MODULE CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY FOR THE MOTHER TONGUE

CHAPTER 4: LANGUAGE BELIEF AND IDEOLOGY

OBJECTIVES:
d. Identify the key concept of ideology in language.
e. Explore the value systems and sets of belief which reside in texts.
f. Recognize the function of language through the process of
communication

Though language is not the only means through which human beings interact in the
world, it has become the main focus of discourse studies. This could be attributed to two
reasons.
The first is the function of
language itself, which is
perceived by practitioners in the
field of language and
representation to be purely
ideological, or the center of the
concept of ideology (Hall, 1982).
Thus, practitioners in the field of
discourse and representation emphasize that any attempt to recognize ideology will be
aborted if language is neglected (Fairclough, 1992; Fowler, 1991; Hall, 1982; Trew,
1979; van Dijk, 1993).
According to Hall (1982), language is the home of all ideology, and hence he gives it a
crucial analytical role in identifying and analyzing ideologies. Hall’s view has been
embraced by Traynor (2004), who emphasizes the influential and analytical role of
language in representational discourse. He describes language as: the most
significant and colossal work that the human spirit has evolved; it maintains itself
as the source of all arts and the core of all science. It is always known as the
most massive and inclusive art
This concurs with Chilton’s view (2004) that sees language as the most effective and
most developed medium human beings use to interact and communicate with each
other. He states that human beings use language not only to communicate with each
other but also to represent the world the way they want.
The second reason is the nature of language.
Recognized as a system of representation in ordinary practice and use, it does not
present real life but it re-represents it (Scannell, 1998). In this perspective, language is
not seen as abstract grammatical categories as it is viewed within traditional linguistics
(van Dijk, 2002). Instead, it is viewed as a medium that is impregnated with ideology.

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Similarly, Bell and Garrett (1998) see language as a medium of instruction that cannot
be used in a vacuum. It is part of a context in which social relations go hand in hand
with language use. In this regard, language is viewed as a political tool with a potential
to convey messages, depict images and mediate concepts to reflect and influence the
formation and expression of culture, politics and social life.

LANGUAGE
A system of arbitrary, productive, dynamic, having variation, and humans vocal symbol
used by human being to carry out their social affairs.
Salient Features of Language
1. System - It is formed by a number of components and can be formulated.
Pattern:
Morpheme –smallest unit Sentence
Words –combination of letters. Paragraph
Phrase –modifier + head Composition

Vocal - We can pronounce the symbol. Each symbol represents a thing. Production of
Sound and Words
Respiration –involves inhalation and exhalation
Phonation –vibration of the vocal chords
Resonation –amplification
Articulation –movements and formation of speech organs.
2. Arbitrary - a word for a certain thing differs from one place to another.
What makes language arbitrary? - Biblical Reason
Language Borrowing –changes spelling, pronunciation and semantics.
3. Productive Number of words always increases.
4. Dynamics - the language can change in the form of phonology, morphology, or
syntax.
Examples: Know ye this man? Do you know this man?

Having Variation - Although a language has

a certain pattern, it may be different in
phonology, morphology, syntax, or lexicon.
5. Human (Adj.) - Language as a means or
verbal communication is only possessed by
human being, animal s and plants do not.

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Functions of Language
It has personal or emotive function.
It has directive or instrumental function.
It has phatics, interactional, or interpersonal function.
It functions referential, representational, cognitive, denotative, or informative.
It functions methalingual or methalinguistics.
It has imaginative or phoetics speech functions.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is a process by which information is exchange between individuals
through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.
Three components in communication
process:
1) message sender and receiver or
participants,
2) information being communicated, and
3) Instruments used in communication.
Communication is distinguished into two kinds: Verbal and non- verbal
Non-verbal communication does not use language as the means of communication. It
uses signs (traffic signs, pictures, sounds), gestures.
Verbal communication language is delivering orally.
THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION USING LANGUAGE
Language Communication = Sender + Receiver
Message – utterance (usually in the form of sentences) used to convey idea, thought suggestion
Semantics Encoding – the process that the sender formulates something he/she wants to utter
in the form of idea or thought frame.
Grammatical Encoding – the process in which the idea is changed into grammatical sentences.
Phonological Encoding – process of uttering the formulated grammatical sentence.
Decoding – the utterance is then comprehended or decoded by the receiver or listener.
Phonological Decoding – the listener receives or comprehends the sound
Grammatical Decoding – the listener receives or comprehends the grammatical sentences.
Semantics Decoding –the listener receives or comprehends the meaning of the message.

TWO KIND OF LANGUAGE-COMMUNICATION

One-way Communication means process, the speaker or sender remains as the sender
and the listener or receiver remains as the receiver.
Two-ways Communication means the position of sender and receiver is
interchangeable.

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OVERVIEW:
This video contains Dr. Steve Klien explains how language operates as symbolic
communication, how a language can construct meaning in ways that can both bring
people together with a shared understanding apart from differences of opinion regarding
language means. Continuing to discuss how language communicates well, consider
strategies of meaning, making, and the relationship between language use, society and
culture, and ideology.

