Read the following part of a text written by bell Hooks and write A PARAGRAPH relating it to the classes we had about English Language and Globalization. Think of the concepts of oppression and freedom to write your text, ok?
“[…] I resist the idea of the 'oppressor’s language', certain that this construct has the potential to disempower those of us who are just learning to speak, who are just learning to claim language as a place where we make ourselves subject” (HOOKS, 1994, p. 168).
In many times, the language can to be used how opression in people. In our case, for example, when we use "preto", "pobre", "gay" or many others words used for the badly.
ResponderExcluirIn others country have opression, too. In the India the "castas" do not permit anybody change his lifes.
"While names, words, and language can be, and are, used to inspire us, to motivate us to humane acts, to liberate us, they can also be used to dehumanize human beings and to 'justify' their suppression and even their extermination," (Haig Bosmajian, UW professor of speech communication)
We can to see the problem in South Africa:
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/language-policy-and-oppression-south-africa
In many parts of the world the language is used for opression. We need reflect about the importance of language in our lifes.
tavvs@hotmail.com
30/08/2009
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ResponderExcluirI think, like we discussed on class, the language can be used for two aims. We can used it for oppression or for liberation, cause the language is just tools in our hands. I don't think language is the reason of the oppression, but this is a historical construction of human beings. I agree with Moreira when he said about prejudiced words, but who create the prejudice? When? So, I think we have power and we don't know to use it of good way. Language add us knowledge and this can get rich ourselves. So, we need to learn about our necessities, otherwise we can use for "to be" better than others if we don't feel good, for example. So, the oppression is inside us since long time ago...we have to liberate ourselves...
ResponderExcluirI don't think the English Language is just a oppressor's Language. We can do many things with this. Everybody decides how to use the knowledge. And if you want to use it like as an oppressor thing you can do it.. you have the power! I think there is a mistake for many people. People think the power is concentrated with English speakers and they think that just the countries which English is the official language are powerful. But I think it's lie.
ResponderExcluirI think anyway one Language must to be choosed and English was the choosed. But not because is English... because it's something that comes since many years. And I don't think it can be change so fastly. But there are solutions.I think we can do many things with English Language, and it's ourselves decision. I can use the English just to sing, or just curiosity, or really to get a job. But if is the last one alternative, even so we use with a different form. It's just a way how you think about it.
I disagree when people say that English is an oppressor language. We live in a globalization world and we need to communicate with each other. So, the language chose to communicate was the English. Of course that the language to be choose should be the language from the powerest country. We live in a world who speaks many different languages. I think wonderful the reality where everybody has to speak English (the language chose), cause we need to communicate. We can imagine: if when we were to travel to another country for business or just for a friend, we had to speak the language from the foreign country, therefore, we would have to speak many languages, would be terrible, wouldn’t be?
ResponderExcluirIn the world there are a lot of country with diferent language, so no one can talk all.. actually is hard to know your own better, imagine 3 or more language.. And is essential the comunication with others persons.. So.. we need choose a language that we can talk.. And the English is that one.. because today, all the world talks English.. if you go to Spain, to Poland, to China.. and you know English is enough.. Today if you want to be a sucessful person you need to know that language.. maybe because that there are some people think the English is an oppressor language.. but, really, there isn´t.. It´s just necessary.. You can choose.. it´s your choice.. but is better you choose that one.
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ResponderExcluirI think that english becomes a opressor language when its learned without consider the culture of the communities or countries where its learned. People who doesn´t have english as a first language won´t speak like someone who has. Because this there´s differents ways to speak english, as we can see, for exemple, a indian person speaking in a different form than a american. In my opinion with even speaking in different form, it allows comunication this is a way to these people learn english without be opressed.
ResponderExcluirSo its very important think crically, understanding that witch country or community has its language and that learn english for these people doesn´t mean leave behind their own culture and form of speaking, like using terms in english to defy things in their country even if have one in their language that can defy it.
Why english is the language of globalization? Why not portuguese? I think it’s a question of power and influence. Many countries that lead the globalization speak english (first England, now USA). Centuries ago french was the international language, many centuries ago was the latin. So the reach of one language says much about the history and the influence of people who speak that language.
ResponderExcluirBut it’s much simple just to say “English is the oppressor’s language”. In some moments english could be the oppressor’s language, for example in colonization, include the USA that was colony of England. But when two or many languages meet, or cultures, the influence is reciprocal. Like in Brazil, the “portuguese” that now we speak is the mixture of portuguese, indians, africans and other words. In first moment was the oppressor’s language, but after was modifications, was appropriation, and the language doesn’t belong just to oppressor.
