” Stop murdering the language!” John Leo exclaims. Looking deeper into society, manipulation of language is vastly occurring. John Leo sheds light on language manipulation occurring all over the place. Language manipulation has become a large problem in the technology, professional sports, and hunting industries. Although these three subjects are very different and diverse, they all have one relatable topic, language manipulation. For example, some people label trophy hunting as a form of serial killing, an old NFL football team’s name being prejudice, and even blaming cell phone overuse for addictions.
John Leo is the author of Stop Murdering the Language! In this article, Leo explains how society is using language manipulation in everyday
…show more content…
“The constant use of violent language for nonviolent incidents shows the current tensions among races and between sexes. But it probably helps magnify those tensions by linking minor incidents to major assaults and putting everyone on edge. It’s the price we pay for using these polemic word games.”(Leo 2). Leo exposes language manipulation in the topics of trophy hunting, cell phone overuse, and the NFL. Trophy hunting is a sport that has been attacked by polemic arguments and fighting words, as well as blurred categories. The Washington Redskins football team has had the same name for decades, and might be forced to change it because of fighting words and exaggerated accusations. The technology industry has recently had language manipulation in the form of blurring categories, fighting words, and even hidden problems. Language manipulation has become a large problem in the industries of technology, professional sports, and hunting. Even though these subjects are different, they all have language manipulation in common. For instance, some people are attacking trophy hunting with polemic arguments and fighting words, using fighting words to convince people that a National Football League team’s name is racist, and even blaming cell phone overuse for problems that were started well before the cell phone
Fighting the use of the word ‘redskins’” by Brian Cladoosby says how “[s]tudies show the use of American Indian-based names, mascots and logos in sports has a negative psychological effect on Native peoples” Cladoosby places a link to Dr. Michael A. Friedman research report which backs his case. In his study Dr. Friedman, a clinical psychologist says how Redskins is “uniquely destructive” because it “perpetuates the stereotypical and outdated caricature” and “promotes and justifies the use of a dictionary-defined racial slur, thus increasing risk for discriminatory”. With the rate of Native American suicide one of the highest in the nation the addition of their culture and history being stereotyped young Natives are facing discrimination and then being told that it’s okay because it’s for a sport. Cladoosby adds how that it creates a challenge to Natives who want to “maintain a foundation in their culture and language” meaning that ignoring a name that was once used when hunting their ancestors means that they are ignoring their culture. The name is not just racist and derogatory but promotes the an old-fashioned and stereotypical view of Native
Cultural stereotypes have always existed and while they may have been acceptable to society in the past, that does not compel us to accept them in today’s society. One such stereotype which is used is that of Native American names and imagery for sports teams and in particular The Washington Redskins of the National Football league. While for many people, this is an argument that has just recently arisen, in actuality, the debate over the use of native names and images has been an ongoing issue for over 50 years. The subject of the Washington Redskins name has been debated across politics, media, academia, religious backgrounds and in the public square for many years.
Hughes overemphasizes America’s infatuation with political correctness, but fails to understand the real issue. It is undeniably true that “no sifting of words is going to reduce the amount of bigotry in this or any other society” (21). However, racist labels are prevalent in American society which remind minority groups of their inferior status. The professional football team in our nation’s capital is called the ‘Redskins.’ This moniker is the result of a politically incorrect past that has not been rectified. Political correctness intends to change the way we label things so that minority groups are not excluded or demeaned. Certainly Hughes would object to calling a rugby team in Australia the ‘Sydney Blackies.’ Hughes was right in understanding that political correctness will not cause dramatic changes, but racism in any form, no matter how small, is bad for society. Regardless, he spends too much time discussing this issue. Political correctness warranted more attention for Hughes than it does in the national media today. It is quite telling that only five years after its publication this material is already outdated.
Language is just meaning and this meaning consists of nothing other than random connections that man has made to try to bring order to the chaos of the world. This assemblage of the signifier (the word) and the signified (that which the word is describing) has no foundation other than that inherited from tradition. Would the world be any worse off if the name for a cow was “duck”? Most of the human population is forced into only a certain set of actions by the media, by the man, by their own language. Is there any escape from this?
