This volume brings together Pierre Bourdieu's highly original writings on language and on the relations among language, power, and politics. Bourdieu develops a forceful critique of traditional approaches to language, including the linguistic theories of Saussure and Chomsky and the theory of speech-acts elaborated by Austin and others. He argues that language should be viewed not only as a means of communication but also as a medium of power through which individuals pursue their own interests and display their practical competence. Drawing on the concepts that are part of his distinctive theoretical approach, Bourdieu maintains that linguistic utterances or expressions can be understood as the product of the relation between a "linguistic market" and a "linguistic habitus." When individuals use language in particular ways, they deploy their accumulated linguistic resources and implicitly adapt their words to the demands of the social field or market that is their audience. Hence every linguistic interaction, however personal or insignificant it may seem, bears the traces of the social structure that it both expresses and helps to reproduce. Bourdieu's account sheds fresh light on the ways in which linguistic usage varies according to considerations such as class and gender. It also opens up a new approach to the ways in which language is used in the domain of politics. For politics is, among other things, the arena in which words are deeds and the symbolic character of power is at stake. This volume, by one of the leading social thinkers in the world today, represents a major contribution to the study of language and power. It will be of interest to students throughout the social sciences and humanities, especially in sociology, politics, anthropology, linguistics, and literature.
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Language and Symbolic Power
This volume brings together Pierre Bourdieu's highly original writings on language and on the relations among language, power, and politics. Bourdieu develops a forceful critique of traditional approaches to language, including the linguistic theories of Saussure and Chomsky and the theory of speech-acts elaborated by Austin and others. He argues that language should be viewed not only as a means of communication but also as a medium of power through which individuals pursue their own interests and display their practical competence. Drawing on the concepts that are part of his distinctive theoretical approach, Bourdieu maintains that linguistic utterances or expressions can be understood as the product of the relation between a "linguistic market" and a "linguistic habitus." When individuals use language in particular ways, they deploy their accumulated linguistic resources and implicitly adapt their words to the demands of the social field or market that is their audience. Hence every linguistic interaction, however personal or insignificant it may seem, bears the traces of the social structure that it both expresses and helps to reproduce. Bourdieu's account sheds fresh light on the ways in which linguistic usage varies according to considerations such as class and gender. It also opens up a new approach to the ways in which language is used in the domain of politics. For politics is, among other things, the arena in which words are deeds and the symbolic character of power is at stake. This volume, by one of the leading social thinkers in the world today, represents a major contribution to the study of language and power. It will be of interest to students throughout the social sciences and humanities, especially in sociology, politics, anthropology, linguistics, and literature.
Popular Reviews(1)
Reviewed by Ellie Donna TuschI obviously love Bourdieu and how he illustrates the power of language. Bourdieu shows how language is not neutral (p. 40) and how „ideal language is a construct“ (p. 5). I recommend to read this work when familiar with Bourdieus theory of social fields and Habitus, otherwise you will have a hard time to understand this work! I enjoyed how Bourdieu illustrated the linguistic market and linguistic capital and shows how the distribution of linguistic capital is not equal (p. 56, p. 18.) The link between identity, authority and action and that the words which are spoken are never to be viewed isolated from the actions of a person are totally connecting (p. 75). We need to look at: who speaks to whom? I found joy in the connection Bourdieu made between the Bourgeoise and their power not only over the working class, but also over the bodies of those, which reality are created through the language of those, who have the authority to create the discourse (p. 83) What creates the power of words? A power which is capable to name the social order and the belief in legitimacy of words (Jaeger would call this Sagbarkeitsfeld). Words alone cannot create this belief. (P. 170). But people can! I could summarise the whole book because I really enjoyed it. If you want to read my handwritten notes, please follow this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lmml8UKaFCAInI72gsn0uuw3Ss4iB6If/view?usp=drivesdk We <3 Bourdieu