Language and Its Symbols Language employs four important kinds of symbols to represent reality: two to symbolize the individual, two to symbolize the essence which is common to all the individual members of a class. Language can symbolize an individual or an aggregate by either a proper name or a particular or empirical description. A particular or empirical description is a common name to which is joined a definitive which limit s its application to a particular individual or group. Empirical means founded on experience. Since only individuals exist, our experience is directly concerned with them. Throughout this book the word empirical is used with reference to our knowledge of individuals as such.