Language and authenticity

Journal/Book: J Theor Soc Behav. 1997; 27: 108 Cowley Rd, Oxford, Oxon, England OX4 1JF. Blackwell Publ Ltd. 265.

Abstract: It is argued that the analysis of language should play a central role in the study of social psychological phenomenon. For example, there is evidence that habitual inauthenticity in the use oflanguage which was practised in the Eastern and Central European totalitarian systems was partly related to the breakdown of moral principles and to the loss of identity. Using two sentences, 'Proletarians of the whole world - unite' and 'The Bororo are arara', it is shown that they can carry content which goes beyond their semantic meanings. In the given examples, the former sentence is analysed in terms of an ideology and the latter in terms of a social representation. It is pointed out that subjectivation, which is a pervasive feature of modern individualism, just as totalitarianism, represents a threat to autheniticity in language.

Note: Article Markova I, Univ Stirling, Dept Psychol, Stirling FK9 4LA, SCOTLAND

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