Why Language is Significant

Why Language is Significant
Language is a key medium by which
culture is transmitted
 Language reflects concepts and values
(Wittgenstein: The limits of my language
are the limits of my world)
 Language is linked to behavior
 Sometimes, language IS behavior

Descriptions and Evaluations
Descriptions often mask value judgments
 Some descriptions ARE evaluations
masquerading as descriptions—esp.
abusive or discrediting descriptions:
fascist, old-fashioned, godless, “bleedingheart”
 Some words are both descriptive and
evaluative: scientific, irrational, murder

Connotations
Words have both denotations (meaning)
and connotations (associations)
 Consider the connotations of: atheist,
conservative, poor, rural, educated
 Resignification as a means of enacting
conceptual and social change

Asymmetrical Descriptions
Involves describing a feature in oneself
and in others in ways that evaluate that
feature differently based on connotations
 Faithful v. Fanatic
 Open-Minded v. Wishy-Washy
 Religion v. Sect v. Cult

Appeal to Cultural Norms or
Paradigms




In psychology, a Paradigm is similar to a
stereotype; a paradigm of ‘bird’ would be a
concept of what an ideal bird is like
To appeal to a cultural norm or paradigm is to
use language that convinces by association,
where those associations involve psychological
paradigms or cultural practices
Ex: Abortion stops a beating heart
Ex: If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have
guns
Hyperbole
Deliberate exaggeration used to persuade
or motivate without reasons
 In a way, a kind of fallacy of presumption:
makes unwarranted assumptions about
degree
 Can also be a fallacy of relevance: a kind
of ad misericordiam
 Especially watch for “always” and “never”
claims

Hypostatizing




Involves treating an abstraction or generality as
if it were a concrete thing
Examples: The American Way of Life, The
Family, The Jews (see Lang’s essay), The West
Watch for words that identify something whose
meaning is vague or questionable: Freedom,
Democracy, Love, God
Often involves ignoring differences within
groups: Liberals, Conservatives, The Religious
Right, Islam, Christianity
False Consensus
We tend to systematically overestimate
the degree to which others are in
agreement with us
 This leads us to treat personal beliefs and
experiences as if they were universal
 Watch for unwarranted “we” and “our”
language

Deceptive Euphemisms (or
Deceptive Neologisms)
Terminology used to misrepresent what is
actually the case
 Often used to “sanitize” a practice
 Ex: Camus on execution
 Ex: Nazi language


Download Report