals can be an internal dialogue, giving information or instruction to oneself.

Mirror image reversals have the same meaning in both forward and reverse statements.

Sentence building reversals will complete a forward statement.

Semi-formed reversals are when the last part of the last word is missing.

In double emphasis reversals the reversal phrase will be repeated twice.

Single word reversals usually communicate a strong feeling or desire.

Non-related reversals seem not to be connected in regards to content but in regard to the emotional set of the person.

Link reversals happen when two people strongly connect in their communication. Each person contributes to the one reversal.

Out of the previous list of catagories, it is possible to see that Reverse Speech has the task of restoring integrity to people and our culture I believe this is the right work at the right time, considering the need for wholeness, wellness, and completeness.

Dr Buckminster Fuller, a modern day thinker has challenged us with his insights He saw history as coming in ‘waves’ The first wave was the age of agriculture, The second wave was the age of industry The third wave we are still experiencing It is the age in information The fourth has arrived and is in its early stages It is the age of integrity It is time to integrate It is time to connect. It is time for Reverse Speech

We are the right people at the right time at the right place with the right skills We come with a fresh approach to facilitate connectedness and integrity to a fragmented society.

By Karen Boone, O.M.D., Ph.D., L.Ac

Reverse Speech is a newly-discovered form of human communication which promises to turn the world as we know it literally upside-down. Reverse Speech is the unedited voice of the unconscious. It cannot be manipulated or directed by the conscious mind, but, instead, reflects the soul’s purest viewpoint. It is raw truth, blunt and to the point. Occasionally beautiful, often ugly and generally poetic, Reverse Speech is about to emerge as the phenomenon of the century, jolting an unwitting humankind into the Age of Awareness.

Reverse Speech was born on October 27, 1983 in Berri, South Australia, a lush rural town in the Riverlands just fifty miles from the Australian Outback. There, a portable tape recorder was carelessly dropped into a toilet bowl by twenty-eight-year-old David John Oates while he was shaving. An electronics buff, amateur radio operator and juvenile church counselor, David cleaned up the recorder, put it back together, and found he had on his hands a recorder that could only play in reverse. He put the somewhat useless reverse-playing rnachine in a drawer and basically forgot about it. Not too long afterwards, several of the “street kids” in his charge asked him about the Satanic messages that were rumored by visiting evangelists to be hidden behind the lyrics in popular music, and which were supposedly intended to control unaware listeners. The teenagers told him that the messages could apparently only be heard by playing the tapes backwards. Upset that the evangelists were terrifying them, David pulled out his ‘useless’ reverse recorder to prove the evangelists wrong. And it was at this point that history began to change.

In addition to a few intentionally-planted “backmasked” messages, some other seemingly nonintentional phrases could be deciphered from amidst the jibberish when the tapes were played in reverse. The rnessages were occasionally Satanic, yes, especially when found in heavy metal music where the lyrics spoke of suicide and hell. But, amazingly, the backwards messages found in love songs tended to reflect loving thoughts, while gospel music contained messages with religious overtones. Furthermore, intentionally “backmasked” messages could easily be identified, as jibberish could be heard underlying the track when it was played in its regular forward mode. However, many of the words and phrases that David was finding were decipherable simultaneously both forwards AND backwards. They didn’t appear to be intentional at all. Intrigued and puzzled, David began to devote entire days to researching what he called “reversals” in music and then in everyday speech. Those early days of research stretched into months and then years. He studied tapes of children, politicians, criminals and everyday conversations. Now, finally, after thirteen years of eighteen- to twenty-hour workdays, Research Speech, as it has since become known, is a phenomenon that must be reckoned with.

Essentially, what David discovered was that our spoken language is actually bi-level. A second form of communication consistently occurs imbedded backwards within our forward speech, outside of our conscious control or knowledge. In fact, it appears that the sounds of our language probably even evolved in such a way that our messages could be communicated both forwards and backwards simultaneously.

Reverse Speech is a concept which has, since its discovery, been met with great skepticism. Without considering the research data fairly, many…perhaps most…have gone so far as to ridicule the entire concept as yet another New Age novelty. However, to me, as a practitioner of oriental rnedicine whose entire philosophy is based upon Yin and Yang, or opposites within a whole, the idea that we had ever considered that verbal communication might be singularly forward appears to be much more absurd. According to all that I know, every forward flow has its reverse flow; the left brain function has an opposite right brain function; darkness has its reciprocal light; every covert point has its overt counterpoint; every lie has its corresponding truth And just as the goal for any truly healthy individual is to balance the yin with the yang or the internal with the external, the goal for any truly healthy soul is to balance and unite the unconscious with the conscious to become truly congruent and whole.

