LANGUAGE IN SOCIETY

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

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CULTURE
Whatever a person needs to know in order to function in a particular society in a manner acceptable to its members Socially acquired knowledge necessary behaviours learned from other members of the community, do not come from genetic endowment
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Three differing views: views: Structure of language language determines the way that speakers of that language language view the world Culture is reflected in language. Cultural requirements do not determine structure of lang, lang , but influence how it is used Little or no relationship bet betw ween lang language uage and culture culture
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SapirSapir -Whorf / Whorfian hypothesis

Edward Sapir: Human beings do not live in the objective world alone, nor alone in the world of social activity as ordinarily understood, but are very much at the mercy of the particular language which has become the medium of expression for their society. It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the use of language. language .
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SAPIRS IDEA
(CONT.)

The fact of the matter is that the real world is unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group. We see and hear and. experience very largely as we do because the language habits of our community predispose certain choices of interpretation (Language, 1929) 1929)
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Benjamin Lee Whorf

The background linguistic system (in other words the grammar) of each language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is itself the shaper of ideas . the guide for the individuals mental activity Formulation of ideas is not an independent process, but is part of a particular grammar
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WHAT FOLLOWS?
Different speakers will view the world differently in so far as the languages they speak differ structurally. We perceive only what our language allows us, or predisposes us, to perceive. Our language controls our world view, thus speakers of different languages will have different world views. views.
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Data in favour of the Whorfian hypothesis

Both people and bulls have legs in English, but in Spanish people have piernas piernas, , bulls have patas. patas . Bedouin Arabs: Arabs: many different words for camels, Samis: Samis : several for reindeer, Inuits Inuits: : words for many different different kinds of snow. English has a cover term animal animal, , but no term to nuts. Chinese does have cover both fruit and nuts. one. one .
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Conclusions from data

Our world view, shaped by our native tongue, makes it difficult to immediately understand distinctions that speakers of other languages make. However, understanding (as well as translation) translation) is possible. Habitual thought may be conditioned by language, but opposing relationship, that is, effect of society and environment (=culture) on language language is more obvious. obvious.

Effect of culture on language language

Physical environment - reflected in language lang uage, , normally in the lexicon, lexicon, e.g.: e.g.: Eskimo words to refer to different types of snow Social environment also reflected in lang, lang, and has an effect on structure of vocabulary, vocabulary , e.g.: a societys kinship system
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Effect of culture on language language (cont cont.) .)

Changes in society (social changes) changes) may produce corresponding linguistic changes changes, eg eg.: .: in Russia and Russian. Russian.
shurin (19th cent) brat zheni (now) now) nevetska zhena brata

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Longer phrasal terms indicate current lack of importance given to certain kinship relationships General General linguistic principle: principle: truly important objects and relationships are (tend to be be) ) expressed through single words rather than phrases phrases (cf (cf. . separate Inuite words for snow vs. Eng dry snow, fine snow, etc.)
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TABOO AND EUPHEMISM

TABOO: things people do not talk about EUPHEMISMS: things people talk about in a roundabout way

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TABOO
In society society: :c concerned oncerned with behaviour believed to be harmful to societys members for supernatural reasons, reasons, or regarded immoral or improper, improper, because violating a moral code. In language: associated with things not said, said , and with words and expressions not used. used .
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TABOO (cont cont. .)

In practice: inhibitions / restrictions to the use of items of this sort Failure to adhere to strict rules of use: may lead to punishment or public shame. shame.

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TABOO (cont2.)
Taboo words: words: good reflection in a language of societys value and belief system Taboo words: words: words used in spells (magic magic), ), words related to left hand, female relations, game animals Taboo topics: topics: sex, death, excretion, bodily functions, functions , religious matters
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TABOO (cont3.)
Use of taboo words in nonnon-permitted contexts: e.g. e.g. on TV, provokes violent shock and disgust. disgust. BUT irrational irrational, , because it is the word that is taboo (not the concept or the idea it denotes). denotes ). Clearly, taboo is a linguistic and sociological fact. fact.
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TABOO (cont4.) Though rapid change in patterns of taboo words in English English, , rules of use are relaxing relaxing, , still, a lot of linguistic linguistic taboos. If violated violated: : it is for drawing attention to oneself, to show contempt contempt, , to be aggressive or provocative, provocative, to mock authority, to express freedom freedom, , etc.
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Secondary effect of taboo on language

Words phonetically similar to taboo words disappear from language because of nonnonuse, use , e.g.: e.g.: rooster used in AE for cock Also in bilingual situations

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EUPHEMISMS
Euphemistic words and expressions: expressions: allow us to talk about unpleasant things or neutralize the unpleasantness, unpleasantness, e.g. subject of death and dying, criminality or unemployment. Give labels to unpleasant tasks / jobs to make them sound less repulsive, more attractive.
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Conclusions
Language, culture and thought are interrelated in a number of intricate ways. Effect of environment and society (=culture) on language use is obvious in several areas (lexicon, lexicon, kinship system) system), but there is also evidence for the structure of language to determine the world view of the speaker.
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Conclusions (cont cont.) .)

Language use is sensitive to social changes, in that changes in society and culture will appear in language use. Each social group differs from every other in the way they are constrained in their language use by culture, but no social group uses language quite uninhibitedly. uninhibitedly.
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