Language Society And The State

Using Taiwan as a case study, this book constructs an innovative theory of a political sociology of language. Through documentary and ethnographic data and a comparative-historical method the book illustrates how language mediates interactions between society and the state and becomes politicized as a result; how language, politics and power are intertwined processes; and how these processes are not isolated in institutions but socially embedded.

This book addresses the changing contemporary language worlds in three major contexts. It first discusses how the language landscape maps of cities are changing as a result of increased migration, globalization and global media. These features are evident in place names and place name changes as well as the densities and frequencies of language spoken and used in texts. The second section discusses how the state itself is responding to both indigenous and heritage groups desiring to be included and represented in the state’s political landscapes and also expressions of art and culture. In the third section, the authors address a number of cutting-edge theses that are emerging in the linguistic geography and political words. These include the importance of gender, anthropogenetic discourse, the preservation of endangered languages and challenges to a state’s official language policy. Through including authors from nine different countries, who are writing about issues in twelve countries and their overlapping interests in language mapping, language usage and policy and visual representations, this book provides inspiring research into future topics at local, national, regional and international scales.

This book argues that a tribe of the primitive society is formed because of kinship, while a state of the civilized society is formed because of language. When humans communicate using language, they extend the distance and the reaches of communication. They expand their communities. States replace tribes. Language underlies the formation of the state. Then, accordingly, language also underlies the organization of the state as men create language solutions in the organization of the state such as constitution, election and representation. The extension of linguistic communication distance also underlies the formation of three juxtaposing branches of government ― administrative, legislative and judicial body. It also enables men to create various forms of civilization such as history, philosophy, literature, art, religion and law which play a role in the construction of men’s spirit that guides the operation of the state. Language presets the whole process of the progress of civilization.

This book examines the ways in which language functions, how it influences thought and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class and gender. It seeks to answer such questions as: How can a language reflect the status of children and older people? Do men and women talk differently? How can our use of language mark our ethnic identity? It also looks at language use in politics and the media and investigates how language affects and constructs our identities, exploring notions of correctness and attitudes towards language use. While it can be used as a stand-alone text, this edition of Language, Society and Power has also been fully cross-referenced with the new companion title: The Language, Society and Power Reader. Together these books provide the complete resource for students of English language and linguistics, media, communication, cultural studies, sociology and psychology. --Book Jacket.

This groundbreaking collection re-orders the elitist and colonial elements of language studies by drawing together the multiple perspectives of Black language researchers.

Language and State: A Theory of the Progress of Civilization, Second Edition, argues that the state takes form because of language. It argues that since humans began to use language, they have been able to create and use media. Media include materials, human behavior, human consciousness and humans themselves. Media extend the distance of linguistic communication and then humans interact with one another on a large scale and form themselves into a large community. This leads to the formation of the state and the dissolution of tribes. Linguistic communication then structures human interactions in the formation of the state. Humans exchange information with one another, give interpretations, display attitudes and make promises to one another. They even allow for one person to issue commands to all others. Humans organize the state in various types of linguistic interaction, which further create a condition for the formation of the common interest of all: a foundation for the building of the state. Then, humans rationalize the organization of the state in extending the distance of linguistic communication. Humans realize freedom, equality, peace, democracy and justice in their mutual linguistic interactions. Language gives origin to the state and sustains the development of the state. Language has preset the whole process of the progress of human civilization.

This text examines the social and political impact of the Swahili language.