Since David John Oates’ discovery and detailed documentations of Reverse Speech, we now know that the overt face which we present to the world has a hidden, covert face. Both the overt and covert communicate in tandem, one on a conscious left brain level the other on an unconscious right brain level. The overt may be truthful; the covert is always truthful. Whereas the conscious voice usually speaks in carefully chosen words on carefully chosen topics, the unconscious voice reveals all. The more a lie is defended consciously, the more the truth will be exposed in reverse.

Generally, in the past, unconscious communication was “heard” only via “reading between the lines, ” ESP, or what we know of as intuition. Since the discovery of Reverse Speech, however, we know from research done on children that the backward voice is not only real, but actually learns to express itself as much as six to twelve months before the forward voice learns to speak…that the forward dialogue is actually dependent upon reverse dialogue in the gradual developmental process of forming a bi-level communication.

Reverse Speech is based upon the principle of complementarity, which simply means that the topic of the forward speech is the same as the topic of the reverse. I think of the reverse as basically editing and correcting the conscious dialogue on a continual basis. There are many types of reversals. Congruent reversals are those that confirm the forward dialogue, as compared to contradictory ones which may correct false statements. Expansive reversals add more information to what is said forwards. Reverse dialogue may occur with oneself (internal) or be directed towards another (external). Trail and lead reversals occur when reverse dialogue speaks of a topic just discussed or about to be discussed. Link reversals combine the unfinished thoughts of one person with those of another who might complete the phrase. And lastly, comparative reversals–which rnay appear to be the exception of the principle of complementarity–are complementary with experiences of the same emotional tone, rather than the same topic.

10% or so of Reverse Speech phrases occur in everyday English. These are called First Level Reversals, and they are straight to the point. Little interpretation is called for in the analysis of these. 90% or more of all Reverse Speech dialogue, however, is metaphoric, communicated in pictures or parables, sirnilar to dreams. Second Level Reversals, also known as Operational Metaphors, reflect how behavior is played out. They are action words, and may be individual for each person. These differ from Third Level Reversals, or Structural Metaphors, which reflect the deep programming within each of us. These are those precepts that direct our behavior and beliefs, that limit or allow our happiness and achievements. These metaphors even reveal the collective unconscious, as they are consistent from one person to another. We each run a few principal structural metaphors and will show similarities to another who runs the same metaphors.

Speech reversals may vary from a Single Word, which may communicate intense feeling, to Long Sentences, which are highly significant, as their occurrence is somewhat rare. Reversals may be expressed as Cause and Effect, one part of the punctuation-separated reversal indicating an event or fact, the other part being the cause of that. Mirror Image reversals have the same word or words begin or end both the forward and reverse dialogue, but are not reversals of each other. When the forward and reverse dialogue combine together to complete one thought, these are termed Sentence Building reversals. Double Emphasis reversals repeat a phrase two or more times successively for added emphasis. In Semi-Formed reversals, the last word or the last part of the last word may be dropped into the jibberish, trailing off as is also comrnon in forward speech. As far as tense, reversals may be Past Tense (having already occurred), Present Tense (current patterns, actions or thoughts) or Future Tense (will surely pass if action is not taken to prevent the occurrence.)

Reverse Speech is the ultimate truth detector. It has no need to be polite or tactful. It can blast us to the depths of our souls in its blatent accuracy and honesty. It can be shocking when a previously unknown self-truth is exposed to the conscious mind, and is rnade even more horrifying if we refuse to open our eyes to the new reality. Optimally, on an individual level once we are able to see how our own self-computers are programmed, we rnay change the programming if we so choose, bringing what for most of us is a first chance at truly healthy, conscious living.

On a larger level, we have the rare opportunity to take the truths of Reverse Speech into our hearts, our homes and our businesses, clearing the way for a truly honest, functional global existence. In reverse, what we say is what we mean, and what we mean is what we say. Anyone who chooses to use this tool when deciding on a business partner, employee or a course of action will have the winning edge. If the world is ready for it, Reverse Speech will be used by the leaders and innovators in every field from psychology to medicine, business to law enforcement, athletics to the stage within the next few years. I firmly believe that anyone who doesn’t use this tool will be at a great disadvantage in the twenty-first century. It is the dawning of the Age of Awareness, and the bus is now boarding. Are you coming?

