PowerDoctoradoV9 Readingsweek2
Language and Power in English Texts
Susana Murcia Bielsa, Mick O’Donnell
Course overview: The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of how English language works to express power-relations and ideology in different kinds of text (both written and spoken). Through the study of different kinds of discourse, we will be looking at how particular linguistic features are used to persuade and manipulate, and convey social, racial or sexist ideologies. Chapter 1
Notions of Power
‘Power’ refers to the ability of an entity (e.g., company, individual, social group, etc.) to make change, or conversely, to maintain things as they are. In discussing the power of language, we need to consider two distinct uses of language:
•
Language as public discourse: the language used in the public print media, television and radio, and now, on the Web.
•
Language as interpersonal communication: the language used when we as individuals interact with other individuals, e.g., friends talking, doctor and patient, teacher and students. 1 Power in Public Discourse
In one sense, the word ‘power’ in the title of this course refers to the power of dominant institutions within our society, and how these institutions maintain their dominance through the use of language: media (newspapers, television), advertising, etc.
The public institutions of our society have powers of various sorts. One important power is to control the flow of information: what gets into the press, and how it is presented. The public media is the primary means of shaping public opinion. And if one can shape public opinion, one can change (or strengthen) the power structures that exist (see figure 1). Fairclough (2001, p3) uses the term ‘manufacture of consent’: if one can convince the people to accept your right to act in specific ways, then you can so act.
Power
Structures
Public
Discourse
Figure 1: Power controls the media & the media maintains power
1
These institutions include legally defined entities
Susana Murcia Bielsa, Mick O’Donnell
Course overview: The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of how English language works to express power-relations and ideology in different kinds of text (both written and spoken). Through the study of different kinds of discourse, we will be looking at how particular linguistic features are used to persuade and manipulate, and convey social, racial or sexist ideologies. Chapter 1
Notions of Power
‘Power’ refers to the ability of an entity (e.g., company, individual, social group, etc.) to make change, or conversely, to maintain things as they are. In discussing the power of language, we need to consider two distinct uses of language:
•
Language as public discourse: the language used in the public print media, television and radio, and now, on the Web.
•
Language as interpersonal communication: the language used when we as individuals interact with other individuals, e.g., friends talking, doctor and patient, teacher and students. 1 Power in Public Discourse
In one sense, the word ‘power’ in the title of this course refers to the power of dominant institutions within our society, and how these institutions maintain their dominance through the use of language: media (newspapers, television), advertising, etc.
The public institutions of our society have powers of various sorts. One important power is to control the flow of information: what gets into the press, and how it is presented. The public media is the primary means of shaping public opinion. And if one can shape public opinion, one can change (or strengthen) the power structures that exist (see figure 1). Fairclough (2001, p3) uses the term ‘manufacture of consent’: if one can convince the people to accept your right to act in specific ways, then you can so act.
Power
Structures
Public
Discourse
Figure 1: Power controls the media & the media maintains power
1
These institutions include legally defined entities
Bibliography: Berry, Margaret (1981) “Towards layers of exchange structure for directive exchanges”. In: Network, 2. Bolinger, Dwight (1980) Language, the loaded weapon. London: Longman. Caldas-Coulthard, R. and M. Coulthard (eds.) (1996) Text and Practices. Readings in Critical Discourse Analysis Coates, Jennifer (1997) Language and Gender: A Reader. Blackwell Delin, J Diamond, J. (1996) Status and Power in Verbal Interaction. Amsterdam, Benjamins. Fairclough, Norman (1989) Language and Power. Harlow: Longman. Fairclough, Norman (2001) Language and Power. 2nd Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education. Fairclough, Norman (1995a) Media Discourse. London: Arnold. Fairclough, Norman (1995b) Critical Discourse Analysis: the Critical Study of Language. Fowler, Roger (1985) “Power”. Chapter 5 in T. A. Van Dijk (eds.), Handbook of discourse analysis Goatly, Andrew (2000), Critical Reading & Writing. Routledge. Gumperz, J. (1982) Discourse Strategies. Cambridge, CUP Hodge, R Kedar, L. (ed.) Power through Discourse. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Lakoff, Robin (1992) Talking Power: The Politics of Language Lakoff, Robin (2000) The Language War. Univ of California Press. Levinson, S. (1983) Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Martin, J.R. 1992 English Texts: system and structure. Amsterdam: Benjamins. Milroy, Lesley (1987) Language and Social Networks. Blackwell O’Barr, W.M., C Talbot, Mary, Karen Atkinson, David Atkinson (2003) Language and power in the modern world Tannen, Deborah (1996) Talking from Nine to Five: Women and Men at Work: Language, Sex and Power Tannen, Deborah (ed.) (1993) Gender and Conversational Interaction (Oxford Studies in Sociolinguistics) Thomas, L. & Wareing, S. (eds.) (1999), Language, Society and Power. An Introduction.