What is language?

[erudito]

I recently linked to an exchange between Stephen Pinker and George Lakoff about the nature of language, thought and the use of metaphors and framings in politics.

As I noted in comments, I don’t have much interest in Lakoff’s application of linguistics to politics, since his notion of “reframing” is just the latest incarnation of the concept of

Comments

Re: False Consciouness

[erudito]

Basically no. I understand how people who make a living with words, particularly a living studying words, think words are terribly-terribly-important but both content and message matter.

If the Dems have been going over their policies with a fine tooth comb, they're not doing a very good job at saying what they are. Which suggests a lack of confidence in their inherent saleability. Which is both a content and message point.

My point is not that Dems have to become Republicans. My point is that one has to pay attention to whether, giving your general approach, you are actually dealing--in both policies and rhetoric--in a plausible way, with the concern folk actually have. And, if you are losing elections regularly, take that as strong evidence you are not and apply attention to dealing with those concerns and with developing language which effectively expresses how you are dealing with those concerns.

Changing the rhetoric without changing the content has obvious plausibility problems. Keating didn't lose because simply because of some rhetoric gap, there were much more substantive matters that grabbed people's attention.