By Norman J. “Jerry” Hirsch

WHAT IS REVERSE SPEECH?

Reverse Speech is the discovery, theory, and technology of David John Oates involving oral communication. The concept of Reverse Speech is actually simple. That theory is that when we verbally communicate normally forwards, our minds are in fact simultaneously communicating in reverse. The theory is that as we speak, our minds do not only pick and choose forward verbal context, our minds are also constantly creating our verbal mannerisms, pauses, syntax, and hesitations. It is the combination of all these things that create this reverse communication.

Unlike forward speech, we have no conscious control of the content of our reverse speech. Thus it is theorized that Reverse Speech is complimentary to forward speech and provides a true insight, or window, to our inner feelings, beliefs, and possibly our soul. Because of this insight, Reverse Speech is frequently called “the one true lie detector”.

Why Reverse Speech exists, is still under some consideration. It has been stated that it is simply a part of nature possibly present to be used more extensively as man further develops. It has also been theorized that Reverse Speech may be a natural “safety valve” for man. Given the complex society of today, and mans tendency to interact with others in less than a forthright manner, it is speculated that the mind has to have an outlet for true feelings. It is theorized that Reverse Speech might be natures own way to accomplish this “venting” process.

Whatever the reason for the existence of Reverse Speech, the fact is that it does exist. It may take years or decades before we will know the full potential of this newly developing science. It will probably even take longer to fully understand it.

THE DISCOVERY:

In 1983 David Oates was a youth counselor in Australia. Among the teens he worked with, was a growing concern about “hidden” backwards satanic messages in some of the most popular music. Oates, deciding to dispel the myth, began to listen for these “messages” within the music. He found them. Reverse phrases purposely put within the music electronically by a technique called “Backmasking”. However Oates also found something else. He found other Reverse phrases. Phrases not created electronically and placed into the music. He found phrases in reverse that occurred naturally.

Inspired by the discovery of these “natural” reversals in music, Oates decided to expand his research to the spoken word in every form. He began to find more and more reversals. With practice, Oates began to realize that reversals occurred in forward speech as frequently as 10-15 seconds. Oates determined that reversals were “layered”. Some reversals made clear reference to the forward speech, confirming or contradicting what was said forwards. Other reversals seemed to be directive and self analyzing. However a significant number of the reversals seemed to be vague references to religion and mythology. These reversals were obviously metaphoric in nature. The problem Oates found was how to interpret these reversals. He began to catalog and categorize what he was finding. Using his religious background as a reference point, coupled with theorems of Metaphors and Archetypes by Jung, an early 20th century psychiatrist, Oates began to formulate the theory of Reverse Speech. He had truly discovered something and now needed to formulate what it all meant.

Oates created a procedure for transcribing reversals, and determining their validity factors. He categorized 3 levels of reversals, further dissecting the phenomenon until he reached a point where he was certain that he could accurately detect them. He created checkpoints to minimize problems of projection, (placing your personal biases into what you hear). Three of the most important checkpoints consisted of; 1. Syllable count. Reversals should contain the same number of syllables as the forward speech. 2. Vowel sounds. Each vowel sound should be precise and clear. 3. Beginnings and ending of the words clearly defined.

He was ready to move on. Move on he did. Oates explored all phases of forward speech, consistently finding reversals that were congruent. Often metaphoric, but also directly definitive. Oates knew this was more than simple coincidence.

Once ready, Oates wrote several books on reverse speech theory. After migrating to America, Oates began to teach his theories. First in Texas, and then in California. Today, 15 years later, Reverse Speech has become a phenomenon that can only go forward. Presently Reverse Speech is recognized as job classification within the US department of Labor. It is also a recognized educational course within the state of California. There are hundreds of students and a significant number of graduates utilizing Reverse Speech through out. The truths of man take many shapes. Reverse Speech has become one of the most recent, and may very well be one of the most important to arrive in the past 100 years.

REVERSE SPEECH:

Although the theory of Reverse Speech can be verbalized simply, the fact is, it is more complex than simply listening to messages backwards. Reverse Speech is a function of the mind. The brain is commonly considered to be divided into left and right hemispheres. The left Hemisphere of the brain is that part which we use to verbally communicate. The right hemisphere is the part of the brain that provides the tonality and complimentary to our communication. Because the right brain is also that part of the brain which lends itself to music, imagination, rhythm, and images, it is theorized that the formation of Reverse Speech comes from the right hemisphere of the brain. In other words forwards speech is performed by the left brain, and “modified” simultaneously by the right brain. Such interaction of both sides of the brain melds together to create the finished product we call forward speech AND Reverse Speech. A process which David Oates calls speech complimentary.

