Status
the social position or rank that an individual holds within a particular society or group
Role
a set of behaviors, expectations, and responsibilities tied to a position in a society or group, dictates how people should behave according to their social status.
Social Interaction
the way people communicate and connect with each other, involves exchanging information, ideas, and emotions through verbal and non-verbal means like gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
Social Control
refers to the various mechanisms and processes used by societies to regulate and influence the behavior of individuals and group
Self
an individual's sense of personal identity, including their thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and experiences. It encompasses one's unique characteristics, values, and perceptions of oneself.
Impression management
the process of controlling or influencing the perceptions others have of oneself or a particular situation, involves conscious or subconscious efforts to shape the way others perceive and evaluate us.
Person
a person is a social and cultural construct that refers to an individual who possesses self-awareness, agency, and the ability to interact with others within a specific cultural context.
Socialization
the process through which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, and behaviors of their society
Identity
refers to the characteristics, beliefs, values, and experiences that define an individual or a group
Sex
refers to the biological characteristics that distinguish males from females
Gender
Socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations that society assigns to individuals based on their perceived sex
Gender Stratification
The unequal distribution of power, resources, and opportunities based on gender. It refers to the social hierarchy that places men in positions of privilege and women in subordinate roles.
Division of Labor
The distribution of tasks and responsibilities among individuals in a group or organization to increase efficiency and productivity
Public/Private Dichotomy
The division between governmental and non-governmental entities in society, where public refers to government-related activities and private refers to non-governmental activities.
Gendered bodies
The way society assigns and perceives physical characteristics, behaviors, and roles based on an individual's sex.
Control of bodies
The ability to influence and direct the actions and movements of individuals or groups through various means of power and authority.
Purdah
Cultural practice in South Asia where women cover themselves and restrict their interactions with men outside their family to maintain modesty and honor.
Foot-binding
Chinese practice of binding young girls' feet to restrict growth and maintain small feet. Resulted in deformed feet and lifelong disabilities.
Female Genital Mutilation
Harmful practice involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, often causing severe physical and psychological consequences.
Communication
the exchange of information, ideas, and feelings using verbal and nonverbal method
Arbitrariness
The principle that states that language signs and meanings are not inherently connected, but rather established by convention or agreement within a community.
Displacement
The change in an object's position from its starting point to its final position, taking into account both distance and direction.
Productivity
The ability to efficiently manage time, resources, and tasks to achieve maximum output and results in a given period.
Human language
he primary mode of communication used by humans, involving the use of complex systems of sounds, words, and grammar to convey meaning and express thoughts, emotions, and ideas
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis; strong
suggests that language shapes our thoughts and perception of reality, proposes that language not only reflects our understanding of the world but also determines how we think and perceive it.
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis; weak
suggests that language influences our thoughts and perceptions, but does not determine them.
Classification
process of organizing or categorizing objects, organisms, or concepts based on shared characteristics or properties, allowing for easier identification and understanding
Metaphors
figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, highlighting their similarities
Speech community
group of people who share a common language, dialect, and communication norms within a specific geographic or social context
Sociolinguistics
study of how language and society interact, examining how language varies and changes across different social groups and contexts.
Dialect
form of language specific to a particular region or social group, characterized by unique vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
African-American English
dialect in the US with distinct grammar and vocabulary, influenced by West African languages and English.
Code-Switching
practice of altering language or communication style based on social context or audience, often used by bilingual individuals.
Gendered Speech
use of language that reinforces or perpetuates stereotypes and inequalities based on gender
Society
The shared beliefs, values, and behaviors of a group of people, it shapes social interactions, norms, and institutions within a community
Social relations
refer to the interactions and relationships among individuals or groups in a society. They involve communication, cooperation, and the establishment of social hierarchies.
Institution
place where people gather for education, research, or training. It provides formal instruction, facilities, and resources to support learning and development.
Structure
arrangement of elements within a system or entity helps establish relationships, hierarchy, and order, enhancing clarity and efficiency in various contexts like writing, architecture, and organizations.
Action
process of taking steps towards achieving a specific goal or outcome
Agency
capacity of individuals to act independently and make choices that shape their own lives and the social structures around them.
Explain how human language is not used just for communicating about the world, but for defining or constructing the world using an example from the Deutscher article, the ethnographies, or your own experience.
Human language shapes our perception and understanding of the world. The words we use can influence our thoughts and actions as well as others. From my own experience when I talk about social issues with my friends, the way I utilize human language can influence others perspectives and thoughts about these social issues.
Describe how parts of language, such as dialects, gendered speech, or African American English, function socially. Use the concepts of code switching and speech community in your response.
These parts of language play a vital role in our social interaction, they are markers of our identity and signal our belonging to a speech community. Code switching can be used to improve impressions and make a vital impression. It is used to navigate different social contexts and express the multiple aspects of one’s identity.
Margaret Thatcher famously (or infamously) declared “There is no such thing as society!” Do you agree or disagree? Support your argument with ethnographic examples or examples from your own experience. Include the concepts status, role and institution in your answer.
Society does exist, with status we have teachers, students and administration with their own status within the school institution. Roles for a student looks different as we are supposed to attend class and complete assignments.