Johnson (2008) states that “the goals of such transformation [of critical theory] should be to advance human rights, protect human freedom, and promote the highest possible level of human fulfillment”. Because the Dallas Cowboys are seen as one of America’s elite organizations, they have the ability to sway public opinion and “mass media plays a crucial role in this process” (Johnson 2008:403). According to Johnson (2008) one of the key point’s critical theory critiques is “how power elites are able to maintain their position, sometimes by neutralizing or coopting their opponents, in an environment of widespread public apathy”. So, by the Dallas Cowboys releasing their public statement claiming their intolerance towards domestic violence, they are able maintain their positive image and elite status. Because the powerful elite have such a public positive to uphold, “the activities and decisions of elites are not necessarily always widely publicized”, leading society as whole to having “little reason to question the pluralistic image” of a team like the Dallas
Since the beginning of civilization, language has been used as a powerful weapon and tool to not only control and manipulate others but also to provide a sense of security among members of a society; the perceived importance of language is clearly evident among character’s interchanges in both the novel The Word Exchange and the movie Arrival, in which words are used both in conflict resolution and in manipulation. The Word Exchange is written from two different perspectives, one that belongs to Anna and the other that belongs to Bart; both characters use language to share their experiences of overcoming the deadly effects of the“word flu.” Arrival develops several themes other than the more obvious one of protecting the earth from foreign invaders, otherwise referred to as Heptapods. Louise, a linguistics professor, encourages the other military officers that they must push past their fears and unite to communicate with the other 12 landing sites to establish and accomplish their unified goal: to understand the heptapods and to make peace. Ana’s, Bart’s, and Doug’s use of language in The Word Exchange and Louise’s use of language in Arrival illustrate that it is human nature to rely on language as both an essential tool for survival and the resolution of critical problems.
In “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan aims to reveal the cultural bias on types of language by appealing to her reader throughout the argument. Throughout the essay, she states that all forms of English are valid, proves that people with so-called broken English are treated poorly, and uses both personal experience as well as broad examples to prove her point, all the while utilizing both ethos and logos to appeal to her audience.
The high development of languages around the world is arguably humanity’s most remarkable feat. Without it, we would be not much better off than monkeys or gorillas. Whether seeking to persuade, to inform, to express emotions, to question, to transmit ideas, or even to deliver masterpieces in verse or prosaic, people use language in order to communicate effectively in ways that are simply too arduous to quantify. Language, furthermore, is also not limited to just writing or word of mouth, for it also is used in other fashions, such as codes. Smoke signals, body language, computer programs, as well as Morse and flag are just some examples. Since a person’s language, is essentially inherited, based on their birthplace, due to society’s standards, it is, at times, taken for
As social beings, people are expected to be capable of managing their relationships with others. To maintain their relationships, people can use language as a means of communication
Though some sports are more violent that others as far as play goes, the rising level of violence has not been limited to any particular sport, ranging from non-contact sports like swimming and baseball to contact sports like soccer, football, and hockey. During a girls hockey game in Canada last year a 40 year old man aimed a laser pointer into the eyes of three of his daughter’s opponents, causing them to leave the ice complaining of headaches and flu-like symptoms. The man pleaded guilty in court to mischief and was banned from attending future games. In Pennsylvania a policeman gave a 10-year-old little league pitcher two dollars for hitting an opponent with a fastball, earning him a conviction for the corruption of a minor and solicitation to commit simple assault. In another incident involving a man of the law, a former corrections officer assaulted a 16-year-old referee at a flag football game for six and seven year olds in Nebraska. The tape of the incident shows the 6’3” 250 pound father poking the youth in the chest, when the 160 pound referee tried to defend himself by slapping away the father’s hand, the father punched him t...
Football is a sport that is ingrained into American society. Across the United States, football is more than just a game, it is a representation of its followers’ values. In recent years, football has become increasingly criticized. A majority of this criticism arises from the high risk of head injuries while playing football. However, there is another sect of the population that criticizes football at its foundation. They claim that the game creates a barbaric and dehumanizing spectacle of violence. Supporters of football, on the other hand, argue that, without football, the values that America holds dear will cease to exist. This conflict is prominent in the landscape of the sporting world in modern America. Regardless of one’s position in the argument, there are serious
Toma, C. L., & Hancock, J. T. (2012). What lies beneath: The linguistic traces of deception in
Kiesling, Scott Fabius. "Power and the Language of Men." Making Sense of Language: Readings in Culture and Communication. Comp. Susan D. Blum. New York, NY [etc.: Oxford UP, 2013. 408-17.
In the essay “Doubts About Doublespeak”(1993), William Lutz, depicts how utilizing doublespeak can damage a society. Lutz begins with providing examples of doublespeak that range from silly to serious, showing how doublespeak can be harmless but can also be used to disguise a truth with a manipulation of words. While there is different types of doublespeak, Lutz breaks it down into four different categories euphemism, jargon, gobbledygook and inflated language, all four of these types of doublespeak share the similarity that they are phrases or words that make something negative sound good. There is more types of doublespeak that can be seen all around us as doublespeak is being created everyday and everywhere so much that it can not be escaped.
What language we use, how we use it, and why we use it are all essential in others perceptions of us. If a man’s first comment to somebody is “Hey Baby, how you doing?” with a gloating tone and boastful...