English Language 4.2 - Individual and Group Identities

Question 1

Inclusive Language

Answer 1

• Sense of belonging
• Feel valued, respected and able to contribute
• Respectful, accurate and relevant
• Reflects diversity
• Prevents perpetuating stereotypes and avoids assumptions
• Responds to shifts in society, economy and technology
• Socially appropriate
• Reflects a tolerant and egalitarian society
• Upholds contemporary views to sections of society marginalised or stereotypes
• Encompasses current expectations of acceptance and humanity
• Validates
• Contemporary beliefs of anti-discrimination, inclusion and appropriate sensitivity

Question 2

Jargon

Answer 2

• Specialised lexis associated with a specific activity, profession or group
• Includes:
  o Domain specific lexemes
  o Lexemes with specialised semantics
  o Technical terminology
  o Lexically dense noun phrases
  o Initialisms and acronyms
  o Use of passive
• Used for efficiency, effortlessness and precision
• Economical
• Fulfill the communication needs of the group
• Mark group boundaries
• Create an impenetrable wall excluding others
• Establishes register
• Reflects domain and context
• Determines tenor
• Builds group identity, shared belonging, camaraderie and unity
• Captures distinctions not made in ordinary language
• Perceived by outsiders as vacuously incomprehensible, pretentious, pedantic and divorced from meaning

Question 3

Euphemism

Answer 3

• Polite, often vague, indirect and mild
• Used to refer to taboo topics
• Often non literal and idiomatic
• Can lose positive connotations as a consequence of association – ‘euphemistic treadmill’
• Used to show respect, social sensitivity and acknowledge contextual factors
• Used when social distance is great or status is unequal
• Linguistic delicacy – softens harsh realities
• Promotes social harmony
• Censor impolite, indelicate or offensive words or attitudes

Question 4

Dysphemism

Answer 4

• Challenges expected social norms of politeness
• Offensive
• Employed for humour or to break social conventions

Question 5

Doublespeak

Answer 5

• ‘Weasel words’
• Avoids backlash by using initially unrecognisable alternatives
• Veils unpleasant, unwanted, undesirable and unpalatable messages
• Can be jargonistic, euphemistic, tautological, overly sophisticated or vague
• Keep audience ‘at bay’
• Avoid direct accountability
• Hides truth and complicates meaning
• Project expertise, authority, control, positivity and superiority
• Obscure, obfuscate, disguise and conceal
• Used in government, military or corporate contexts
• Discourage questioning, encourage obedience and prevent critique
• Creates confusion and uncertainty
• Manipulates through deliberate ambiguity
• Used in contexts where significant consequences exist

Question 6

Politeness

Answer 6

• Encompasses explicit polite forms, politically correct language, euphemisms and non-discriminatory language
• Greater social distance
• Relates to tenor and face needs

Question 7

Discriminatory Language

Answer 7

• Feeds a harmful stereotype
• Marginalises and support prejudice
• Endorses injustice
• Fosters prejudice and hatred
• Based on race, religion, sex, gender or nationality
• Seeks to diminish and demean
• Erroneous assumption of superiority
• Reinforces social dichotomy
• Can have real emotional, educational and physical ramifications that are often overlooked
• Silences, trivialises, sensationalises and overlooks people’s experiences
• Negatively defined by ‘otherness’
• Signal someone is not part of the group
• Harmful
• Reduces attraction and motivation
• Contributes to and continues stereotypes
• Presents individuals as incompetent or not suitable