This blog posting was a little difficult for me, because I don’t believe that language, class and work always relate in the ways we expect them to be. Though there are stereotypical languages of different workers and classes, depending on education and social standing, I think it is much more prevelant in books that are trying to depict class differences than in actuality. Maybe this view of mine arises because I have very few experiences with different classes; I have parents that are hard working and able to support me through college without me having to get a job. I work during the summer, but I work at an advertising agency where many employees are college graduates. The differences I see at the office vary in departments, rather than classes. The creative departments are rather slang oriented, preferring to keep up on the trends in language rather than stick to old pop culture terms. The accounting department, for example, are much different; they do not keep up on new language trends and are more dated when it comes to language. But overall, no one has poor language or necessarily “bad” language.
When reading the Odyssey, it was hard to discern if a class spoke differently, one because you don’t hear from anyone besides Odysseus or Circe for the most part, and two because all of it is relatively hard to understand because none of us, or at least I don’t, speak like they did. Most of the language is almost poetic in its articulation and presented in different orders or using different kinds of words that we today are not used to saying or hearing. I would imagine, from what supposedly went on during the ancient Grecian times, that the workers may have slightly less respectable diction that Odysseus or Circe; most portrayals of olden times have a very different languages at many different levels of society.
So I guess, to sum this blog post up, I would say that from my personal experiences, there are few or seldom language barriers between class. From learning about other times and other experiences, I would say that there are more evident language barriers between classes and working conditions.
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i definitely have to agree with the fact that the language of the Odyssey is very difficult to understand because we obviously don't speak the way they did back then. i also agree that it is difficult to determine different classes from language as well. while reading the Odyssey i had an idea of what kind of class the people who were talking were involved with. when Odysseus spoke, it's as if i saw him as a higher power as he is portrayed in the story. but i think that it is difficult to determine what class people are in by reading. i think it is much easier to see with your own eyes.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of this posting assignment was to see how language, class, and work can combine to create a character. I chose to comment on your blog though because you were suspicious of this theory, as I was in my post. Work, class, and language are definitely defining characteristics of a person, but more than anything, it is how they depend on each other that we find commonalities between the three. Class IS usually defined by work; therefore the "class" is defined by your lifestyle...which typically creates your language. I think it’s good that you point out that you haven’t experienced many cultures, because I don’t think I have either which is why we may not understand the connections as well as the immigrants in the class, the people with outrageous jobs, etc. I also agree with the confusion of the Odyssey. I couldn’t tell if his language was that of a high class or if it was the language of Homer shining through, trying to be poetic. The entire segment of The Odyssey that we read was about Odysseus’s work, but it really only revealed to me that he was a true leader. It didn’t tell me if it was the work of high class or low class, even though it seemed to be the work of a hero. Which is why I think it was really difficult to create the character of Odysseus, which I guess would strengthen my point that without any obvious information of Odysseus’s work, class, or language, it was hard to make up his character. I mean, I’m sure all of the details were there; I just struggled with connecting them. Sorry, this is too long.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the classes were rather easy to see. Odysseus was a higher up class which really gave him the authority, confidence, education and characteristics that were needed for the voyage hence making him who he is, a captain of a ship. I would agree with Stacia in that all three aspects: work, class, and language are intricately interwoven. If it wasn't for Odyseus coming from a higher class he wouldn't have had the education to learn the language to either guide the ship or speak to the crewmen. Without the language/education or his class he wouldn't be qualified for the job. See if we were to take those aspects and remove them from the equation Odeyseus would not be the man that was portrayed in this segment of the Odyssey.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is definitely a difference in the language of different class, but it is interesting that you say you saw a bigger difference in the language of different departments at your place of employment. I would agree that this is also true. I am an engineering major and I have worked in that industry. There is a clear difference in the language between a pure engineering group and the Human Resources group, or even the sales group tied to a given engineering business group. As I think back on it, I remember individuals changing their language depending on who they were talking to from different departments.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you that it was hard to see differences in the languages of different classes in the Odyssey. I think that that one of the defining points in the differences we can see however is when Eurylochus is talking to the other solders and alienating Odysseus. His language was tying all of the men of the same class (soldiers) together while alienating the Odysseus (the upper class here)