Language is not the only means of communication. It is also a tool of power. We generally do not aware of the power of language. Do you want to know how language conveys power? In this article, I am going to explore using Bourdieu's theory.
Bourdieu argues that language is not a neutral tool. It is also a power used by ruling classes to impose their own vision and maintain their dominant position. He argues that agents in society possess power in proportion to the recognition they receive from a group. Language is a means of confirming this power through the use of expressive styles that are associated with different social groups.
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| The power of language lies in symbolic capital. |
The power of language can be seen as a means of demonstrating wealth, authority, and the ability to impose one's own ideas as plausible, truthful, and acceptable to others.
Those who hold more power and symbolic capital within society have more ability to shape and control the dominant language and linguistic styles, thereby reinforcing their own power and dominance. In this way, language becomes a means of reproducing and maintaining social and economic inequality. This is the power of language.
According to Bourdieu, the ruling classes are always in an advantageous position in comparison to subordinate classes, as they hold more power and symbolic capital within society. This allows them to appropriate and control the dominant language and linguistic styles, which are already established and marked by their position in a hierarchy of styles.
The more capital, the more power. Language is also one of the cultural capital. As the dominant group has linguistic capital, they can have more power. The power of language can be analyzed this way in the social sphere.
By appropriating and controlling the dominant language and linguistic styles, the ruling classes can also shape and influence the way that subordinate classes think and understand the world.
The dominant language and linguistic styles become the norm, and those who do not conform to these norms may be marginalized and stigmatized. This can also impact the ability of subordinate classes to express themselves and have their own ideas and perspectives heard, as they may need access to the same linguistic resources and styles as the ruling classes.