Since European Community priorities will lead inexorably to the imposition of a pan-European language, almost certainly English, it is very likely that the opposition of the regions within France to the imposition of French will be paralleled by the opposition of countries such as France to this new form of economic domination from London and Paris.
Social psychologists, in analysing attitudes towards language variation, often consider that the values attached to regional accents or languages indicate very clearly the power relationships individuals attribute to such factors. Authoritarian language, the voice characteristics and manner of speaking of the intellectual may thus seem to lend weight and value to what he says, whereas the same message conveyed in slang, in a strong regional accent or in inappropriate or illegitimate ways may defeat the intended purpose.
This approach is similar to the view which holds that regional languages are appropriate for jokes, for discussion of rural topics or the weather, but that they do not possess the vocabulary, seriousness or even the syntax with which to communicate on aspects of modern life such as science or technology.
avril 16, 2008 à 3:12 |
This reminds me of the film “Hero”, in which the goal of the Emporer is to unite all the lands so that aspects to life such as language can be unified and homogenous. In this film it is the two words spoken at the death of an assassin that saves the Emporer’s life – “Our Land”.