Language 4
Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story
Her experience in the USA
Writing books in which things she hasn't experienced happened
Fide and Chimamanda's single story of him
Her experience in Mexico
Miss Representation
meassuring oneself with imposssible standards
futile persuit of a perfect body
movies being a prime example of women that aren't in power
women under scrutiny all the time
female news anchors: put against each other. Dressed like waitresses = too formal.
and if they are, they are ditzified or demonized
Hillary Clinton vs Sarah Palin
Using different euphemisms when reffering to women and men (Sen woman complained, Sen Men stated...)
women emotional = irrational, can't handle a crisis, shouldn't be in positions of power.
we associate all the negative aspects of power with women
bitch vs slut
male news anchors: when yelling they get double the ratings. The speak their opinions mostly, not facts.
using the indicative mood to express common sense even though they are ideas (modality)
women in adds are seen as objects. violents images to generate controversy but kids are exposed to that with little or no mediation.
justifying violence against women by objectifying them
The mask you live in
rejection of everything that is feminine
showing emotion is weak
three lies told to american children
associate masculinity with athletic ability
associate masculinity with economic success
associate masculinity with sexual conquest
media perpetuating gender stereotypes
father-son relationship is dictated by their own father-son relationship
bullying gay boy or feminine boys
on the outside, boys try to be funny but on the inside they feel anger, sadness.
masking feelings
the superhero, strong silent guy who's always in control, the thug, the manchild
(Against) virus as a metaphor
Enthralled with virus as metaphor and the terms associated with it we ceased to be vigilant.
Illness metaphors are ingrained/embedded in our society. We use them unadvertedly.
the word virus doesn't have such a bad connotation.
we've banalized illnesses so much that we've forgotten they are lethal
we've become inured (accustom to sth, especially sth unpleasant.)
people in politics can be a virus, viruses can be in computers, sth can become viral
In gun debate, even language can be loaded
Metaphors we live by
NOVELS
EUPHEMISMS
Metaphors are pervasive. Our conceptual system governs our everyday life
understanding one thing in terms of another
conduit metaphor
the speaker puts ideas (objects) into words (containters) and the hearer takes them out of the container
to be in love
humans/feelings as containers
Ontological metaphors
personification of an object or a concept
orientational metaphors
Good is up. Bad is down. (Heaven, hell, head, feet)
I'm feeling down today
Inflation is hacking us into a corner
metonymy
substitution based on association
Never let me go
The god of small things
Robert Fulford
Junk English
Euphemisms
use certain words or phrases instead of others to appeal to the audience
Politicians use euphemisms all the time
Donald Trump’s chaotic use of metaphor is a crucial part of
his appeal
Americans can't speak without using gun metaphors: it is a dead metaphor for them (they don't realise they use them)
“curbing gun violence”
it is part of American identity bc guns were an essential element for them to colonize the Native American and to form the nation that it is today
the common thought is that guns are there to help you and assist you in case you need them
is an euphemism of
“gun control”
they changed the terminology to not sound threatening and to appeal to more people, not only those who want some sort of gun regulation but also for those who want to be able to own as many guns they want but are opposed to gun violence
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
it is natural for them to see guns everywhere and to always think of war as the best possible solution
Trump's speeches were not coherent, they didn't have a controlling metaphor like other politicians' speeches. But that is relatable bc we don't speak using only one controlling metaphor, we mix them up.
authentic, relatable and trustworthy are qualities that voters look for in a
presidential candidate.
Political gaffe
A political gaffe is an error in speech made by a politician.
live metaphors
a use whose. understanding is necessarily dependent on a source meaning, which is. usually literal and concrete.
≠
“RELATOS SALVAJES” will not win the Oscar. Here is why.
They have the power to define, unify, and grab the attention of the listener. Most of all, they help to create a central, coherent structure on which the speaker can build their argument.
lasting as well as immediate impact
FDR’s ability to identify the resonance between the power
of the post-depression American workforce and that of an army in a battle.
Source domain: the source we get metaphors from. Target domain
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
CONCEPTUAL
METAPHORS
Sex and the city: The catch
target domain: the way in which we use the source to understand sth
SOCIETY AND
THE INDIVIDUAL
politians use certain elements to make their speeches memorable and more appealing to the voters
THE DISCOURSE OF POLITICS
A good central metaphor is typically one of the hallmarks of any effective political speech. It provides a logical core around which an argument can cohere.
The single story robs people of their dignity.
it doesn't fullfil the latin america stereotypes
it is reinforcing them rather than debunking them
latian american people are typecasted as fiery, sexy, fiesty or as drug dealers
to the US, Relatos Salvajes isn't authentically Argentinian because there isn't a dictator or a drug cartel. There is no difference between US americans and Argentinians in the movie.
The US needs for Latin America to be the land of negatives so they can be the positive.
The translation "Wild Tales" is has a negative connotation because a tale is a story hard to believe, when in fact most stories in the movie can be true. There is no magic or fantasy involved.
"The Academy": metonymy. Mentioning the institution for the people responsible. Backgound the people (responsibility) and foreground the company
By our euphemisms you shall know us. Using them, we pay tribute to the dangers of speech and writing. A euphemism is the verbal tool you reach for when you want to express something but don't quite want to say it.
junk English as a fog around the truth, created by favoring appearance over substance and generalities over precision
Dysphemisms
emasculating / to be emasculted
if you show emotion, you might feel like you are emasculting yourself
to deprive a man of his male role or identity
Anaphora
Soundbites
Indicative mood
Pronoun WE
three-part list
nouns and nominalization
certain modal verbs (would, could)
hyperbaton
weather metaphors
alliteration
passive voice (agency is blurred)
we teach our language cowardice
Language doesn't change the connotation but it changes the way we understand sth