Language http://mrsimonporter.wikispaces.com/IB+TOK

Language In groups can you think of a situation where language has got in the way of straightforward communication? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGJnynLq8Lo Discuss these question in groups – share with the class. This serves as an introduction as to why the study of language and how we gain knowledge from language is important. The first two minutes of the Fawlty Towers YouTube clip is a classic!

Language Can you think of an example where language has been abused to serve some other end than the neutral transfer of information? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af44Slin7lg Discuss these question in groups – share with the class. This serves as an introduction as to why the study of language and how we gain knowledge from language is important. The short YouTube clip discusses briefly Nazi propaganda leading up to WW2. Uploaded on Dec 2, 2010 From radio and film to newspapers and publishing, the Nazi regime controlled every aspect of German culture from 1933-1945. Through Josef Goebbels' Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, the German state tightly controlled political messaging, promoting deification of the leader—the Führerprinzip—and the demonization of the ubiquitous and duplicitious "racial enemy." A new exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., examines "how the Nazi Party used modern techniques as well as new technologies and carefully crafted messages to sway millions with its vision for a new Germany." Reason.tv's Michael C. Moynihan visited with museum historian and curator Steve Luckert to discuss the role and effectiveness of propaganda in the rise of fascism and what lessons can be drawn from the Nazi experiment in mass manipulation. Approximately 6 minutes.

Denotation and connotations

Freedom fighters or terrorists? When the ANC were fighting a guerrilla war against the apartheid regime in South Africa were they freedom fighters or terrorists? Justify your choice. Discuss in groups – perhaps write answer in journals. This is an introduction to the following exercises on denotations and connotations.

Which phrase should we use? Why? Black person? Person of color? Colored? Afro-American/European/Caribbean? African–American? Non-white? Negro? Negroid? Discuss in groups – perhaps write answer in journals. This is an introduction to the following exercises on denotations and connotations.

Denotation and connotation All the words in the previous slide have the same denotation (they refer to the same thing) but have different connotations (secondary meanings and inferences). Define the terms – perhaps give other examples (terrorist/freedom fighter/revolutionary)(stench, smell, fragrance, odour)

Denotation and connotation In the following slides decide what the denotation is (what do the words stand for) and discuss the connotations of the words

What is the denotation of these words? What are their connotations? Slender, skinny, thin What is the denotation of these words? What are their connotations? Denotation? Connotations?

Stubborn, steadfast, firm, Denotation? Connotations? What is the denotation of these words? What are their connotations?

Praise, flatter, commend What is the denotation of these words? What are their connotations? Denotation? Connotations?

Combative, belligerent, feisty, argumentative What is the denotation of these words? What are their connotations?

Take out a piece of paper. Put your name on it Take out a piece of paper. Put your name on it. You will be doing a couple of different activities on this paper, so you sill be handing it in at the end of class.

On your paper list as many different words as you can for; clever They can list these in their books. What are the connotations?

list as many different words as you can for; Drunk They can list these in their books

list as many different words as you can for; Stupid They can list these in their books

Language and Thought Are our thoughts limited by our language? (the “Sapir-Whorf hypothesis”) Read them the first page of 1984 – ask who has read it – get them to explain what it is about etc.

Newspeak - 1984 Newspeak is a fictional language in George Orwell's novel 1984. The basic idea behind Newspeak was to remove all shades of meaning from language, leaving simple dichotomies (pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness) which reinforce the total dominance of the State. A staccato rhythm of short syllables was also a goal, further reducing the need for deep thinking about language. In addition, words with opposite meanings were removed as redundant, so "bad" became "ungood." Words with similar meanings were also removed, so "best" became "doubleplusgood." In this manner, as many words as possible were removed from the language. The underlying theory of Newspeak is that if something can't be said, then it can't be thought. One question raised by this is whether we can communicate the need for freedom, or organize an uprising, if we don't have the words for either? Explain Orwell’s idea of a government creating a language where thoughts of overthrowing the state were literally impossible. Are our thoughts limited by our language/vocabulary? (DISCUSS)

Write three discussion questions in the margin. For your discussion questions, focus on the theme of language and its connection to thought. How can the language we use influence our thoughts? Why might the characters in 1984 be interested in destroying words and controlling the language people use?

Writing Assignment Is there anything wrong with controlling language and thought? Is there anything wrong with Newspeak? Do you think we live in a world where our language (and by extension, our thought) is controlled? Do you agree with a world where language is controlled?

-Think about the “F” word—instead of using more words to describe how we feel, we use the F word for everything. Is this like Newspeak (where words are eliminated)?