The Power of Language
Of all possible human qualities, the one that wields the most power is
the ability to use, understand and communicate effectively through language. A
proficient use of language allows us to clearly communicate an exact idea from
one person to another person or group of people. This precise science of being
able to convey exactly what you want equates to the acquisition of power. An
important link between language and power is persuasion. The power of
persuasion is so strong it allows certain individuals to influence, and
therefore, control thousands, even millions, of people and bind them together in
search of one common cause.
This tactic of persuasion is also called propaganda. Propaganda is the
spreading of information in order to influence public opinion and to manipulate
other people's beliefs. The message of propaganda is primarily intended to
serve the interests of the messenger, thereby increasing his power. All
propaganda is a systematic effort to persuade. The propagandist gives a one-
sided message, accentuating the good points of one side and the bad points of
the other position. Propaganda is most widely distributed through public
speaking and use of the mass media. The propagandist speaks in an attempt to
persuade the audience to believe his way. With the support of the audience, the
speaker gains power.
Propaganda as an art of persuasion has been used for thousands of years.
In the fifth century BC, when Pericles addressed his fellow Athenians on the
merits of their city compared to the tyranny of Sparta, he was making propaganda,
even though much of what he was saying was true. Many centuries later, Lenin,
the Soviet revolutionary, realized the value of propaganda to indoctrinate
educated people. He employed another tactic toward the uneducated, called
agitation. This process involved the use of slogans, stories, half-truths, and
even outright lies in order to avoid the need for complex arguments. The Nazi
government of Germany from 1933 to 1945, was very adept at propaganda. In
order to gain power, Adolf Hitler used his ability to tell each audience what
it wanted to hear. He stirred fears of communism when talking to businessmen,
and preached the values of socialism when talking to factory wor...
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...on hired a “dream team” of lawyers to argue his case
for him and they were successful. Through the power of language, attorneys such
as Johnnie Cochran overcame massive scientific evidence, such as DNA blood
typing finding Mr. Simpson's blood at the scene of the crime, to retrieve a ‘
non-guilty' verdict. Mr. Cochran invented the phrase, “If the glove doesn't fit,
you must acquit.” This clever slogan is an example of the how language can be
used to persuade people to think a certain way.
Language is encountered every day, by everyone, in one form or another.
Its power can be vast, unlimited, and far-reaching. A proficient use of
language can allow us to communicate an exact idea or to persuade others to one
point of view. Throughout history, leaders have used this fact to control their
constituents and the ‘gullible masses.' Propaganda is one form of persuasion
that is prevalent during war time and revolution. Famous politicians and
orators have used language to get them elected into office. Writers and authors
have used written language to convey their specific message as well. Language
is the basis for all knowledge and for all power.
Many people believe verbal communication to be a very powerful way of expressing oneself. Words gain there power when the volume is raised and lowered alternatively to make a point. Additionally, the influence of speech can manifest itself in a number of ways. It can be used to humiliate, to intimidate, to flirt and to threaten, all of which are integral and pragmatic strategies to win a power struggle.
During week one of EDC131 we learned that the way in which we use language to communicate can vary depending on the context. We also learned that there are many different forms of communication this includes writing, talking, and signing/ gestures. In learning both of these communications it became clear that communication is more than just speaking and that we use language to express many different emotions. Things such as opinions, beliefs, wishes, threats, commands, promises, and many others are also expressed through language and can change meaning if context is changed. This will later be helpful with my education and future career. (Original)
Communication is the foundation of any society. Humans are interactive beings that must communicate in order to survive. Humans develop communication skills as infants; learning to yell when something is needed, cry when something is painful, and smile when feeling happy. As babies age they learn words; eventually learning to compose sentences allowing them to express their feelings or desires. Humans finally learn to communicate within different parts of their life with different forms of communication such as letters, spoken, visual, and more. As one ages, they become aware of the different rules of communication used with certain people and situations; such as learning to speak to a teacher in a different manner than how one talks to their friends. While doing this, people are unconsciously starting to learn how to conform in the different discourse communities. Discourse communities are an essential part of life, and learning to communicate in those communities is just as vital.
The power of words is immeasurable. Words help people to voice their opinions and express their thoughts and feelings. Our everyday lives are shaped by communication and in general language. A persons language can often influence success and happiness. America is viewed as a melting pot for numerous different people and their respective languages. Language is so vital in our society that a person of diverse ethnic background can face many tribulations throughout their everyday life.
