Language Power

Language and power

What is power?

-Authority over someone (depends on context)

-Power is dynamic 

-Status

-Occupation

-Religion 

-Education/Knowledge

-Social class

Why is an individual allowed power in that context?

Physical environment is useful

Power can be enforced online e.g. advertisements 

Basic terms

Power discourse- the ways in which power is manifested through language 

Power behind discourse- the contextual reasons for the enactment of the powerful language 

Instrumental power- power used to maintain and enforce authority 

Influential power- power used to persuade or influence others

Instrumental power:

-Government

-Teacher

-Parents

-Police

-Boss

-MP 

-Doctor 

Influential power:

-Feminist

-Teacher

-Parents

-Charities 

-Boss

-MP

-Doctor

Types of power

Political power- power held by politicians, police, the law

Personal power- power held by people as a result of their occupation

Social group power- power held as a result of social variables such as age, social class, ethnicity 

Power in discourse- CONSTRAINTS

Language strategies used to assert power

Oppressive discourse strategy/Repressive discourse strategy 

Oppressive- more obvious ways to control e.g. raising your voice, swearing. This tends to be instrumental.

Repressive- subtle way to assert power e.g. subject specific lexis, asking questions. This tends to be influential.