Geoffrey Nunberg, whose book The Way We Talk Now we'll be using this semester, had an audio commentary on NPR's Fresh Air Program last week:
Linguist Geoff Nunberg offers up a few thoughts on the use of a certain C-word in current electoral rhetoric. That word is "change" and it's what all the candidates are promising. But what does it really mean?
Give it a listen. I'll ask you about it on Monday.
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3 comments:
In light of the Presidential Primaries I think it is good for people to understand and see through the "slogans" the campaigners adopt to gain our vote. This proclamation of a change agent makes me very upset. Mostly because it is a very effect slogan in and of its vagueness. Making the user of this term seem like a super hero capable of bring about some kind of immediate fix to the problem that has been in office for the past eight years.
Change what? Change how? In the few things we can look at being changed right now, what is it all really accomplishing?
There is a call for dramatic change in the governments No Child Left Behind program, but there is little to no follow through. Schools are still failing, and the schools that aren't failing this year will probably be failing next year.
A new big change will be arriving in the mail this June. In a last ditch effort by Republicans to "stimulate" the economy we (all of us who paid taxes last year) will be receiving a tax rebate. The hope is that we will all spend it. However, those of us with half a brain will either a. save it or b. pay bills - not an overwhelmingly effective way to stimulate the economy. A much more effective, how about some big time government spending to stimulate the economy? Let's open up some jobs and get more money out there for the working poor. But thats just me.
The politician's talk of change is about as useful as the Lincolns jingling around in my pocket.
Geoffrey Nunberg is big on how politicians use language, having written seveal books on the topic.
He is not alone. Orwell, and many others have written on the topic. As Orwell notes, the politicians ultimate goal is to gain support. By speaking of change on a high level of abstraction this allows a wider audience to identify themselves with the politician, and helps the politician to avoid tough down and dirty issues.
A large (and I find interesting) topic with many facets to be explored.
really what do you expect all of the candidates to talk about. Of course the first primary topic will be change to change the way our current state is right now. They do this so they get everyone to jump on their bandwagon to support them. Some may want to change our country but some just state it to get votes or support. The bottom line is change will take much time and many people trying to gain office are talking about changing things at the drop of a hat, which will never happen. Change will take a long time after the mess we are in.
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