How The Power Of Language Influences Society - 1313 Words

Emily Petersen CSCL 1401 Reading Literature Dylan Mohr Essay One Rewrite 30 November 2015 How the Power of Language Influences Society Language, simply defined as a system of human communication, has an immense amount of power. Language has the ability to intimidate, inspire, inform, innovate, and influence. It gives one not only the power to speak, but the opportunity to communicate one’s ideas with others. The implications of language can yield results that are both positive and negative, but ultimately one quality must outweigh the other. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the relationship and interactions between Prospero and Caliban dramatize that the power of language does more harm than good, because it determines how people think, it contributes to a person’s sense of value, and it establishes a system of control. The language you speak can determine your thought process. One can only think and express one’s ideas with the words and expressions in the language one knows, so one’s ability to communicate is restricted. After Prospero arrived on the island Caliban resided on, Caliban was stripped of his native language. His ability to speak and think in his native language was replaced with the language Prospero taught him. When Caliban is speaking back against Prospero, the curses he is trying to place upon Prospero have no meaning in Prospero’s language: â€Å"All the charms / Of Sycorax - toads, beetles, bats, light on you!† (339-340). Caliban is attempting toShow MoreRelatedRhetoric : The Power Of Discourse1689 Words   |  7 PagesThe Power of Discourse The art of rhetoric has been present since the beginning of time. The birth of rhetoric is usually attributed to the Greeks as they presented us with ideas and theories about discourse. Famous philosophers such as Plato, the Sophists, and Aristotle presented us with theories that continue to be studied throughout. Most importantly the reason why we still study rhetoric is because rhetoric is everywhere. Our everyday lives are filled with the intensity of rhetoric and whatRead MoreLanguage Fits Over Experience Like A Straight Jacket1176 Words   |  5 PagesBritish novelist William Golding once stated, â€Å"Language fits over experience like a straight-jacket.† As human beings, we feel the constant urge to express and communicate, in hopes of making sense of the world around us. However, language is limiting, restrictive, and confining. It attempts to place infinitely complex experiences into a finite number of words. The significance and essence of human experience is lost through our words, because language simply cannot express our thoughts and emotionsRead MoreNative Tongue By Suzette Haden Elgin1568 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the novel Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin the characters are living in an advanced society. Within this society, women have lost their 19th amendment rights, and are living under the control of the men. There is a strict social hierarchy in this advanced society, in which the linguist families are seen as superior to the commoners [non-linguist]. There is one consistent theme throughout the society, the men domineer the women. The women are sitting at the bottom of a ridge hierarchy and itRead More Essay on Manipulation through Language in The Memorandum1305 Words   |  6 PagesManipulation through Language in The Memorandum  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How one utilizes language to perpetuate certain images or perspectives can greatly influence the way people think. One can use language to manipulate the minds of others and bring them under some form of subjugation. In Vaclav Havels The Memorandum certain characters use this tactic of manipulation through different means that involve language, and in the process, they gain the authority or recognition they are seeking. Ballas promotes theRead MoreEssay about The Power of Words1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Words Language has an irreplaceable role in our lives as mankind has grown to depend on it as an important way of acquiring Knowledge. But how valid is language as a way of knowing? French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre answered this question with the quote: Words are more treacherous and powerful than we think. Words do indeed lie. It is precisely because of its role as an indispensable tool of communication and thoughts that words have the power to moldRead MoreThe Common Themes Of Environmental Effects On Religion1565 Words   |  7 Pagesrecognized as a commonality in several societies. These frequently seen patterns in history provide important insights to the functions and behaviors of ancient civilizations. There are many commonalities that are existent in many civilizations, but three clearly emerge, as they are fundamental to many societies’ cultures. The common themes of environmental effects on religion, combination of organized religion and culture and the formation of an organized language have all proven to be present throughoutRead MorePerception of Women in the Media1006 Words   |  5 Pages Language is a system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and written symbols which are used by the people of a particular country or region for talking or writing. It is considered as an art because when used it able to help a person d evelop or create a certain picture in the mind. Language being an artifact of culture means that it is an interesting thing that is created by the people. It is an aspect of their way of life of the people. It also helps in development of theRead MoreThe Civil Unrest Of The Handmaid s Tale The Sons Of Jacob 1340 Words   |  6 PagesHandmaid’s Tale, the â€Å"Sons of Jacobâ€Å" were able to establish their theocratic society by executing insidious machinations calculated to control the United States, and thereafter successfully turning it into Gilead. The Sons of Jacob employed several schemes in carrying out their theocracy over Gilead, a substantial part of which shall be discussed in this paper. Perhaps the most important act of the regime in gaining control of the society is the prohibition of reading by most women. They practically blockedRead MoreThe Earth And It s Peoples1068 Words   |  5 PagesPeoples† says, â€Å"Akkadian became the language of correspondence between governments. The Elamites and Hittites, among others, adapted the cuneiform system to write their own languages†¦ Mesopotamian myths, legends, and styles of art and architecture were widely imitated† (page 72, paragraph 7). The Cosmopolitan civilization was characterized by shared Mesopotamian traits. Whatever the reason for it, Mesopotamian culture spread across the Middle East to create a society with shared and familiar featuresRead MoreMartin Espada And Richard Rodriguezs View Of Bilingualism936 Words   |  4 PagesHow I speak to my friends differs from the way I speak to my teachers. How I speak to my family differs from the way I speak in public. Does my ability to speak multip le dialects of English infer I am bilingual? Society commonly interprets bilingualism as the capability to speak multiple languages. In reality, someone’s cultural and emotional connection largely helps define bilingualism. I define bilingualism as someone’s ability to express their culture(s) while speaking a language(s). The writers