In the reality of globalization to know english is can have opportunities, is can have knowledge, is can have a kind of power. When I use english for communication, for to talk about me and my reality, for to understand other people, english is one language mine too and doesn’t just the oppressor’s language.
If english can be opportunities, knowledge, a kind of power, people doesn’t have the opportunity for to learn english are excluded, it’s can be a problem. In this way, when one person don’t know, english can be a kind of oppression for this person, cause opportunities, knowledge and power can be denied for this person.
The English becomes one of the most important tools, both academic and professional. It is now recognized as the most important language to be acquired in the current international community. The English eventually became the medium par excellence of both the scientific world as the world of business, well the tourism in general.
ResponderExcluirHowever, I disagree that English is oppressive, because who resolve to learn it is a personal choice. Due it has taken its importance in the international scenery, we should use it as a weapon to resolve the major global issues such as violence, poverty and oppression of the major economic centers.
The decision is personal, and should be done free form, without thinking that has to learn anyway. This can disrupt the learning.
Many people think that English is an oppressor language, but in my opinion English is oppressor language only when is impose to the people learn to impart of the society, not when the people look for the English as an investment in education.
ResponderExcluirEnglish is the language of globalization and all things are written in English (the internet, articles, books…) and the English is the language of the business. For it the people have to take the lead to learn English, not because English is the oppressor language, but because is important for communication and for understand the world, so the people can take their opinion, have more opportunity to have a good job, to know others cultures and to teach things about their culture for another people integrating the society.
We say "english is an oppressor language", but this concept is relative. All this depends of our parameters. For us english could be oppressor and we are leaving our culture when we learn english, but for our jungle natives think just same way when talk about portuguese. If learn english is unavoidable, we can learn it without leaving out culture, adapting it in our culture in another words: Make our english
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ResponderExcluirI think the english language is not oppressor language. I think there is oppressor the american culture. when the people think in english next they think in USA, because USA is most important country of the world and in USA english is a fist language, and how they people think USA is a bad county, they have a resist a american culture.
ResponderExcluirI think the english is very important, because english is a language most speak in the world, so, globalization and business depend the english. I think who speak english will have many chances in their lifes in future, because english is a global language.
Globalization is a process of global interaction between countries and the role of the English language as universal language is to facilitate the paying between the people of diferent countries.
ResponderExcluirWe must have awareness to study english just with order for to be fluent! To avoid idolize the english language! We must have to value we language!
The people is free for to choose speak english or not, but speak english nowadays is necessary!
Ok, people! Thanks for your comments!
ResponderExcluirI think that a language to be oppression or not, depends on a series of factors as: the place, the person or people, the form that this language was presented (obliged or not). Therefore in accordance with the necessity it can becomes freedom reason, resistance or of fight.
ResponderExcluirNowadays with the globalization, the use of the English language is a great tool where the people, can reveal yours ideas, thoughts, make new friendship and also a form to keep alive yours origins and culture.
André Marques Salgado (English V)
In my point of view, Bell Hooks is implying that she defends the idea to lie heavily upon a language because learning a new language is very important on our modern world because it could offer you the same amount of opportunities that others who are able to speak many different languages are receiving and that also by learning to speak english, you are able to communicate and express your ideas and opinions and not be so held back with your communicaton skills.
ResponderExcluirFurthermore, we have discussed in class that the english language could be used for oppression and also to define their own territory because it adds to the culture of the country, for an example: a brazilian boy moving to USA, because he will not only have to adjust with the american culture but he will also be forced to speak their native language which in this case is english.
Frederico Monferrari
Today, the most powerfull country in the world is the United States of America. This can be related with the expansion of the English to all the world.
ResponderExcluirWith this fact, the people need learn and understand another language: English. And when they learn English, they have the influence of the USA in their lifes.
And this cause a opression in some countries, who have your people connected with another culture, losing the native culture.
But i think the english is essencial in modern world. All the jobs want people who know speak and understand english. And because of that everyone who wants to be a great professional, learn english.
Diego Garcia
I think that the english languge is a world fenomenbecause it have influence in all world and it take the globalization and the tecnology to many countries, but it take the opression too. It divide the people in the include people and the exclude people.