People use language as a material object. Language is social in nature and language helps people to convey a message. Language is how humans communicate with each other. Language empowers, language makes the person’s needs known and language expresses what the person wants people to do. Language is how people interact and language makes a person’s identity, emotions and opinions known. Language helps a child to make sense of their world. Language helps older children to interact and belong to a group, Language also helps a child to understand the field, tenor and mode in situations, so that the child can critically evaluate and organize the
People always communicate using language. In communication, people share their feeling and thought through a system which makes their interlocutors understand what they speak. Wardhaugh (2006) state people constantly choose what they want to say, how they want to say it, and the use of specific linguistic items which best for the way they say things. People need to manage their relationships with the interlocutors as well. It makes them consider who their interlocutors are, the settings in which the communication occurs, and the appropriateness of language being used.
Culture is a part of everyone's life, whether we choose to express it in our everyday lives or to just be aware of its presence. A major part of one's culture is a defining language. The topic of assimilation versus multiculturalism directly relates to culture in America, and even more specifically to the power of language in American culture. Since language is the basis of communication I think that all immigrants must assimilate to a certain degree by speaking English, while preserving their heritage if they choose to do so.
“Broken” English, people see it as something that is limit’s people because of the incorrect grammar spoken and a burden to carry. Amy Tan thinks otherwise because it’s how she communicates with her mother and how she understands the world she lives in. Tan goes on talking about “the power of language” and goes to a point where her mother “broken” language can affect the effectiveness of what she’s trying to convey, negatively; then explain how math is a top choice for non-English speakers, not an English teacher.
The word language is most often associated with speech, yet it is also closely related to power. While many see language as a tool of unification and empowerment, it is also used to silence others. Society gives advantages to individuals that speak the dominant language, and those who are not fluent, are victims of social pressures such as ridicule, harassment, and isolation. Language gives individuals the power to manipulate and oppress others. Oppression occurs when one group has power over another group, and use that power to manipulate. Language gives dominant groups the power to oppress minority individuals through segregation, assimilation and hierarchies.
When someone tries to persuade others to join in thinking or believing something, a process takes place. Those receivers of the information are to process what the source is saying and in turn decide whether or not to go along with the idea. But what if people do not always process information, and what if they merely go with the crowd? The Elaboration Likelihood Theory (ELM) developed by Social psychologists Petty and Cacioppo, illustrates how persuasion, or the presentation of facts in order to move someone or thing a certain way, takes place. This model “analyzes the likelihood that receivers will cognitively elaborate,” in other words break down the information gathered and determine whether or not the message is enough to persuade the receiver (Enfante, Rancer & Avtgis, 2010, p. 172).
Language is a part of our everyday lives, and we can describe the meaning of language in many ways. As suggested in Gee and Hayes (2011, p.6 ) people can view language as something in our minds or something existing in our world in the form of speech, audio recordings, and writings or we can view language as a way of communicating with a group of people. Language can be used to express our emotions, make sense of our mental and abstract thoughts and assists us in communicating with others around us. Language is of vital importance for children to enable them to succeed in school and everyday life. Everyone uses both oral and written language. Language developed as a common ability amongst human beings with the change
Before beginning the main discussion in this essay, the difference between language and communication must be outlined. The Penguin English Dictionary (2003) defines language as ‘the ability to make and use audible, articulate, and meaningful sound by the a...
Language is a method in which individuals communicate in order to get their opinion across to the listening party. Language is the tool which ideas can be conveyed in various ways. Typically, language is referred to verbal communication, however, it ranges to all methods of communication i.e. sign language.
A weakness does not make a man weak. It is the man who chooses to allow a weakness to make him feeble. Faced with two different dispositions the characters, Robert, from Cathedral, and Prufrock, from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, handle life’s obstacles with two different approaches. Robert, a born blind man, doesn’t allow his inability to see stop him from seeing the world. His blindness actually allows him to “see” and understand people better then if he did not have a visual impairment. On the other hand, Prufrock was born with no physical enablement, but he allows his small frame full of insecurities to make him a weaker man. He does not have the strength to endure the outside world because he is stuck living in a pitiful self-loathing world.
To start with, I do not want to narrowly define language as merely verbal communication. Language is far broader than that. In a few seconds a person walking past you on the street could tell you more about themselves with a sincere smile than they could with a few rushed words. Language encompasses all aspects of communication that enhance the level of our interaction. The tone in our voice demonstrating our feelings on a topic or our body language indicating our level of interest are just as important in interaction as verbally communicating content. There for I define language as any act that is involved in the interaction between two or more people.