The reversals that the human mind creates, however are not simply one dimensional. They are in fact multi-layered, just as is the mind. The human mind is considered to have three levels. The conscious, the unconscious, and the collective unconscious. The Conscious is that part of our mind of which we are aware. Our conscious thoughts and actions. The personal unconscious is that part of our mind of which we are not aware. Knowledge that is there but we have suppressed, or forgotten over time. That information which we often acknowledge with phrases such as, “Oh yeah, I remember that”, when it is brought back into the conscious. The Collective unconscious was theorized by the psychiatrist Jung to be that part of the mind which is a worldwide storehouse of information that each of us has. It is knowledge we don’t know we have, and it is common within all people. It is the spiritual and mythological knowledge, that Jung theorized all were born with.

Reverse Speech, David Oates determined, came from all three levels of the mind. First level reversals came from the conscious mind, or even the semi conscious mind. These type of reversals were found to be direct, using normal language. These reversals refer to what a speaker was actually thinking. Not only do they reveal the true thoughts of a person, but they either confirm or contradict that which the speaker is saying.

Second level reversals are reversals which stem from the personal unconscious mind. These reversals are spoken in metaphors. These types reveal emotional responses and unconscious thoughts. If a person is uncomfortable in a given situation, for example, a reversal may reveal that in a metaphorical phrase such as “my wolf cowers”. This is not something the speaker is actually thinking, but is in fact feeling.

Third level reversals are the deepest level of reversals, and are from the collective unconscious. David Oates theorizes this to be from the soul of man. Such reversals reveal the deep truths such as personality, behavior, and the unconscious knowledge of the collective unconscious. These types of reversals, like second level reversals, are found metaphorically. Frequently these metaphors refer to mythology, and spiritual references such as Satan, devil, King, goddess, and numerous other metaphorical pictures.

Metaphorical pictures, or metaphors can also be divided into three different types. These types are Operational, Structural, and Personal. Operational metaphors are expressed as desires, or emotional responses. My previous example, “My wolf cowers” is an example of an operational metaphor. The metaphor explains the current feeling of the speaker. The speaker may have been intimidated, or afraid, or be completely uncomfortable in the setting in which he spoke the forward sentence.

Structural metaphors, on the other hand, come from the deepest third level area of the mind. They can explain traits such as personality, basic beliefs, and the basic structure of the person. These are the metaphors which we have no conscious knowledge of and often refer to mythology, or make spiritual references.

Personal metaphors are pictures created by words that we draw from our own actual experiences to describe thoughts we are having. Personal metaphors can come in all levels and may be a combination of our own conscious, or unconscious thoughts. They also may incorporate basic core information from the collective unconscious. These types of metaphors are generally determined based upon groups of reversals. For example, a personal inference coupled with a metaphorical reference to mythology might elevate a first level reversal to a 2nd or 3rd level reversal, based upon its content. The determination requires analysis based upon all the surrounding factors.

PROJECTION:

One of the most troubling aspects of Reverse Speech for all students, and especially new students, is projection. Projection is the tendency of a listener to inject their own personal experiences and biases into what they are hearing into the Reverse Speech. Because Reverse Speech is like a foreign language to our conscious mind, as we listen to reversals, the mind desperately tries to attach a meaning to the sounds being heard. If uncontrolled, a listener may project, or attach meaning to a partial word or phrase that “sounds like” something they can relate to.

Recognizing the problem of projection early on, David Oates created Seven (7) checkpoints and validity factors to minimize the problem. By rating each reversal based upon this criteria, Oates reduces the possibility of projection down to the lowest potential possible. Any reversal failing to meet the criteria is simply lowered in validity. If the validity level is too low, the reversal is thrown out, no matter how clear it may appear to be. The seven checkpoints are:

1. Syllable Count. A good reversal will have the same number of syllables both forwards and backwards.

2. Clear vowel sounds in each syllable. Vowels should be distinctive.

3. Beginnings and endings of words clear and complete.

4. Sufficient spacing between each word. Each word should be clearly defined.

5. Reverse Phrase should be distinct from the surrounding gibberish.

6. Look for a melodious tonal flow from beginning to end. (highest level of reversals)

7. Definite constant beat and tempo from beginning to end

Once these checkpoints are established, then the validity of the reversal can be determined from one to five. Five is the highest rating and is not easily met because all seven checkpoints must be correct. The ratings then decrease based upon how each reversal meets the criteria. Checkpoints one through four are the most crucial. If checkpoints 1-4 are met, but one checkpoint in 5-7 is not met, the reversal is rated at 4. If one checkpoint in 1-4 and 5-7 are not met, the reversal has a validity 3. A reversal with one checkpoint not met in 1-4 and two checkpoints not met in 5-7 is given a rating of a validity 2. A validity of 1 is given to any reversal which has problems with two checkpoints 1-4 and two checkpoints 5-7.

