The Language War

Robin Lakoff gets to the heart of one of the most fascinating and pressing issues in American society today: who holds power and how they use it, keep it, or lose it. In a brilliant and vastly entertaining discussion of news events that have occupied an enormous amount of media space—political correctness, the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings, Hillary Rodham Clinton as First Lady, O. J. Simpson's murder trial, the Ebonics controversy, and the Clinton sex scandal—Lakoff shows that the struggle for power and status at the end of the century is being played out as a war over language. Controlling language is a basis for all power, she says, and therefore it is worth fighting for. As a result, newly emergent groups, especially blacks and women, are contending with middle- to upper-class white men for a share in "language rights." Lakoff's introduction to linguistic theories and the philosophy of language lays the groundwork for an exploration of news stories that meet what she calls the UAT (Undue Attention Test). As the stories became the subject of talk-show debates, late-night comedy routines, Web sites, and magazine articles, they were embroidered with additional meanings, depending on who was telling the story. Race, gender, or both are at the heart of these stories, and each one is about the right to construct meanings from languagein short, to possess power. Because language tells us how we are connected to one another, who has power and who does not, the stories reflect the language war. We use language to analyze what we call "reality," the author argues, but we mistrust how language is used today—witness the "politics of personal destruction" following the Clinton impeachment. Yet Lakoff sees in the struggle over language a positive goal: equality in the creation of our national discourse. Her writing is accessible and witty, and her excerpts from the media are used to great effect. Robin Tolmach Lakoff gets to the heart of one of the most fascinating and pressing issues in American society today: the question of who holds power--and how they use it, keep it, or lose it. In a brilliant and vastly entertaining discussion of recent news events that have occupied an enormous amount of media space--"political correctness," the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings, Hillary Rodham Clinton as First Lady, O. J. Simpson's murder trial, the Ebonics controversy, and the Clinton sex scandal--Lakoff shows that the struggle for power and status at the end of the century is being played out as a war over language. Controlling language is a basis for all power, she says, and therefore it's worth fighting for. As a result, newly emergent groups, especially blacks and women, are contending with middle-to-upper-class white men for a share in "language rights."Lakoff's introduction to linguistic theories and the philosophy of language lays the groundwork for an exploration of news stories that meet what she calls the UAT (Undue Attention Test). As the stories became the subject of talk-show debates, late-night comedy routines, Web sites, and magazine articles, they were embroidered with additional meanings, depending on who was telling the story. Race, gender, or both are at the heart of these stories, and each one is about the right to construct meanings from language--in short, to possess power. Because language tells us how we're connected to one another, who has power and who doesn't, the stories reflect the language war.We use language to analyze what we call "reality," the author argues, but we mistrust how language is used today--witness the "politics of personal destruction" following the Clinton impeachment. Yet Lakoff sees in the struggle over language a positive goal: equality in the creation of our national discourse. Her writing is accessible and witty, and her exerpts from the media are used to great effect. The book's informative notes, packed with colorful examples and stories, are a delightful bonus. Lakoff Shows That The Struggle For Power And Status At The End Of The Century Is Being Played Out As A War Over Language. Controlling Language Is A Basis For All Power, She Says, And Therefore, It's Worth Fighting For. As A Result, Newly Emergent Groups, Especially Blacks And Women, Are Contending With Middle-to-upper-class White Men For A Share In Language Rights. Lakoff's Introduction To Linguistic Theories And The Philosophy Of Language Lays The Groundwork For An Exploration Of News Stories That Meet What She Calls The Uat (undue Attention Test). As The Stories Became The Subject Of Talk-show Debates, Late-night Comedy Routines, Web Sites, And Magazine Articles, They Were Embroidered With Additional Meanings, Depending On Who Was Telling The Story. Race, Gender, Or Both Are At The Heart Of These Stories, And Each One Is About The Right To Construct Meanings From Language - In Short, To Possess Power. Because Language Tells Us How We're Connected To One Another, Who Has Power And Who Doesn't, The Stories Reflect The Language War.--jacket. Language: The Power We Love To Hate -- The Neutrality Of The Status Quo -- Political Correctness And Hate Speech: The Word As Sword -- Mad, Bad, And Had: The Anita Hill / Clarence Thomas Narrative(s) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton: What The Sphinx Thinks -- Who Framed O.j.? -- Ebonics: It's Chronic -- The Story Of Ugh. Robin Tolmach Lakoff. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 303-312) And Index. "Lakoff shows that the struggle for power and status at the end of the century is being played out as a war over language. Controlling language is a basis for all power, she says, and therefore, it's worth fighting for. As a result, newly emergent groups, especially blacks and women, are contending with middle-to-upper-class white men for a share in "language rights." Lakoff's introduction to linguistic theories and the philosophy of language lays the groundwork for an exploration of news stories that meet what she calls the UAT (Undue Attention Test). As the stories became the subject of talk-show debates, late-night comedy routines, Web sites, and magazine articles, they were embroidered with additional meanings, depending on who was telling the story. Race, gender, or both are at the heart of these stories, and each one is about the right to construct meanings from language - in short, to possess power. Because language tells us how we're connected to one another, who has power and who doesn't, the stories reflect the language war."--BOOK JACKET. Robin Lakoff gets to the heart of one of the most fascinating and pressing issues in American society today: who holds power and how they use it, keep it, or lose it. In a brilliant and vastly entertaining discussion of news events that have occupied an enormous amount of media space -- political correctness, the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings, Hillary Rodham Clinton as First Lady, O.J. Simpson's murder trial, the Ebonics controversy, and the Clinton sex scandal -- Lakoff shows that the struggle for power and status at the end of the century was being played out as a war over language. Controlling language is a basis for all power, she says, and therefore it is worth fighting for. As a result, newly emergent groups, especially blacks and women, are contending with middle- to upper-class white men for a share in "language rights". Preliminaries......Page 1 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 1 Language: The Power We Love to Hate......Page 29 2 The Neutrality of the Status Quo......Page 54 3 ÒPolitical CorrectnessÓ and Hate Speech......Page 98 4 Mad, Bad, and Had......Page 130 5 Hillary Rodham Clinton......Page 170 6 Who Framed ÒO.J.Ó?......Page 206 7 EbonicsÑItÕs Chronic......Page 239 8 The Story of Ugh......Page 264 Notes......Page 295 References......Page 315 Index......Page 325