In my final
paper, I primarily apply the Sapir- Whorf
Hypothesis, Stuart Hall - Encoding and Decoding model, along with terms
from chapter nine, Mediated Culture(s) and relate them to Aboriginal languages
in addition to how First Nations view themselves and how society views
them. My thesis statement asserts that
the legislative protection of Aboriginal languages will benefit all Canadians;
for First Nations it will foster self-confidence and a sense of pride improving
overall health. For non-aboriginals it will enrich the country by providing a
more balanced perspective of history told from First Nations about their
contributions.
Canada was founded on relations between First
Nations and Europeans. At first, non verbal communication was crucial in the
Fur Trade and Treaty process, respect was shown through kinesics - gestures,
movements, and facial expressions (Warren, Fassett, 2011: 113). Learning each others language's was also a sign of respect and commitment to positive
relations, and bridged the gap of misunderstandings. Today, First Nations
people are struggling to recover their languages.
The Sapir
-Whorf Hypothesis (Warren,
Fassett, 2011: 91-94) states that language influences the way that we see the world. Because
Sapir and Whorf studied languages across the world, they were able to determine
that language had a significant role in shaping people's understanding of their
experiences. In the textbook there is an example about 'illegal aliens'; the language suggests that
they are not like us and should be punished. When I talk to people where ever I
might be about university and goals, I am encouraged to pursue them based the
term 'free education' supported by the 'taxpayers' which creates a general idea
that I have unlimited access to education and programs at the 'taxpayer's'
expense. The word 'free' and 'taxpayer'
create a sense of ownership to the general public that they are paying for Aboriginal
education which is free to Aboriginals, but not to them. This attitude breeds
discrimination and hate, but this paper is not to counter that argument.
Together, Sapir-Whorf hypothesized that our language shapes our
reality. This is the central claim of the their hypothesis. In the example of
the conflict over the term 'gay marriage' as used by Audrey, as opposed to the
'marriage equality' term used by Denny, Audrey's vocabulary is shaped by the
texts she has encountered, media she has consumed and interactions she had had.
Denny's reality is more complex shaped by his experiences - many which are
negative. This is why he uses the term 'marriage equality' as opposed to 'gay
marriage'. Audrey is unknowingly using
offensive language when trying to communicate to Denny, much like people I
communicate with about education, use terms offensive to me. Toni Morrison states
that: Oppressive language does more than represent violence, it is violence and
further help readers to understand what the Sapir- Whorf hypothesis means.
Language is a
source of building self-esteem. English is a ‘white’ language, and it builds
the self-esteem of white people part of that cultural location - in other
words, they are of a privileged culture (Warren, Fassett, 2011: 8).
In the book by Terrance Nelson, Okiijida, The Warrior Society (1997), the importance of language is explained. "There is an invisible enemy in your
mind, an invisible enemy who teaches you to hate yourself because you speak the
English language. If you speak English you have a racist mind that is racist
against yourself. Let me prove this by taking the following color association
test. Thinking in only colors of white, red, and black, associate one of those
colors to the following words: purity, God, Devil, evil, Jesus, knight, hate,
rapist, angel, sin, love, good, wedding, menace, heaven, funeral, depression,
hell, death, despair. For most people, the negative words will be paired with
either black or red. The positive with white. This is because English is a
white man's language and all languages promote a positive self image for the
people who originated the language. When you lose your language and are forced
to use English you are losing a big source of positive self image. History is
written by the winners, or in Canada's case, the colonizers.
First
Nations contributions are distorted; for history to be balanced it must include
a First Nations perspective; the problem is that a lot get lost in
interpretation. If protection
for Aboriginal languages is not taken and recognized, then Canadians cannot
consider other perspectives and we miss the big picture - this is defined as social
construction. The terms determinism
- our language tells us what to think, and linguistic relatism - people who
speak different languages will see the world differently, support this claim (Warren, Fassett, 2011).
The Vietnamese have a word to show respect for your elders In their language - Lao. It is arguable they respect their elders more than other societies because
they have a word for it. Even in the English language, Professors, doctors, lawyers all have a highly detailed vocabulary. In a very multicultural society with large
gaps in socioeconomic conditions, miscommunications can happen because a difference of perception. People may
live in different parts of town, come from an overseas country and decode
messages differently.
According to the Stuart Hall's Encoding and Decoding
model, the producer (encoder) framed (or encoded) meaning in a certain way,
while the reader (decoder) decodes it differently according to his/her personal
background, the various different social situations and frames of
interpretation. Hall suggests a four stage theory of communication: production,
circulation, use, and reproduction. This means that the coding of a message
does control its reception and each stage has its own determining limits and
responsibilities. Therefore messages can
be decoded from three perspective's, the dominant, the negotiated, and
oppositional. The different reading is defined as polysemy - multiple readings
from the same text.
