power in everyday discourse
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Power in Everyday DiscourseTRANSCRIPT
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Assignment three: Web-Based Presentation
Language, Discourse and Power
Power in Everyday Discourse
By Murray Riches06154506
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Two examples of everyday Discourse Used to ‘Do Power’
Racist discourse used to assert one groups power over another
Small talk used to construct and contest workplace power relationships
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- “part of the social fabric of communication”- “created through people interacting in a certain
social context”- contextually determined component of discourse
(Bower & Martin, 2007, p. 84-85)
- “many different kinds of power and influence that are interrelated and have varied manifestations” (Tannen, 1987, p.5).
What is power?
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Discourse creates power “the values and beliefs we hold which seem to
be ‘normal’ and ‘commonsense’ are in fact constructs of the organisations and institutions around us, created and shared through language” (Wareing, 2004, p. 1)
Power and Discourse?
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1 – “Do you have to learn Maori to be a primary school teacher?”
2 – “Yea – just the basics, ya no”
1 – “That’s crazy! – they should be more concerned about the fact that half the kids can’t speak English properly these days. I
mean, some of my friends were Maori at school and they didn’t need to learn Maori to do well”
2– “Mmmm, we have to learn the basic Pacific stuff too...”
1 – “What?! That’s ridiculous; it’s not even their country!”
2 – “Yea, When in Rome do as the Romans do, a”
Interaction one:
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Production of commonsense
Otherization
Nostalgia
“Maori friends”
Construct ion of power relationship through:
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Production of commonsense:“That’s crazy – They
should be more concerned with the fact that half the kids can’t speak English properly”
- Suggest other languages are distraction
- English is of more value
Otherization:- Pacific people are part
of the ‘other’ group
- Need to fit into ‘our’ culture
“It’s not even their country”
“When in Rome do as the Romans do”
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Nostalgia:
“Half the kid’s can’t speak English properly these days”
Her friends “didn’t need to learn Maori to do well at school”
- Suggests these changes are causing educational breakdown
- The old way was good for Maori
“Maori Friends”:
“some of my friends were Maori”
- Establishes credibility
- Pragmatic not prejudice
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Wetherell & Potter (1992) suggest racist discourse . . . should be seen as discourse . . . which has the effect of establishing, sustaining and reinforcing oppressive power relations between those defined” (p.70)
Reinforce a power imbalance between Pakeha and non-Pakeha through everyday discourse
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A - “I feel like shopping...”
M - “Hmm” (looking intently at the computer)
A - “I really do ya no”
M - (silent)
A - “I really want a surround sound system”
Interaction two:
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“Discourse in the workplace involves the construction not only of collegiality but also of power relations. Every interaction involves people enacting, reproducing and sometimes resisting institutional power relations in their use of discourse” (Holmes, 2000, p.51).
Margret = superior Anne = subordinate
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Small talk to reduce social distance:Anne is keen to
initiate conversationMargret is reluctant
to get involved
- Holmes (2000) suggests superiors often try to maintain a degree of social distance from subordinates, while subordinates try to reduce social distance
Small talk to resist power:- Demand recognition- Force Margret to see her
as equal person
- Suppress challenge to her authoritative position
Anne’s insistent attempts to initiate conversation
Margret seeks to terminate conversation
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Power is used in common conversation:
Construct and contest power relationships between people
Build and reinforce institutional power relationships between groups
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References: Bower, H., & Martin, K. (2007). Communication across cultures: Mutual
understanding in a global world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Holmes, J. (2000). Doing collegiality and keeping control at work: Small talk in government departments. In J. Coupland (Ed.), Small talk (pp. 51-58). Horlow, England: Pearson.
Tannen, D. (1987). Remarks on discourse and power. In L. Kedar (Ed.), Power through discourse (pp. 3-10). Norwood: Ablex.
Wareing, S. (2004). What is language and what does it do? In L. Thomas, S. Singh, J. Peccei, J. Thornborrow & J. Jones (Eds.), Language, society and power: An introduction (pp. 1-16). London: Routledge.
Wetherell, M., & Potter, J. (1992). Mapping the language of racism: Discourse and legitimisation of exploitation. New York; London: Harvester Wheatsheaf.