Language and Power in the Modern World

by Talbot, Mary; Atkinson, Karen; Atkinson, David

• ISBN13: 9780817350697
• ISBN10: 0817350691
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Alabama Pr

Summary

An accessible overview of five major issues in sociolinguistics and the relationship between language and power. This book analyzes the key ways in which language constitutes and conveys power and social relationships in modern society. It offers selected readings that illustrate the thematic introductions and a set of tasks designed to guide linguistic analysis of data and to stimulate student discussion, in five specific areas: " Multilingualism, Identity, and Ethnicity: examines the phenomena of linguistic diversity from the perspective of language planning and language policies, with emphasis on personal, psychological, educational, cultural, and political issues. " Language and Youth: examines the languages of old age and the language of youth subcultures. " Language and Gender: explores the claim that men and women use interactional communication styles based on power and solidarity, respectively. " Language and the Media: considers the extent to which verbal interaction through mass media differs from other kinds of communication and its consequences in terms of power relations. " Language and Organizations: explores the use of language as a tool of power in public institutions and bureaucracies and how control over individuals is articulated through a range of different discourse structures and strategies. With a unique combination of selected readings and student-centered tasks in a single volume, Language and Power in the Modern Worldcovers contemporary issues of communication theory and sociolinguistics, ranging from the global to the interpersonal.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vi
Sources	vii
Introduction	1	(8)
1. Language and the Media	9	(63)
What's distinct about media language?	9	(5)
Constructions of common sense: the case of racism	14	(5)
'Ethnic' topics	14	(1)
Lexical and syntactical choices	15	(2)
Rhetoric	17	(2)
Broadcast talk	19	(5)
Radio phone-ins	19	(3)
Mediatised political language	22	(2)
Activities	24	(1)
Readings	25	(47)
2. Language and Organisations	72	(64)
What's language got to do with organisations?	73	(1)
The language of social welfare	74	(11)
Institutional categories and constructions	75	(5)
Accommodation and resistance	80	(5)
Conversationalisation	85	(3)
'Styling' the worker	88	(3)
Activities	91	(1)
Readings	92	(44)
3. Language and Gender	136	(64)
Male and female interactional styles	136	(5)
'You can be the baby brother, but you aren't born yet': co-operating while competing	138	(1)
Misunderstanding, conflict and social change	139	(2)
Exploring the maintenance of patriarchal power	141	(6)
'Father knows best': narrative roles in family dinnertable talk	141	(2)
Male dominance: rhetoric and violence	143	(4)
Activities	147	(5)
Readings	152	(48)
4. Language and Youth	200	(56)
'Youth culture' and 'power': some questions of definition	201	(2)
Secrecy, challenge and status	203	(2)
Creating discursive space	205	(2)
'Telling their own stories'	206	(1)
Language, education and African American youth	207	(5)
The ebonics controversy	207	(3)
Dissin' the standard: language as 'rhetorical resistance'	210	(2)
Narration the other	212	(8)
Parodying racism and subverting racial meanings	212	(2)
'Nicing up': White appropriation of black codes	214	(4)
Crossing: playful transgression or power discourse?	218	(1)
'Nerdy hyperwhiteness': superstandard English and racial marking	219	(1)
Activities	220	(1)
Readings	220	(36)
5. Multilingualism, Ethnicity and Identity	256	(60)
English in the world today	256	(4)
The language question in Hong Kong	256	(1)
The unique position of English in the world and the background to it	257	(2)
The effects of the dominance of English	259	(1)
'English Only'? English in the USA	260	(3)
What is the promotion of English really about?	260	(1)
The background to the 'English only' lobby	260	(1)
How threatened is English?	261	(2)
Language policy and planning	263	(2)
The scale of the problem	264	(1)
Macro and micro approaches	265	(1)
A case study: Catalan in Catalonia	265	(6)
The historical background	266	(1)
The limits of language planning and policy	267	(1)
The Rambleros and the Trepas: youth, gender and ethnicity in Barcelona	268	(3)
Activities	271	(1)
Readings	272	(44)
Glossary	316	(9)
Transcription Key	325	(1)
Bibliography	326	(11)
Index	337