Control a People's Language - Essay Example

Control a people’s language “If you can control a people’s language you control the people.” Comment on this ment. IntroductionLanguage refers to the tool that people use to express their ideas, feelings, and thoughts. This means that people using the language share a common understanding of the signs and words used in the language, which aids in understanding what other people communicate. Consequently, being in control of the language used by people means that one gets the potential to influence how the people express their ideas, feelings, and thoughts.

Such influence leads to the control of such people as discussed in the following essay.Language and control of peopleWhen children are born, they do not start using the verbal language immediately. Instead, they start by using sign language to communicate with their significant others. They learn such signs from the people who take care of them, thus highlighting their dependence on such individuals. Consequently, the caregivers of such children have the capacity to control the children as they take charge of their language.

A look at the deaf community also highlights this important aspect. When children are born deaf, their caregivers take up the role of using signs that the young ones can use as their language of communication. Therefore, the caregivers control the deaf children as they teach them a unique and informal language unknown to other people. This creates a form of control since other people outside the circle of the caregivers may not understand the language.At the national and international levels, the people in charge of formulating such languages as the American Sign Language also control the communities that use the sign language.

This is because the people invent signs that apply on a national level. Consequently, the deaf community, for instance, is compelled to use the language for them to contribute to nation building. The most conversant people in this language also possess the ability to advocate for the rights of such people. They can do this by raising awareness of the challenges faced by such people, thus promoting their voice in the nation. Such actions lead to greater recognition of the deaf communities, and may stop them from being classified as minorities (Jaspers, Verschueren & Ostman, 2010). P. 187.

On the other hand, the people who possess such skills, as well as the ability to advocate for the rights of the deaf can choose to keep silent, thus hindering the ability of the deaf to get equitable opportunities. This explains that being in control of a people’s language leads to their control as the people get to decide what is to be done, and what should not be done.ConclusionIn conclusion, being in control of a people’s language determines the progress of the people under control. Determining how the language is used, and what different signs and symbols mean give one the ability to shape the thoughts of the people involved, leading to their control.

More to this, when the people involved have a certain inability, such as being deaf, the people in control of their language possess the capacity to determine whether they get their rights, or they get denied the rights.ReferencesJaspers, J., Verschueren, J. & Ostman, J. (2010). Society and Language use. Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamins publishing.