Language and Representations: People, Social Groups and Gender

Language and Representations: People, Social Groups and Gender

  • Explore how language is used to represent individuals, social groups, and gender. Pay attention to stereotypes, bias, dominant ideologies, and power relations.

  • Analyse how language constructs identities. Consider how identities are formed via discourse, and how pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar might indicate social identity or group membership.

  • Understand the varying discourses of masculinity and femininity. Remember that gender is not binary and consider how language reflects and shapes our understanding of gender identities.

  • Consider the concept of heteronormativity in language use. This refers to the assumption that heterosexuality is the norm in societal standards and practises, which can also be prevalent in language use.

  • Reflect upon the notion of ‘political correctness’ in relation to language use. This pertains to the avoidance of language that could offend, marginalise, or exclude people based on aspects such as their race, gender, sexual orientation, or other identities.

  • Understand that language can both reflect and maintain societal norms and values. It can either reinforce existing structures or challenge and negotiate societal changes.

  • Pay attention to intersectionality, where different facets of identity, like gender, class, and race, intersect and affect experiences and representations.

  • Analyse how language contributes to or challenges stereotypes. Consider the use of pejorative language, euphemism, and other rhetorical devices.

  • Think critically about linguistic discrimination and how ‘standard’ and ‘non-standard’ variations of language can contribute to power relations.

  • Familiarise yourself with the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis – the theory that the structure of the language one speaks influences or determines the way one thinks and perceives the world.

  • Recognise lexical choices and connotations – our interpretation of words based on cultural or personal associations.

  • Remember to apply critical and theoretical approaches to examine how language shapes and influences our perception of people, social groups, and gender.