Language And Power

1. How does language in use reflect the status / position of individuals or groups in society and their attempts to influence, persuade or direct others? Language And Power Objectives: be able to label and discuss different types of power and identify how they are revealed through language.

2. This conversation took place between a white policeman and a black doctor in the USA. Police officer: ‘What’s your name boy?’ Dr Pouissaint: ‘Dr Pouissaint. I’m a physician.’ Police officer: ‘What’s your first name boy?’ Dr Pouissaint: ‘Alvin’ • What sorts of power are at play here? • How do both participants attempt to assert their own power? • What does it reveal about the ideology of the USA at that time? • Why does Dr Pouissant have to answer?

3. Fairclough’s hypothesis • “Every use of language is a use of power: every piece of discourse is a negotiation of power.” Norman Faircloughargues that language and society are inextricably linked. No text or conversation is neutral, they all contain elements of some ideological (often controlling) viewpoint. Task: re-write Fairclough’s theory in the style of a newsround broadcast. (aimed at children) 2mins

4. Types of Power • Political: held by politicians, police, law courts • Personal: derives from occupation or role, teachers, employers, parents • Social Group: derives from class, gender, age. (white, middle-class men hold positions of power) • Instrumental: the power to make someone do something, enforce authority • Influential: the power to influence and persuade someone to do or think something.

5. Power Relationships in Your World • Think of any group you’re part of - family, friendship group, class, workplace.. • Write down the key members of that group and rank them in order of power. • In each case decide what confers power. 7mins

6. Creative Task • Script an example of a conversation (made up or from memory) which illustrates the power relationships in action between two or members of this social group. (family, friendship group, etc) 5mins Hint: think carefully about how power dynamics are manifested through language. How might the situation affect the balance of power between the speakers?

7. How would you direct this scene? • Take it in turns to act out the scene you have scripted. • Think carefully about how you direct your stars – what is their motivation?

8. Contextual Analysis (AO3) • Swap conversations with someone you haven’t worked with today. • What can you tell about the power dynamic between the speakers? Who is most powerful? • How can you tell? Give evidence. • What impact does the situation have on the power balance and the choice of language? 5mins

9. How insightful were you? Read the analysis of your conversation. Were they accurate? Were there any undercurrents they didn’t pick up on? Pair up and discuss your findings / analysis.

10. Terminology AO1 • Start a glossary of terminology and theory. Keep this sheet at the back of your folder. You will add to it regularly and you will be tested on it. Terms to include so far are: • Ideology • Power dynamic • Fairclough’s hypothesis • Hypothesis • Instrumental power • Influential power • Social group power • Personal power • Political power Task: Write these terms and a definition for them in your glossary. Try to do it from memory then look through your notes and discuss with your partner if you are stuck.

11. Who Has the Power? • White people or people belonging to other ethnic groups • Men or women • Business managers or workers • People who run the media (newspapers, television, internet etc.) or the people who buy them • People from the North of Britain or people from the South For each of these pairs decide who holds more power in our society. Can you think of any ways this power could be manifested or reinforced through langauge? Can you think of any situation in which the power balance would be reversed?

12. Picture This • Draw a picture / diagram to represent what you have decided about power and society in this lesson, both in terms of the groups you are part of and society as a whole.

13. Hypothesis • From this piece of anecdotal analysis, construct a hypothesis about language use in this social group. • Eg. I hypothesise that the female members of my family dominate conversation in family discussions.

14. Linguistic Research • So, you have some idea about who holds power in your world. • But they’re only impressions supported by anecdote • You are now going to investigate the hypothesis you formed in the last activity. • Design an experiment you could carry out to test your hypothesis – ie see if it is accurate. • Decide what data (recorded speech) you will need and how you will collect it. • You may be able to record spontaneous speech or you may find it easier to set up a conversation to record. Deadline: you must bring your data to Tuesday’s lesson. Your data should be around half an A4 sheet of transcribed conversation.

15. Your Mini-Investigation • Topic = how language reflects power dynamics in a social group (family, friendship group, work etc) • Hypothesis = what you expect to find • Methodology = how you will collect the data you need. (ie who you will record, where, how and any other practical factors). This should include a precise time-scale.