Whose Language?: A study in Linguistic Pragmatics: 3 (Pragmatics & Beyond Companion Series) - Hardcover

Mey, Jacob L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9027250049 ISBN 13: 9789027250049

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Co, 1985

Synopsis

"For the colonized person, objectivity is always directed against him" (Frantz Fanon). Colonized persons do not live on what we call (or used to call) the "colonies" alone. In general, objective reality, or the "facts of life", are very different depending on the kind of life you can afford. This goes for language as well; and it explains both the title of this book, and gives it its "raison d'être". It deals with power in language, and asks: Who is really in command when we use "our" language? And why does it make sense to talk about a language of power (or lack of it)? The powerful are the colonizers, the colonized are the powerless, in language as in geopolitics. Colonizers and colonized alike, however, are subject to the social and economic conditions prevailing in society and therefore, a thorough analysis of these conditions is a must for any socially-oriented theory of language use.

About this title

Synopsis

This volume deals with power in language and asks: who is really in command when we use "our" language, and why does it make sense to talk about a language of power (or lack or it)? The powerful are the colonizers, the colonized are the powerless, in language as in geopolitics. Colonized persons do not live on what we call (or used to call) the "colonies" alone. In general, objective reality, or the "facts of life", are very different depending on the kind of life one can afford. This goes for language as well and it explains both the title of this book and gives it its "raison d'etre". Colonizers and colonized alike, however, are subject to the social and economic conditions prevailing in society and therefore, a thorough analysis of these conditions is arguably a must for any socially-oriented theory of language use.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Co
• Publication date: 1985
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9027250049
• ISBN 13: 9789027250049
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 425