ResponderExcluirThis situation hapness because the USA and the England have a financial power that the impose all their "way of life", their alimentation, their literature,their language. The other countries are very feebles, because they only accept this situation, they don´t resist or they don´t valorize their culture. The people of this countries think that the other cultures are better than their cultures.
I dont know much about it! But i think that a language is a world when you learn a foreing language a new world comes up your face ! I dont think that USA or UK uses the language for opressing people! ITs just a way to buy the most important thing, "the owm person"!! And do everything with it!
ResponderExcluirunfortunatelly, been the United States the most influential country in the world because of its econommical and cultural power, the relation between languages of all the world became a superiority relation to the english. So, the idea of the opressors language, whitch you have to speak to be linked to the current globalised world is true in part.
ResponderExcluirBut, people shouldn't see the english like a complete linking with only the United States or UK, actually, it's a language that allows to communicate with almost all countries in the world, it's a global and usefull language!
The problem is that the necessity of knowing how to speak english become a kind of exclusion to the part of the population whitch can't speak english, so, have more difficulty to get good jobs because of the big competition that there is in Brazil.
So, the English language cam mean freedom becaus knowing it is not to be condemn to follow the cultural aspects of other countries, but to show to the world who are us and whitch are our values and the intersts of our nation.
I think the English language has been oppressive, and still is. Today who have not mastered the English language is excluded, especially in academic area. You are required to read and understand articles and journals written in English, because they are the best. It is a universal language but the person is not free to decide whether or not learning, it is required!
ResponderExcluirI don't like to separate "opressive things" from "freedom things", or "bad things" and "good things". I think the point is in what we do with our possibilities, our discoveries, our progress and if we are doing this together, cooperatively, respecting each other. Today we have some new paradigms in our society consequences of the speed of globalization and we have the chance to think this together. So if something appear to disrupt this, it is the bad side.
ResponderExcluirThe idea of the 'oppressor’s language' reflet Sapir's thesis on language and culture. Oppression and Freedom are constructed through the use of language. Thus, in large measure, the overwhelming view of language is very relative and depends on many variables. And, I believe that it is very important not only to know a new language but to be open to new experience with other cultures because sharing with other cultures help’s in understand our own, and also help us in understanding others people background, and why do they act as they do.
ResponderExcluirSinval Martins S. Filho
in the past, language was a form of oppression, for example, when the Spanish forced American Indians to speak using the Spanish was a way of show their power and when a village talk in Spanish this was the evidence that these Indians were civilized.Maybe today when the people consider the English the language of oppression they have the same idea that had in the past, the idea that to teach the way you talk to others is a way to prove that his power is greater than the other, or they see with a form of domination.But,nowadays I desagree that the English language is oppressive because it is necessary, because we live in a world which always talks about globalization, that is, when it comes to networked world in which a French talk about business with a Japanese, and this makes it necessary to the existence of a language that everyone understands,-why the english was be choose for this is another story-, maybe if the Portuguese the dominant language it will also be considered oppressive?
ResponderExcluirWithout communication it does not have globalization. The languages favor the relationship between the people and are necessary to establish links. At the same time the communication also demands an instrument to transmit the language, either by means of the radio, television or Internet. Two barriers, therefore, limit the communication: a common language, that the understanding allows, and an instrument that the communication allows and facilitates. The difference of languages is thus an obstacle for the communication and, indirectly, the globalization. Therefore a universal language allows the integration. It is the paper that the English is playing in the modern world.
ResponderExcluirWith regard to the fact of the English language to be a oppressor’s language, we must lead in consideration that the language is the instrument through which the individual if uses to reach the domination through the imposition, a time that the colonize, ahead of a group that longs for to colonize, brusquely imposes its language and its culture, as it happened at the time in Brazil of the settling. Therefore I believe that when the English language is used to limit, to impose and to colonize it is a oppressor’s language. It fits to the colonized ones to learn the language and from this moment, it can be moved, transformed and then it leaves of being the language of the oppressor and starts to be a space for cultural production with different ways to think and to know.
The english language for me, is not a opressor's language, not today.
ResponderExcluirIs need to known like this language represent in the live of someboy
In centuris ago the english like the portuguese act like a oppressor's language representing the power of settlers on the indians both in Brasil and the USA. This happened also in many others countreis in the world
Today the english language represent the language of business, politics, computers and the internet. Nothing of this is opressor, is in true liberator and integration
I don't knows if this keep for the next decades or centuries, is possible that like others languages the english can be surpassed by another anguage, perhapos the chinese language of the China the country that many people think is the next super power
by Douglas