POLITICAL CORRECTNESS – POLITICAL CORRECTNESS – THE CASE OF THE VANISHING THE CASE OF THE VANISHING

TRUST?TRUST?

Dr. Irina Perianova,Dr. Irina Perianova, University of National and World University of National and World

Economy, SofiaEconomy, Sofia inogina@yahoo.cominogina@yahoo.com

OutlineOutline My presentation focuses on one of the most My presentation focuses on one of the most

important phenomena of the 20th century- important phenomena of the 20th century- political correctness (pc) which may be political correctness (pc) which may be viewed as a communicative code of viewed as a communicative code of globalization with its denial of globalization with its denial of centre/periphery relationship and hierarchy centre/periphery relationship and hierarchy , , its emphasis on a culturally pluralistic and its emphasis on a culturally pluralistic and interconnected global society lacking any interconnected global society lacking any single dominant center of political power, single dominant center of political power, communication, or intellectual production. communication, or intellectual production. Due to these core values of globalization pc Due to these core values of globalization pc takes on the function of an ethical language. takes on the function of an ethical language. I I also plan to analyse pc in Bulgaria as post-also plan to analyse pc in Bulgaria as post-communist discourse.communist discourse.

PC and Non-essentialismPC and Non-essentialism

““Cultures are ideational entities; as Cultures are ideational entities; as such they are permeable, susceptible such they are permeable, susceptible to influence from other cultures. to influence from other cultures. Wherever exchange among humans Wherever exchange among humans occurs, the possibility exists of the occurs, the possibility exists of the influence of one culture by another.”influence of one culture by another.” B.Fay. B.Fay. Contemporary Philosophy of Contemporary Philosophy of Social Science: A Multicultural Social Science: A Multicultural ApproachApproach, Oxford: Blackwell (1996: , Oxford: Blackwell (1996: 59)59)

Pc and avoidancePc and avoidance

The phenomenon of avoidance is The phenomenon of avoidance is universauniversal thoughl though the objects of the objects of avoidance may differ in different avoidance may differ in different languages and in different cultureslanguages and in different cultures..

PC is the product of globalization PC is the product of globalization and is not universaland is not universal

Pc examplesPc examples

Dutch treat, Dutch treat, French letter, French letter, Ten Little Indians/NegroesTen Little Indians/Negroes Niggardly, Niggardly, my own white hands,my own white hands, darling, deardarling, dear

PC as a strategyPC as a strategy

Pc is a strategy used to preserve Pc is a strategy used to preserve personal images mutually, personal images mutually, achieve a respectful achieve a respectful symmetry symmetry within relationships by hiding within relationships by hiding (revealingly) any real or (revealingly) any real or perceived inequality of different perceived inequality of different variety .variety .

Avoidance under socialismAvoidance under socialism

What is sometimes regarded as What is sometimes regarded as socialist pcsocialist pc is no such thing: it was a is no such thing: it was a language of language of inequality inequality rather than rather than equality and perpetuated difference equality and perpetuated difference and otherisationand otherisation

PC and Behaviour CodificationPC and Behaviour Codification

pc should be treated as behaviour pc should be treated as behaviour codification,codification,

new commodified languagenew commodified language It aims to discontinue any form of It aims to discontinue any form of

Otherisation (at least on the surface) Otherisation (at least on the surface) Pc is confined to the following subjects: Pc is confined to the following subjects:

race, age, gender, rank, appearancerace, age, gender, rank, appearance, , abilities, health (physical and mental abilities, health (physical and mental

The ab/users are accused ofThe ab/users are accused of sexism, sexism, chauvinism, rankism, ageism.chauvinism, rankism, ageism.

Proscribed listProscribed list Don’t sayDon’t say Say insteadSay instead A crippleA cripple disabled persondisabled person InvalidInvalid disabled persondisabled person HandicappedHandicapped disableddisabled Mentally retarded/handicappedMentally retarded/handicapped person with learningperson with learning

difficultiesdifficulties

Deaf aidDeaf aid hearing aidhearing aid The disabledThe disabled people with impaired people with impaired

mobility/a disabilitymobility/a disability SpasticSpastic person with cerebral palsyperson with cerebral palsy Confined to a wheelchairConfined to a wheelchair wheel chair userwheel chair user

wheelchair boundwheelchair bound Deaf and dumbDeaf and dumb profoundly deafprofoundly deaf Disabled toiletDisabled toilet accessible toiletaccessible toilet

I. Outhart, L. Taylor , R. Barker, I. Outhart, L. Taylor , R. Barker, Travel and TourismTravel and Tourism, , Advanced Vocational Advanced Vocational TrainingTraining, (London: Marvell Collins, 2000) p. 340., (London: Marvell Collins, 2000) p. 340.

Non-pc objects Non-pc objects

Paternalism and trustPaternalism and trust

-Consumer capitalism aims to standardize consumption -Consumer capitalism aims to standardize consumption and to shape tastes through advertising and “new and to shape tastes through advertising and “new ‘paternalism’ in which experts of all types minister to the ‘paternalism’ in which experts of all types minister to the needs of the lay population needs of the lay population ((Anthony Giddens . Anthony Giddens . Modernity and Self-Identity. Self and Society in the Late Modern Modernity and Self-Identity. Self and Society in the Late Modern AgeAge. Cambridge: Polity Press 1994: 172- 174). . Cambridge: Polity Press 1994: 172- 174).