These standards are very rigid, but they must be due to the nature of projection. Many decent reversals are found which are only rated at validity 2 or 3. However the trained RS analyst has to take into consideration the validity of these reversals when conducting an analysis of a transcript to prevent misinterpretation, or misdirection of the true meanings of the reversals.

REVERSAL CATEGORY AND STRUCTURE

As previously stated, Reverse Speech is complimentary to forwards speech. At first glance, the term complimentary, as defined by Websters, may not appear to be the most accurate word to define this function. Supplementary might seem more appropriate since reversals provide additional information to, or supplement, the meaning of the forwards speech. But upon further study, complimentary is in fact a better word to describe this interaction. Complimentary is the better word because reversals not only supplement information, they compliment the overall relationship of reverse speech to forward speech.

How Reverse Speech compliments forward speech is broken down into eight distinct categories.

1) Congruent Reversals: These are reversals which serve to confirm that which is spoken forwards in regular speech

2) Expansive Reversals: These reversals provide additional information.

3) Contradictory Reversals: These reversals are found to directly contradict what is being spoken forwards indicating a disbelief or lie.

4) External Dialogue: Reversals which contain a communication to another. Possibly used to influence another to agree with what the speaker is saying.

5) Internal Dialogue: Reversals which contain internal self examination. These reversals appear to tell an individual what to do..Self instruction.

6) Trail and lead reversals: These are found in long dissertations. The reversal reflects that the person is either thinking more about what was just spoken, or what they are about to say. The information in the reversal may directly refer to a topic not immediately being spoken.

7) Comparative Reversals: These reversals are not topically complimentary with what is being spoken. These reversals will refer and compare another incident or emotional experience that the speaker is relating to while experiencing the current activity or emotions

8) Link Reversals: Reversals which are the result of 2 people speaking who momentarily agree on a like idea. One person will begin a reversal at the end of their sentence, and the other person will finish the reversal at the beginning of their sentence. A continuation of thought between the two people.

The structure of reversals varies. Normally reversals are relatively short. Three to four word phrases are normal in most people. Some reversals may be considerably longer, or shorter. The variations are all relative to extenuating circumstances such as the emotional situation or personality of the speaker. David Oates categorizes reversal structure as; Long sentence; Cause and effect; Mirror Image; Sentence Building; Semi formed; and Double Emphasis.

Long sentence reversals are not as common as others. They provide much more insight and are given special attention by trained analysts. Cause and effect reversals are actually two statements. The first being a fact with the second providing an explanation as to the cause of the fact. Mirror Image reversals are reversals that utilize the same words at either end of a reversal. Sentence Building reversals are such that a sentence begun forwards will be completed in reverse. Semi-formed reversals have a trail off at the end and the final word will trail into gibberish. Double Emphasis reversals repeat a reversed phrase several times for importance to the speaker.

Also within reversal structure is the single word reversal. Single word reversals are more tricky to document as they may also be projection, or coincidence, or part of another reversal that was missed. To be certain of a single word reversal, it should be very clear with a high validity factor. Normally such reversals are emotionally strong.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH REVERSALS:

In the one and a half years of my interaction with Reverse Speech, I have had several experiences. Scripted speech and Music immediately drew my attention. I became instantly curious if the reversals found in such forwards speech was actually the thoughts of the writer or the speaker/singer. To date, I have concluded that it would appear these reversals can be from either or both sources, with a number of mitigating factors. I continue to examine various reversals for further information.

One of the best examples of the co-mingling of thoughts from the author and singer was in the song, “You Never done it Like that”, by the Captain and Tennille. This song forward has numerous, albeit tame, sexual references and innuendoes. In reverse the sexual references virtually explode. Background Chorus’s lyrics, as well as the main lead lyrics are replete with first level sexual reversals. In this song Tennille makes numerous direct first level reverse references to wanting sexual intercourse. Tennilles reversals in this song range from outright requests for sex, need for sex, and blatant deeper level reversal metaphors about sex. (It needs to be fished). Meanwhile the background Chorus sings about having another baby.

