Language And Politics

Question 1

What is perhaps the initial definition of ideology?

Answer 1

Destutt de Tracy suggested that it was the knowledge of the origins of abstract ideas in the mind

Question 2

What is the Marxist account of ideology?

Answer 2

It has a dual role, consisting of a false consciousness, conditioned by propaganda and a true consciousness which is free from this (this is proletarian ideology)

Question 3

What is discourse and according to who?

Answer 3

Milhail Bakhtin observed discourse as the process by “complex” written and published speech is influenced by the bias in “simple” speech, and this creates a dominant discourse in publications that runs on a certain narrative

Question 4

What does Voloshinov add about discourse?

Answer 4

That since the language we have available is biased but used by different classes, the sign refracts our existence rather then just reflecting it. This means that sign can be competed over and it becomes an arena of class struggle.

Question 5

What can be said about Foucault?

Answer 5

That we cannot necessarily accept the discourse that dictates that everything is improving over time

Question 6

What is critical discourse analysis?

Answer 6

A study of the way text and talk enact social power a use and inequality