Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Learner Resource 14 ‒ Binary OppositionsBinary means two things, aspects, features; often these are in opposition. Complete the following pairs:
black vs
male vs
gay/homosexual vs
vegetarian or vegan vs
right-handed vs
able-bodied vs
Most of us define ourselves by these labels. Which ones would you use? However, even with these classifications, you can see that there are values embedded that suggest one is more ‘normal’ or powerful than another. In media coverage, many ideologically loaded words carry judgmental value because the meaning of one word relies on its relationship with its cultural or ‘binary’ opposite.
hard-working vs lazy
tax payers vs tax dodgers
middle class vs working class
normal vs abnormal
government vs strikers
The idea of binary opposition is important as it offers us a fairly straightforward way of uncovering how subtle levels of power operate within a text. The interpretations that occur owing to binary oppositions happen sub-consciously because both the creator and the interpreter of the language are a part of a shared context or mind set.
As we discovered in our earlier activities in using the word ‘hero’, for example, it is quite easy to recognise that the interpretation of this word depends not on any value inherent in it but on its relationship with several opposing ideas and words, most especially of course the word ‘coward’ or ‘villain’. The word hero contains with it all sorts of cultural baggage to do with what being a ‘real man’ should be (notions of masculinity) and thus it can be shown to be acting to maintain and reinforce many stereotypical values including the myths of masculinity.
Version 1 1 © OCR 2017Linguistic variations of power
How would you describe the binaries you see in the (classic) Star Wars poster at https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=classic+star+wars+poster andespv=2 andbiw=1920 andbih=925 andtbm=isch andtbo=u andsource=univ andsa=X andsqi=2 andved=0ahUKEwjIk6qK2djRAhXJKcAKHZOqDecQsAQIMw#imgrc=wLESBHzmnr0x7M%3A ?
Jot the oppositions into the table below.
Binaries:
The philosopher Jacques Derrida took this idea a stage further. He recognised that binary pairs were never equal and that one half of each binary pair is somehow culturally marked as being held in a more valued or positive light in society while its unmarked opposite is viewed less positively or even negatively.
It seems it is ‘natural’ (or is it ‘cultural’?) to judge one thing’s meaning against another (connected) thing’s meaning and to place the meanings within some kind of hierarchy of value
One way to reveal how binaries work is to do a commutation test – to replace items in a text with their opposites. One parody Twitter feed does this. Can you explain how the humour is created? https://twitter.com/manwhohasitall
Version 1 2 © OCR 2017Linguistic variations of power
The representation of gender is traditionally portrayed as binary (although things are now starting to change). Children’s books are a good place to examine representations of male and female characters through binary opposition as well as how families are portrayed . This will be a useful link to your study of language and gender. If you have younger brothers or sisters at home, have a look at their books or preview them on Amazon or Google books. Then see if you fill out a table of binary oppositions for the books you select
Binaries:
For example
washing up Cleaning the car
Inside the home Outside the home
Practice AS exam textThe AS exam question (Paper 2 Section B) asks you to consider the representation of power in a text and noticing binary oppositions at work can help us with this. The text you will get will be multimodal so it will contain at least one image. Read through the extract from the 1950s children’s book and explore what binary oppositions are at work in the text and which ‘side’ is portrayed as powerful or ‘normal’.
Have a look at the following extract from Five Fall into Adventure (1950) by Enid Blyton, Chapter 2. The children are on holiday and have gone down to the beach to sunbathe and swim.
Version 1 3 © OCR 2017Linguistic variations of power
Source: Blyton, E. (1950). Five Fall into Adventure.Hodder. ISBN: 9780340765227. Chapter 2.
Version 1 4 © OCR 2017Linguistic variations of power
OCR Resources: the small print
OCR’s resources are provided to support the teaching of OCR qualifications, but in no way constitute an endorsed teaching method that is required by the Board, and the
decision to use them lies with the individual teacher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, OCR cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions
within these resources.
© OCR 2017 - This resource may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the OCR logo and this message remain intact and OCR is acknowledged as the originator of this work.
OCR acknowledges the use of the following content: Blyton, E. (1950). Five Fall into Adventure.Hodder. ISBN: 9780340765227. Chapter 2.Please get in touch if you want to discuss the accessibility of resources we offer to support delivery of our qualifications: [email protected]