My conclusions on this song are far from over. Based upon the musical arrangement, my preliminary opinion is that the author was preoccupied over a baby, possibly lost. I suspect this only because both the chorus’s reversals and some of Tennilles reversals refer to a baby. That reference is often in past tense. The Solo lyrics Tennille sings, when reversed, I believe interact with the original writing. Desiring sex to “have another baby” is a logical possibility. Tennille’s reversals, however, suggest strongly a sexual need or urge, rather than just a specific purpose to procreate.

From my layman’s status I believe that Tennille, while singing the song, possibly became stimulated subconsciously. She may have been motivated to want to have a baby based upon the effects of the song, but I believe she was definitely motivated to have sex. This would account for the strength of her sexual reversals. Whatever the implications, it is an interesting song to study and one I consistently return and listen to.

My interest in scripted reversals also took me to my personal favorite, John Wayne. Wayne had a number of “catch phrases” in his career which have remained popular in the public consciousness almost 20 years after his death. I was curious to learn if these phrases were the production of the writers, or of the man himself.

Utilizing some of Waynes most famous phrases he was known for, initially I had fairly negative results. Waynes reversals basically made no sense as they related to the complimentary of the forward dialog. Often very clear, they simply did not appear to relate to anything involving the forwards speech or action.

Eventually, one reversal was found that seemed to provide some insight for me. That one reversal was, “and I’m drunk”. This reversal, I believe, explains much as to the nonsequitur nature of Waynes reversals. Wayne was a notorious drinker. The string of reversals that were found with this “drunk” reversal absolutely made no sense, but they were nearly non-stop. In keeping with David Oates theory of right brain hemisphere origin of reversals, I suspect that the Alcohol stimulated that side of Wayne’s brain. In fact I concluded that the stimulation was to such a level that Wayne was having random thoughts that had nothing to do with what he was physically doing.

As a professional actor, Wayne didn’t have to concentrate on the scripted lines. He just said them when he was supposed to. I doubt he even had to think about it. Therefor, I believe as he spoke his lines, his mind wandered to other things creating these random unrelated reversals. One thing was certain to me. These reversals were not coming from the scripted speech, but from the man.

Because of the randomness in Waynes reversals, I was beginning to think I would not be able to determine any complimentary with the forwards speech or action. Because this went right to the heart of David Oates theories, I began to become concerned. However as I continued to research, I eventually found several reversals that were without a doubt complimentary to both the forwards speech and the action of the movies they were from.

In a scene where Wayne cocked a gun and took aim at a Rat, Wayne said words which produced the reversal, “I arrest you”. Given the nature of the metaphoric implications of the word “arrest”, coupled with the fact Wayne was playing the role of a Marshal, this reversal was, obviously complimentary. In another movie, I found in a staged comedy scene a reversal by Wayne that said, “Yep. This scene is funny”. I further found in another movie a reversal where, in the Prelude to a comic fight scene, Wayne produced a reversal that said, ” Get em up boys. Goddam you” just before he slugged the man he was talking to.

While I can draw no firm answers based upon the small amount of research I have done on scripted/music reversals. I am now certain that even within scripted material, it is possible to locate and anaylize reversals created by the actual speaker. His thoughts will come through even if influenced by such factors as alcohol.

I continue to work in this area in hopes to learn more. I believe that the ability to clearly define the source of thoughts from scripted reversals will become a paramount neccessity in the future. Unless the ability to separate the speaker from the writer is further developed, famous persons, politicians, and other people of prominence will surely retreat to “scripted” statements as a defense against reversal investigation.

CONCLUSION:

What began for me is an interest one and a half years ago has become a firm part of my life today. In this last year, Reverse Speech has publicly matured from a “maybe” to definite existence. David Oates no longer has to fight to prove it exists. He now fights to prove what it means. That is a major step forwards in a relatively short time.

Although I do not aspire to become an analyst, I do believe I can offer contributions as an investigator of Reverse Speech. Aside from my interests within scripted material, I also plan to utilize Reverse Speech within the course of my work in law enforcement. While RS is not acceptable in court, I believe that RS can become invaluable as an investigative tool. As Reverse Speech becomes more defined and gains further acceptability, I believe it will become an integral part of interrogative techniques.

Norman J. “Jerry” Hirsch