Verbal Hygiene (The Politics of Language) - Softcover

Cameron, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 041510355X ISBN 13: 9780415103558

Publisher: Routledge, 1995

Synopsis

In this book, Cameron explores popular attitudes towards language and examines the practices by which people attempt to regulate its use. She also argues that popular discourse about language values serves a function for those engaged in it.

About this title

Review

‘Professor Cameron’s book is a deeply-absorbing, brilliantly-written discussion of linguistically-manifested social attitudes.’

Barbara Allen, University of Brighton, UK

‘Written clearly, and in a very accessible style – beneath the ease with which you can read the book, there are substantial issues that provide interesting challenges to linguists and teachers of linguistics.’

Miriam Meyerhoff, University of Auckland, New Zealand

‘The book deserves to be classed as a 'classic'. First and foremost, it defined and established the concept/term of 'verbal hygiene', which is widely used to this day in a variety of sociolinguistic contexts. Secondly, it continues to provoke and inspire some fifteen years after its publication - which is what a classic ought to do.’

Stavroula Varella, University of Chichester, UK

Synopsis

In this book Deborah Cameron explores popular attitudes towards language and examines the practices by which people attempt to regulate its use. Instead of dismissing the practice of "verbal hygiene", as a misguided and pernicious exercise, she argues that popular discourse about language values, good and bad, right and wrong, serves an important function for those engaged in it. A series of case-studies is included, dealing with specific examples of verbal hygiene - the regulation of "style" by editors, the teaching of English grammar in schools, the movements for and against so-called "politically-correct" language and the recent explosion of advice to women on how they can speak more effectively. In each case she argues that verbal hygiene provides a way of making sense of linguistic phenomena, and that it represents a symbolic attempt to impose order on the social world.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 041510355X
• ISBN 13: 9780415103558
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 284