For more knowledge: https://youtu.be/I20nTdG_wJg

https://youtu.be/toh4mLF6BtM

RELIGION
Sociology of Religion
Is the study of the beliefs practices and organizational forms of religion using the
tools and methods of the discipline of sociology.
Is distinguished from the philosophy of religion in that it does not set out to
assess the validity of religious beliefs.
Objective investigation uses:
Quantitative methods (surveys, polls, demographic and census analysis)
Qualitative approaches such as participant observation, interviewing, and analysis of
archival, historical and documentary materials.
Methodological Atheism of Peter L. Berger
The sociology of religion broadly differs from theology in assuming indifference to the
supernatural; theorists tend to acknowledge socio-cultural reification of religious
practice.

View of Religion in Classical Sociology

Karl Marx
"Marx was the product of the Enlightenment, embracing its
call to replace faith by reason and religion by science.”
Religion, Marx held, was a significant hindrance to reason
inherently masking the truth and misguiding followers.
Marx viewed social alienation as the heart of social inequality.
The antithesis to this alienation is freedom. Thus, to
propagate freedom means to present individuals with the
truth and give them a choice to accept or deny it. In this,
"Marx never suggested that religion ought to be prohibited."

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Emile Durkheim
 Study society as dispassionate and scientific.
 He argued that religion was an expression of social cohesion.
 Religion, for Durkheim, is not "imaginary," although he does deprive it of what
many believers find essential. Religion is very real; it is an expression of society
itself, and indeed, there is no society that does not have religion. We perceive as
individuals a force greater than ourselves, which is our social life, and give that
perception a supernatural face. We then express ourselves religiously in groups,
which for Durkheim makes the symbolic power greater. Religion is an expression
of our collective consciousness, which is the fusion of all of our individual
consciousness's, which then creates a reality of its own.
Max Weber
Verstehen, a German term, used to describe his method of interpretation of the
intention and context of human action.
A religious group or individual is influenced by all kinds of things, he says, but if
they claim to be acting in the name of religion, we should attempt to understand
their perspective on religious grounds first. Weber gives religion credit for
shaping a person's image of the world, and this image of the world can affect
their view of their interests, and ultimately how they decide to take action.

OVERVIEW:
In this video, Crash Course discusses religion to use in symbolic interactionism to help
us understand the dichotomy of the Sacred vs. the Profane. Compare the perspective of
structural functionalists and conflict theorists on whether religion improves social
cohesiveness or increases social stratification. And also explore how religious practice
in the US differs across race and class lines.

For more knowledge: https://youtu.be/pIgb-3e8CWA

IDEOLOGY
The term ‘ideology’ was first introduced by the French philosopher
Destutt de Tracy in the eighteenth century and since then it has,
in fact, attracted the attention of scholars from different disciplines
such as cognitive and social psychology, sociology and discourse
analysis, resulting in a whole range of definitions varying in focus
but underscored by similar concerns.
For example, social sciences like sociology, political science,
socio-psychology and linguistics are all concerned with ideology

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but from different perspectives. The first three neglect the function of language in
constructing and mediating ideology – a concern that has recently been embraced by
discourse-oriented linguistics (Wodak, 1989).
The doctrine, philosophy, body of beliefs or principles belonging to an individual or
group.
A set of ideas that constitute one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be
thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things, as in several
philosophical tendencies, or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society
to all members of this society.
The main purpose behind an ideology is to offer either change in society, or
adherence to a set of ideals where conformity already exists, through a normative
thought process. Ideologies are systems of abstract thought applied to public matters
and thus make this concept central to politics.
Ideology can be used either to initiate change in society or to encourage continued
adherence to a set of ideals in a situation where conformity already exists.
According to Karl Marx, ideology is an instrument for social reproduction, as those
who control the means of production (the ruling class) are able to establish the
dominant ideology within a society.
Louis Althusser - proposed a materialistic conception of ideology using the concept of
Ideological State Apparatus.
Ideological State Apparatuses
Are institutions, such as the family, media, religious organizations, education
system, etc., that together comprising ideological practice, the sphere which has
the defining property of constituting indas subjeviduals cts.
Many political parties base their political action and program on an ideology.
Political ideology consists of two dimensions:
goals
methods

Communist Ideology
Communism, as symbolized by this sickle and hammer, is an ideological system that
socializes its believers into a particular system of thought.
Marxist account of Ideology
It serves as an instrument of social reproduction.
Base denotes the relations of production, and superstructure denotes the
dominant ideology (religious, legal, political systems). The economic base of
production determines the political superstructure of a society. Ruling class-

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interests determine the superstructure and the nature of the justifying ideology—
actions feasible because the ruling class control the means of production.
Materialistic Conception of Louis Althusser
Beliefs and ideas are the products of social practices, not the reverse. What is ultimately
important for Althusser are not the subjective beliefs held in the minds of human
individuals, but rather the material institutions, rituals, and discourses that produce
these beliefs.
OVIERVIEW
This video explains Destutt de Tracy and Karl Marx's definition of ideology. That, Tracy,
establishes ideologies as a science of ideas or the study of ideas, referred to as
psychology While, Marx makes the concept of ideology by associating the class with
ideology, and this is directly related to social circumstances and material conditions.

For more knowledge: https://youtu.be/0GDWnZqg7GM

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
Is a certain ethical set of ideals, principles, doctrines, myths, or symbols of a social
movement, institution class, or large group that explains how society should work and
offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.
šConcerns itself with how to allocate power and to what ends it should be used. Some
parties follow a certain ideology very closely, while others may take broad inspiration
from a group of related ideologies without specifically embracing any one of them.

References:

https://www.slideshare.net/kristineporereyes/ab-eng-3
https://www.slideshare.net/gibreelsadeq/linguistic-approaches-to-ideology

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