“Language has the power to expose outdated values and influence social change.” Discuss.
Each essay topic has a reference to the key area in the Study Guide so students understand the scope of the topic and expectations. It also includes essay tips, quotes from commentators, key ideas and contemporary examples.
Study Guide: Unit 3: Language variation and social purpose
This topic involves a knowledge of the features and functions of formal language; its role in promoting social harmony and in building rapport.
It also involves a knowledge of the linguistic and stylistic discourse features that can be used to harm people’s positive and negative face needs.
Students investigate how formal and informal language can be used to meet and challenge others’ face needs, both positive (the need to be liked, respected and treated as a member of a group) and negative (the need to be autonomous and act without imposition from others);
“Formal language choices, particularly politeness strategies, can also reinforce social distance and relationship hierarchies, or build rapport” while informal language choices often reinforce the group’s solidarity at the expense of the “outsiders”.
Essay tips
- A standard 45-minute essay consists of three paragraphs each with a distinct and clear focus.
- This essay plan consists of a range of key ideas to help you formulate an argument.
- Your essay should not rely solely on the source material.
- Think about how you can embed and include the source material. Avoid constructing an essay around a series of ad-hoc examples. You must show their relevance to the topic and to your key ideas.
- This essay plan includes a range of contemporary examples that could be used to support key ideas. Ideally you would use two examples in each paragraph. Make sure you use several quotes with an analysis of the appropriate sub-systems and metalanguage.
- You must draw upon the best examples — always think about which current examples you can use to support your key idea. Your essay will be fresh and original; contemporary examples are not in text books.
- Avoid a paragraph built around one quote, for example, “hey guys, please get off the lawn”.
- If possible, include a linguist’s or commentator’s quote in each paragraph. They have the ability to capture key ideas in a succinct manner.
Food for thought ideas
- “Racist language is the linguistic expression of racism.”
- The media campaign, “you see something, you say something”. (On-air apologies.)
- Sexual harassment, Mr Kenneth Hayne notes, must be “called out for what it is: an abuse of power”. “It’s because there is a difference in power that perpetrators of sexual harassment know or at least believe .. the victim is unlikely to respond to words or conduct of a sexual nature in some way that will be detrimental to the perpetrator. “The victim may not – indeed, I think, often will not – feel able to stop what’s happening or to prevent its recurrence. Why? The victim may fear the consequences of complaint. There may be fear of retribution.” (The former High Court judge Mr Kenneth Hayne, QC in his address to the Australian Bar Association.)
- Former President of the Human Rights Commission, Ms Gillian Triggs asks, “What social value, for example, is advanced by the vilification of a person in public because of their race? When does the right to freedom of speech become an abuse of that right?” (Speaking Up p. 137)
- Slurs, epithets and discriminatory language constitute the “bad language” of our times. .. It has become unacceptable to use words that discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender, sexuality, disability or other difference from the normative idea of the white, male heterosexual, able-bodied and middle-class person. (Rooted: An Australian History of Bad Language by Amanda Laugesen, p. 243) “Within many workplaces, this kind of language can potentially be a sackable offence” (243)
- “Put them in the gas chamber”; this comment on Facebook regarding the engagement party that breached Victoria’s Covid rules resulted in a a sacking.
Key Ideas, paragraphs and examples
This topic presupposes that language is fluid and flexible and that there is a link between linguistic expressions and one’s views/values and mindset.
(Paragraph 1) Linguistic prescriptions embedded in school, university and institutional style guides relating to person-first and inclusive language have the power to expose outdated and socially unacceptable attitudes. The emphasis on inclusive language ensures that all people are treated equally, regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and capability.
- See references to linguists and relevant commentators (general list) and linguists/commentators (specific quotes).
- These rules prescribe the avoidance of lexemes that are gender-specific, as in suffixes and prefixes with “man” . Likewise, from a lexical and semantic perspective, people should use inclusive lexemes to refer to “people with disabilities”; see an analysis of current examples, correlating values and analysis of relevant subsystems: “Inclusive language and Non-discriminatory terms.
- See Comments relating to Dylan Alcott’s Australian of the Year speech
(Paragraph 2) Various legal acts also encode linguistic prescriptions and influence social attitudes towards race and gender. For example, according to the Racial Discrimination Act, Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Opportunity Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against people on the basis on their race and gender.
- (“Racist language is the linguistic expression of racism.”); Linguistic prescriptions in legal Acts guard against hate speech on the basis of race/gender. See quotes/comments from Professor Katharine Gelber, University of Queensland
- See Josh Cavallo’s post.
(Paragraph 3) Formal language also has the power to influence social attitudes and often leads to lifestyle changes. Public signage and decrees relating to public health restrictions make people aware of inappropriate and potentially harmful lifestyle choices.
- From a discourse and semantic/syntactic perspective, such impositions on negative face needs are often balanced by appeals to the “common good”.
- See linguistic and cultural context of Uluru Statement from the Heart
(Paragraph 4) While to some extent, linguistic prescriptions are exposing bigoted and biased attitudes, some resistance remains and some attitudes are slow to change. In some areas, such as social media sites, and public forums, euphemistic terms often conceal ongoing sexist, ageist or racist views. Many people in public spaces continue to offend others with the defence of “freedom of speech”.
- See quotes from Don Watson (Death Sentence) regarding “words as bullets”
- See an example of ageist language
- .
- See Essays Made Easy: English Language
- Return to: Essays and contemporary examples 2021 for language variation
- References to linguists and relevant commentators (which ones?)
- A range of commentaries (formal/informal/spoken/written)
- Return to our Welcome Page: Overview of English Works Notes and Resources