This semester was spent reading about language and how human beings use language to mark their identities, to use it to mark the in-group and out-groups and how language acts as a double-edged sword, giving people the legitimacy to unite as a nation or to dispell those who didn't speak the same tongue.
Obama's speech at the University of Indonesia was scripted with bits and pieces of Bahasa Indonesia. And from the video, it was clear how his near perfect pronunciation of that few Bahasa Indonesian won over his audience. Of course, his personal childhood ties with Jarkarta in the 1960s probably brought him some fans among his audience, explaining the wide cheers. Nonetheless, the decision to script his speech with Bahasa Indonesian, though it's probably not difficult to recall all these lexical terms, was a strategy, precisely due to the fact that it is all too known the kind of power language can bring about. In this case, it is clearly an attempt to show that the distance between us is not that great. (For a linguist's take on his speech, check out the language log article.)
Such is the power of language, that language learning, and foreign language learning, even if it is just at the conversational level, should really be an important part of our education. If not, we will simply lose out.
deep night but can't loose that chance to talk to you via blog!it seems like I haven't seen you for ages!
回复删除so,
1. Language is a power. We should be very careful using it!
2. Political language or, in order to be precise, political discourse, is mostly about exercising that power in relation to others! (For example, I've just showed my power by underlining my knowledge of discourse, etc)
3.'Others" be aware!not of me but of the politicians, whoever on the higher social position - it's their job to encourage (in better cases), persuade or to trick (in the vast majority of cases) us! honest citizens!
4. Dichatomy of inside-outside, inclusive WE - I think I just used it in p3!
5. About learning-speaking other languages. Yes and yes again, do agre with you! Scientia potentia est! Say 'Salem" to me -and I will smile back to you for sure! Knowledge of other languages opens different doors to one! Because through the language we can study culture, behavioral codes, "inclusive philosophy" as Obama said and so on...
6. It was a very well-elaborated speech! Have you noticed when he spoke Indonesian he didn't look down? I guess English part of the report was prepared, of course, but as for those Indonesian insertions - they come from his heart! There is strong link between Indonesia <->Family (step-father's words, his sister's birth, his mother's love for that country). He used a lot that dring his speech, that somehow helped him to establish rapport with the audience. Well done! God bless his speech-makers!
7. To sum up all these disjointed reflections I will ask only one thing -
Do you think we can easily decompose language into various manipulative structures, speech acts, tactics and styles, etc and then be sure that we know the language? that we can use it in proper way? that we are aware of its power?
I am not speaking about foreign ones, let's decide that issue within borders of native languages? - DZ
hmm..i am not sure if i understood your last question. But whatever the language is, native or foreign, the ability to articulate well in that language (esp the language in power, or the language chosen for discourse) seems to naturally give one the added benefit of playing out the effects of rhetoric. Human beings are often attracted to great orators , even though they may not be talking sense. That's how people ( even if they are highly educated) could be emotionally affected by words. That's what happens at rallies? Isn't it? The ones with the ability to speak well, making use of tactics and styles, literary structures, repetitions, rhymes and voice, gets more listeners.
回复删除I am not so sure what the answer is. But there are examples of how people can train themselves to use the language more powerfully, hence the decomposition of language (or other matters) allows people to reconstructure them and use it to their benefit (or manipulation) .
i will try to specify my question (on agreeing with all ypu responded above), so Do you think one can learn how to use rhetoric? generally speaking, is it possible to decompose language, learn everything about the mechanisms and be sure that after that one can be considered as an outstanding orator? Or there is something more about natural ability, talent to speak? -DZ
回复删除the answer is simple to me. one can try to learn rhetoric, everyone can learn to do something, but it takes natural talent to be at the best. just like learning to be a good teacher? one can be very diligent, learn and apply all the pedagogies but there are just some people out there who have a natural flair for teaching.
回复删除hmm, i have seen examples of how some young politicians grew better with their rhetoric skills over the years, apparently with much coaching. but then again, they weren't that lousy to start with.
so, rhetoric skills are teachible!
回复删除sounds good!
we can make money on that -teach others to speak better!))))) -DZ
there are many people making money out of teaching public speaking :P
回复删除