The world is increasingly becoming professional (Serge The world is increasingly becoming professional (Serge Moscovici), or expert-oriented (Anthony Giddens) Moscovici), or expert-oriented (Anthony Giddens)

-Expertise and transaction (and commodification) are the -Expertise and transaction (and commodification) are the determinants of the modern globalized worlddeterminants of the modern globalized world

The new code thus imposed makes the lay minds easier to The new code thus imposed makes the lay minds easier to control via the control via the common denominator of trustcommon denominator of trust in the in the expert expert

Pc as a language gamePc as a language game

The new missionary EU code ( power The new missionary EU code ( power dialogue) includes pc as a language dialogue) includes pc as a language game.game.

Linguistic umpires are monitoring the Linguistic umpires are monitoring the process of what may or may not be process of what may or may not be said. said.

Trust and MistrustTrust and Mistrust

Language games show another facet Language games show another facet of trust – we are guided to use of trust – we are guided to use otherother words by new society – we are words by new society – we are MIStrusted – we do not know any MIStrusted – we do not know any better. It is better. It is wewe who should trust the who should trust the new shared discourse which reflects new shared discourse which reflects standardized and globalized standardized and globalized language. language.

Trust and IntimacyTrust and Intimacy

Our situated identities differ in Our situated identities differ in different settings, most prominently different settings, most prominently in public and private space. This in public and private space. This seems to apply to different societies seems to apply to different societies

RationaleRationaleControlling the environment by languageControlling the environment by language

Dominant discourseDominant discourse. . Roland Barthes’ concept of ex-nomination Roland Barthes’ concept of ex-nomination ((MythologiesMythologies. Editions du Seuil, 1957). Editions du Seuil, 1957)

CAT : Communication Accommodation TheoryCAT : Communication Accommodation Theory (Giles, H. and P.M.Smith (1979) ‘Accommodation (Giles, H. and P.M.Smith (1979) ‘Accommodation Theory: optimal levels of convergence’ in Giles, H. Theory: optimal levels of convergence’ in Giles, H. and R.St Clair (eds.) and R.St Clair (eds.) Language and Social Language and Social PsychologyPsychology. Oxford: Basil Blackwell). Oxford: Basil Blackwell)Attuning and accommodation strategies consist of Attuning and accommodation strategies consist of a broad set of linguistic and extra-linguistic signals a broad set of linguistic and extra-linguistic signals which enable us to adapt our communicative acts which enable us to adapt our communicative acts to those of our partners, shifting them along a to those of our partners, shifting them along a convergent or divergent direction in the sequence convergent or divergent direction in the sequence of exchangeof exchange

PC in post-communist BulgariaPC in post-communist Bulgaria

1)Fewer objects are un/pc 1)Fewer objects are un/pc 2)No (anti)elitism2)No (anti)elitism 3) No rankism3) No rankism 4)Gender pc4)Gender pc

Racial pc in BulgariaRacial pc in Bulgaria

циганин – ром – джипси – мангал - циганин – ром – джипси – мангал - мангасармангасар

хубава работа, ама българскахубава работа, ама българска като бял човеккато бял човек

Geographical pcGeographical pc

Село : градСело : град (urban vs. rural) (urban vs. rural) Sofia : other placesSofia : other places Bulgaria : the WestBulgaria : the West Aussies : WessiesAussies : Wessies

Semantic bleachingSemantic bleaching

Perlocutionary effectPerlocutionary effect The meaning is eroded via its excess The meaning is eroded via its excess

(Baudrillard )(Baudrillard ) MOUTH WIDE SHUTMOUTH WIDE SHUT (implicature)(implicature)

Indexation, reference; Indexation, reference; representation, iconsrepresentation, icons

Reference implies inference. Indexing Reference implies inference. Indexing is dependent on a context to provide is dependent on a context to provide it with something to point to.it with something to point to.

Representation (the symbol and the Representation (the symbol and the icon) are context freeicon) are context free

((Widdowson, H.G. Explorations in Applied Linguistics Widdowson, H.G. Explorations in Applied Linguistics 2, OUP, 1986: 150 – 152)2, OUP, 1986: 150 – 152)

From representation to indexation From representation to indexation and backand back

ConclusionConclusion Pc is an essential part of a new grammar of Pc is an essential part of a new grammar of

communication with its underlying communication with its underlying structure of wishful thinking; a new post-structure of wishful thinking; a new post-modernist discourse. It is polysemic in the modernist discourse. It is polysemic in the Bakhtinian sense – it both reveals and Bakhtinian sense – it both reveals and hides one’s ideology simultaneously and hides one’s ideology simultaneously and hence it should be viewed as the hence it should be viewed as the Mouth Mouth Wide ShutWide Shut phenomenon. phenomenon.

Through the new pc language we are Through the new pc language we are inventing new us (Cf. inventing new us (Cf. Eva Hoffman. Lost in Eva Hoffman. Lost in TranslationTranslation 1989 who describes how 1989 who describes how English was inventing her).English was inventing her).

The new communicative competence is yet The new communicative competence is yet to be acquired by many groups.to be acquired by many groups.

??

Have we mastered the new Have we mastered the new communication competence? communication competence?

We are learning!We are learning!

Some Some are good students are good students

Others are -challengedOthers are -challenged!!