The Politics of Linguistics
I had to write a paper last term on Terrorism, and the one thing that really really pissed me off about the essay was the amount of bullshit i had to wade through from linguists who had something to say about political issues. Key figures in this – Richard Jackson and Noam Chomsky. I really cannot stand either of them. I agree with the odd view Richard Jackson has, and recognise that both are incredibly smart gentlemen. However, Both are obsessed with their political ideas, and are convinced that they are right. They then proceed to make linguistic arguments which, whilst dazzling and impressive, are (in my eyes at least) no more impressive or convincing than a circus trick where someone saws a man in half, or makes a woman dissappear from a box.
Richard Jackson is a particularly bad one for this, since he tends to define everything on his own terms, and does so in such a way as to never be wrong. Similarly, Noam Chomsky’s seeming hatred of everything the united states does is matched only by the clever tricks he makes words do. I find it very difficult to read more than a few paragraphs either have written without getting annoyed at the way in which they make words jump through hoops. On top of this, their emphasis on linguistics makes it impossible to argue against them from a purely political point of view – one must have a knowledge and understanding of linguistics. This made the fact that i had to argue against them in my essay even more annoying – If i’d wanted to argue about semantics, i would’ve taken up English at degree level, rather than the politics and strategic studies degree i’m currently studying.
Anyway. No word on how well i did on that course yet. The little i did read of Chomsky and Jackson just annoyed me so much i had to get it off my chest. That i’m still miffed this long after i wrote the essay should indicate just how fucking annoying i find linguistics arguments in political debate.
Noam, We get it, You don’t like the US Government
Richard, We get it, You don’t like the Israeli Regime
Get over yourselves already!
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