Language+of+Prejudice+Workspace+2nd+Period

Hayley Harroun Mrs. Walker AP Language and Composition 2/10/08 Précis of //The Language of Prejudice// Words create categories, without words we would scarcely be able to distinguish between one another. The human race consists of billions of separate entities that in order to identify, we form categories or clusters. The use of nouns creates a cluster by identifying one specific characteristic to represent a large group. In doing so, one characteristic becomes prominent and all other attributes are ignored. Certain classifications can be so strong that they do not allow a group to be represented in any other way. These kinds of classifications are: “labels of primary potency.” A label given to a person only represents a small part of what makes a person unique. It magnifies one attribute and masks all others. No classification can cover a person as a whole, except for their proper name, yet a proper name can lead to stereotypes because of the name’s ethnic background. If labels are changed from nouns to adjectives the strength weakens because it emphasizes the fact the labeled person is a part of a second classification. In order to weaken ethnic and religious groups, it is better to use adjectives instead of nouns. Each label consists of two types of labels: less emotional and strong emotional. This is often found in ethnic labels. Categories that are labeled with a symbol tend to attract more attributes that are probable or false along with the attribute itself. When a stronger label is used the speaker not only intends to group but humiliate. Oftentimes even the politically correct version of minority groups tends to appear negative because they categorize the uncommon. These labels can be unknowingly offending the person who the label represents. As long as the “enemy” is not clearly defined by a label, there cannot be an enemy. Blame is often put on the pronoun “they” because a label for the specific enemy has not been clearly defined. It was not until the late 1940’s that the term Communist was clearly defined. Before then, the hysteria that had spread across the country was not clearly defined as a common enemy. The need for an enemy was more important than the actual enemies identity. The development of a common label caused blame to be pointed to anyone that the label was associated with, despite the fact that a Communist should have defining characteristics. Prejudice occurs when the traits of the term becomes inaccurate, similar to a Communist being defined as those who seek reform. When this happens there are only right and wrong, anything that is considered Communism is always wrong. During times of social unsettling, the use of a label such as communist can be through out of proportion and taken into the hands of a demagogue like that of McCarthy. Social unrest often makes it difficult to resist using a label to create a prejudicial mindset. People tend to dispute unsavory labels and seek reputable ones. Symbols that can summon such strong emotions often cannot be regarded as symbols anymore but as concrete objects.