Language and Power Class Notes

Language and Power Class Notes

 -Conversations
-Political Speeches/ Debates
-Arguments
-Transcripts
-Letters
-Written Language i.e. eviction notices

 There are two types of power according to Wareing 1999 Political/Personal/Social group

1.       Instrumental Power
2.       Influential Power

Type of Power	Example:
Political	Held by politicians, the police and those working in law courts
Personal	Those who hold a position of power as a result of their occupation or role such as teachers or employers.
Social Group	Those who hold power as a result of social variables such as class, gender, age (typically) but not exclusively white, middle class men hold positions of power.

 

1.       Instrumental- When it is used by individuals or groups to maintain and enforce authority.
2.       Influential- When it is used to influence and persuade others:

·         Peer Pressure
·         Politics
·         Government
·         Media and Advertising

Task 1

 What does it mean to be powerful?

 

·         Being knowledgeable
·         Being respected
·         Be able to take control and have the last say
·         Leadership
·         Narccism (Love yourself)
·        Authority
·         Confidence
·         Responsibility
·         Encouraging
·         Assertive (In charge)
·         Intimidating
·         Being decisive
·         Being a role model
·         Experience

 What does not dictate power?

·         Age

·         Gender

·         Qualifications

 

What situation is an interview? How do you feel? What do you expect?

Interviewer- Instrumental

Interviewee - Influential

·         Interviewer uses interrogative questions

·         Put on the spot
·         We use declaratives e.g. ‘I will’
·         Try to project confidence in body language
·         Expect to use formal language and lexis
·         They have the power to give us the job: assertive, decisive, higher position of power
·         Use maxim of manner and maxim of relevance
·         Control the way we speak including tone/volume
·         Completely unfamiliar in terms of discourse