Magic of Language in the Starbucks - Essay Example

Magic of Language in the Starbucks This paper focuses on the dominance of the Starbucks in the New York City community. Further research conducted uncovered a linguistic repertoire associated with relations in Starbucks. Since Starbucks provides numerous beverages, the product delivery resulted in the creation of a lingo which tends to have resulted in a culture. First, the paper introduces Starbucks with the globalization aspect. Also, the essay discusses the dominance of the Starbucks in the New York City. Following intensive marketing strategies employed by the company, the Starbucks has more than fifteen thousand outlets spread across the town. The Starbucks represents a cultural icon that attributes its success to the globalization trends and capitalism of the corporate world. Studies done in the past at suggest that the globalization seem to have resulted in heterogeneity of cultures. Starbucks, along with fashion, mass media and other global brands keep shaping daily cultural life due to the effects of globalization. The iconic cultural status quo of the Starbucks manifests through its modern décor, expressive and bold latte lingo and its corporate ambiance. Global structures of the mutual divergence organize and uphold cultural diversity along particular scopes. Such diversity that Starbucks emanates corresponds to the prototypical qualities of middle level outlets. Such middle level outlets such as the taverns, coffee shops and pubs exist in the middle of two spheres. These spheres include the work scenario mainly characterized with seriousness and formality and the domestic sphere that tends to elicit intimacy and privacy. These outlets tend to be best suitable for casual and informal conversations between friends and other association within the society. However, Starbucks provides the entire middle-level ambience with a touch of the global aspect. Starbucks offers hundreds of conceivable drink blends. One can get any drink from a plain black coffee to a more specialized and custom-made beverages, for instance, a hot grande decaf mocha latte with foam to go. Starbucks believes that its consumers need to take what they want. Despite being a global brand, the formal language in all the Starbucks outlets is English. Above the sugars, cinnamon shakers and milk, brochures written in English elaborate on social responsibilities done. A drink at the Starbucks sends various notions in the consumers and the community at large. Owing to the prices of beverages provide, more individuals tend to believe that consumption supersedes the necessity of making savings. Individuals also tend to absorb the American value of individualism by being a regular at the Starbucks. In other countries, global products and culture such as the one promoted by Starbucks are considered a major resource. Consumption of such products represents a particular notion of fashion statement. Consumers of these products also acquire a global identity. Every beverage has a particular meaning associated with it. For instance, a mocha latte would mean that the individual endorses the American culture. Ethnography of language in the Starbucks Standardization of language use results in both social and functional implications. This study considers the New York Community, which hosts many ethnic languages. These ethnic sections hold the language ethos stipulated in methods of business and have resulted in the commodification of language in order to ensure branding and efficiency within the coffee business. In this study, a qualitative means of conducting interviews aims to shed more light on the lingo. The interactions between the employees of Starbucks and the customers gradually contributed to the commodification of lingo. The resulting identity created helps to create understanding and efficiency of product delivery. Research Very limited research information pertaining to the Starbucks lingo exists. In the theory and concepts of sociolinguistics, research on commodification of societal associations in addition to that done on the interaction between the employee and the customers of Starbucks and the likelihood of conflict. This study focuses on language, the impenetrable icon of identity and is an item of adoption. Language manifests identity of social class, ethnicity, gender and sex and many more identities. Particularly to the study, correlation between linguistic knowledge and societal knowledge jointly create an identity within interactions of a society. Distinctive to the essay, linguistic knowledge one can note that the language is particularly a major element in marking an identity. It is a fundamental ingredient to identification in the out-group and in-group within social interaction. The Starbucks lingo clearly forms a product of identity building and within the corporate service dealings. As stated above, language greatly builds up the core of this paper as an icon of identity. Through language, individuals could present their ideologies to the world. While the Starbucks lingo delivers efficiency in the commercial facet, it also creates an icon of the global Starbucks brand. Data Data was collected through participatory observation and conducting interviews on the Starbucks’ employees. These approaches aim at identifying the elements of dialect captured in the Starbucks lingo. This goes further into analyzing the lingo and processes of manufacturing the lingo which generates particular identity. Finally, a comparison of this lingo with its actual practice will be addressed. The data was collected for two weeks starting from 6th October 2014. Ethnography of such a lingo as that of Starbucks applied in the study focused mainly on its practical use. The standard Starbucks lingo as used on the websites or other materials used within the company mainly captures the formal aspect. The fascinating point of view of the practice of Starbucks lingo derives the idiosyncrasies in practice as well as the illuminated conflictive characteristic of ethos of commodification of the semantic. In the process of collecting data, it became clear that the lingo would only be more practical for efficiency in product and service delivery. Baristas take the orders from their customers and use the lingo for decoding the order at the reception. On the other side, barista welcomes the customers and takes orders or the espresso bar (where the Starbucks beverages are made). The system presents syntaxes and abbreviations of the linguistic order in a written form. The cup also bears a list of items that allow for checking and marking the specifications of the cup. To begin, a box for decafs includes a binary package which would mean decaf if marked. Shots are used for orders that deviate from the standard while as the syrups, beverages with additional flavors, have a key to indicate the flavor added. As to the standards of the New Yorkers, Starbucks uses 2% of milk in its beverages unless stated otherwise by the customer. A customs box holds additional alterations for the drink. Analysis Over the duration of its existence, Starbucks has been taking initiatives to create a profile that goes beyond its logos. Starbucks lingo is the most distinguishable features of its operations and is always applied amidst controversy. Training and implementation of the lingo takes place systematically, and this contributes to increased productivity anonymously. As mentioned, the employees within the Starbucks are linguistically referred to as partners or baristas. The Starbucks system holds firmly on the representation of the lingo as well as the lack of conventionalization in its operations. On the contrary, it delivers high quality of service and catering as well as product modification and design. The creation Starbucks lingo derives from the individuality of its customers. The rigid lingo system ensures efficient delivery of beverages in a unique manner since coffee shops have always existed since time immemorial. In its menu, Starbucks incorporates Italian, Spanish, English and French terms into its jargons. Both the coffee lingo and history of coffee are incorporated systematically into the Starbucks lingo to create iconicity and uniqueness. By inviting all these cultures into its beverages, Starbucks tends to employ cultural tourism. For instance, the Frappuccino derives from ‘frappe’, a French word which means iced beverage. The suffix ‘–ccino’, Spanish term accounts for the foamy latte of a cappuccino. Conclusion The uniqueness created through language seems to have a breakthrough for Starbucks. This would be so owing to the concept that coffee shops have always existed before. For New Yorkers, the lingo associated with Starbucks infiltrates into the societal interactions. For this reason, New Yorkers would rather buy coffee at the Starbucks rather than make coffee at home. Works Cited Bucholtz, Mary, and Kira Hall. Identity and Interaction: A Sociocultural Linguistic Approach. Discourse Studies, 2005, Print. Eckert, Penelope. Jocks and Burnouts: Social Categories and Identity in the High School. New York: Teachers College Press, 1989, press. Gaudio, Richard P. Coffeetalk: Starbucks and the Commercialization of Casual Conversation. Language in Society. Cambridge University Press, 2003, Print. Giles, H. and Powesland, P.F. Speech Style and Social Evaluation. London: Academic Press, 1975, Press. Heller, Steven. A Makeover for the Starbucks Mermaid. New York Times: Web. 25 May 2011. Manning, Paul. 2008. Barista Rants about Stupid Customers at Starbucks: What Imaginary Conversations Can Teach Us About Real Ones. Language and Communication, 2008, Print. Read More