The dominant perspective serves the powerful
larger society; negotiated is one that enables us to endure in a diverse
socio-economic society, or oppositionally - the disbelieving perspective that
provides political opposition. From the video we watched in class about the car
ad when an older white male who was a prominent American figure was suggesting
that I should buy this car, because it is built with the same values that
America was built on, like hard work, I decoded the commercial oppositionally
because from my standpoint, being a educated First Nations man, I know America
was largely built on slavery and genocide.
Standpoint theory contends that we stand in
relation to one another within systems
of power -that is, we are people who occupy relationships to each other and
that those relationships are mediated by social, political, and economic power
(Warren, Fassett, 2011: 203). There is a link between the Stuart Hall - Encoding and Decoding
model and textbook in chapter four. Harper is a
girl who graduates from college and applies for different job positions.
From her standpoint, as a black educated women, she draws from discourse, and
decodes and questions whether she is going to get her her job based on her race
or qualifications.
How I relate the Hall - encoding, decoding
model to Aboriginal languages is that culture has a linguistic component and
language has a connection to the land. This connection is suppressed when a
race of people adopt a new language just like the Indigenous peoples of North
America did. Today, when elders who speak their language (encoders) and send a
message to the youth (decoders), they draw from discourse that has to be
interpreted to English because the vast majority of youth do not speak their
Indigenous language. Discourse is the common sensibilities we draw on to encode
and decode messages, just like I had a oppositional view to Chrysler ad. The
English language lacks the spiritual connection to this land that Indigenous
languages carry.
In the chapter nine, Mediated Cultures (Warren,
Fassett, 2011: 164-181), I immediately thought of what many elders say is a big
factor in the loss of culture and language - television. Elders today however,
say that we should be using the same technology to save the language whether it is Facebook, YouTube,
television, radio, phone apps, recorders, computer programs. This is described
as co-constitution relationship. The double effect of co-constitution means
that we use and create media as media use and create us. The problem is that we
live alongside a dominant society who's culture is arguably an
European-American pop culture that does not look favorable upon First Nations
people. This is due largely to consuming mediated messages.
In Winnipeg, First Nation peoples social ills
are splashed in photo's and headlines of the local newspaper. These negative
images and headlines are predominantly written by writers in a condescending
manner and frame First Nations as a burden to society. Media affects us by
leaving unexamined issues of power, privilege and social inequality. This shapes ourselves to conform to someone
else's expectation of us. We have to train our eyes and ears to perceive the
messages embedded in media texts. Messages sent out in media are purposeful,
powerful, and certainly affect reality. Stuart Hall discusses that a
representation, is the re-presentation of something that is already present - a
replica of something that already occurred. It is critically important for First
Nation peoples not to believe the distorted version they read or view in the
news because this will affect their understanding of what is, what they
believe, and what could be. Media is reinforcing hegemony- granting the group
with more power and privilege the ability to shape our worldviews, attitudes,
and actions (Warren, Fassett, 2011:200).
If action is
not taken by First Nations themselves to save languages, ultimately, the fault
will be their own for completing the process of cultural genocide; First
Nations will have both willingly, and unwillingly embraced hegemony- assimilation
by allowing domination by consent. This
generation is at a critical/cultural turn in communication research that
involves incorporating culture and working for social justice to save their languages along with their history
- speakers are aging. Communication
produces meaning, relationships, and ourselves. Communication sustains all aspects
of our lives and helps create us, and what we think as our realities; this is
defined as communication as constitutive. When a person speaks their language
of their origin, it connects them to history, builds self esteem, and fosters
healthy identity. Identity is the answer
to the question, who am I? With the added recognition that the who is always
emerging from the cultures to which we belong (Warren, Fassett, 2011: 199-200). Language
and culture are indivisible as language holds and allows for the expression of
culture.
I am a the first generation that does not
speak my language fluent. I feel a sense of resentment and disconnection. I am
not alone and I personally believe that this contributes to the many social
ills First Nations are facing, losing a language is losing your identity. What
I advocate for is twofold- First Nation
community commitment and action ; and state financial support and a legislative
and institutional framework; including official recognition of Indigenous
languages (The Human Rights Commission, 2012). The onus is on me to watch YouTube
videos in Ojibway, and find other media outlets to rebuild my capacity and
share it with my son. Otherwise, I fear he will interpret reality and history
just like the Disney movie Pocahontas. This
simulacra is a facade that replaces the real to such an extent that the real
ceases to be (Warren, Fassett,
2011: 199-203).
References
1. The Human Rights Commission, New Zealand.
Available at: http://www.hrc.co.nz/human-rights- environment/about-the-human-rights- commission/contact-the-commission
2. Nelson, Terrance. The Warrior Society, 1997. Print.
3. Stuart Hall- Encoding Decoding Model.
4. Warren, John T., and
Deanna L. Fassett. Communication: a critical/cultural introduction.
Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 2011. Print.
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