Relation Between Language and Power in the Mediterranean and Europe Essay

For the longest time now, people have overlooked the question concerning the association of language and power. Although language may gain consideration as just an instrument of communication, there is more to that which associates literature with power. In a linguistic and sociolinguistic view, literature is more than a system of information since it derives different uses especially with consideration to its application of the past decades. Language and power have delivered a significant relation especially in the Mediterranean and Europe of the past decades. In the study concerning the relationship between language and power," it has shifted from proving the existence of this relationship to ensuring the proving and understanding the underpinnings and implications. In both linguistic settings "Mediterranean and Europe" they can agree that the relationship between the two is mutual and critical.

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Since the late 1970s to the early 1980s, language and power have been a critical element, especially in Europe as a result of the linguistic diversity. In elaborating the relation of language and power in Europe and the Mediterranean, consideration of colonial relationships is critical. With the use of imperial power, it brought in the involvement of power as the natives were encouraged to use the new language. For instance, ( in Lecture 1) in Europe, one of the significant ways on how power was portrayed through language was the development of creole and pidgin language. The pidgin language was simplified and was used for communication since it was a mix of language and also the literature of the colonies. Creole languages represented a stable and developed version of pidgin languages mostly used by the children. The power of the natives pushed the influence of communication as most of the pidgin, and creole languages have been based in former colonizers; Dutch, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. The relationship of power and language by the colonial power delivers significant information relating to the social phenomenon of language (Ostler, 2005).

On the other hand, most of the use of language and power in the Mediterranean was based on the "Lingua franca." Lingua franca is meaning the language of the Franks, was mostly referred to as a language used in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea region. However, Europe applied the used of the terms "franks" and "Frankish." Based on a much wider proportion on Northern Italian Languages (mostly Tuscan) and Occitan languages in the Mediterranean, there were more elements of Spanish and Portuguese as the Mediterranean area also termed "lingua franca" as "Sabir." In the details of the relationship between language and power in the Mediterranean, the involvement of soft power is amongst the aspects depicting the relationship. Although there was a significant possession of resources social stability and a sizeable population, it was no guarantee of power and success. In the urge to influence other people's outcomes through power, one can use force, coercion, or inducement meant to attract people and co-opt them to your needs. The language was used to ensure the creation of soft power in the Mediterranean as an integral part of utilizing soft power influence. The language in use often defines the concepts and ideas of people or societies (Ostler, 2005).

Use of Language to Expand Power and Homogenize Large Spaces

In both the Mediterranean and Europe, language as was used as both a means to construct power and on the other hand as a way to maintain it. The language was necessary to conserve power while the power and effect of language rely on the power itself both on expansion and imperialism. In the use of language to expand the power and homogenize large spaces within the events of Greekness and Latin-ness linguistic, there different approached according to the language used. For instance, in the Mediterranean, there was the development of a mixed language "sabir" from the (Turkish, French, and Greek) which was widely used in expansionism. Expansionism comprises a policy or economic expansion which was made possible through the use of "Sabir" in the Mediterranean. It is because the mixed language was in most of the events used for commerce and diplomacy. Moreover, the use of the linguistic was current among the Europeans to and among the slaves of the Barbary pirates. As the utilization of the Lingua Franca spread in the Mediterranean, there was the emergence of the dialectal fragmentation which created a difference as per the use of Italian and other dominating languages (Lecture 1).

Similarly, language was used in imperialism. It entails the use of language through a policy of expanding a nation's power and regulating through diplomacy or even through military force. In the usage of language based on imperialism, there were events of colonization which were made possible through the use of language. Also, in Europe, the expansion of power was as a result of creating of language by the colonies as the discourse served to construct and manipulate any concepts if the society. Also, with the cases of homogenizing large spaces in the name of (Greekness or Latin-ness), there different occurrences as some individuals thought they were conversing in Latin while in actual sense, they were speaking Arabic. For example, after the dominance of power by France in the 19th century, Algerian lingua Franca was significantly Gallicized. The effect of Lingua Franca on other languages displayed a significant impact especially in the particular use of power and language as they inter-relied on each other (Ostler, 2005).

A lingua franca just like other linguistic language is also termed as a bridge language, or trade language is dialect systematically is it makes communication possible between the interaction of people not sharing a native language or dialect especially when it is a third language. As a functional term that is independent of any linguistic language setting, the trade language has proved helpful in cultural, diplomatic and administrative control, and other ways which as a way of exchanging information and connecting regardless of the human history. However, it could be used as a means of control. The terming of lingua France as a "trade language" is one of the ways proving its validity as a means of control. In the Mediterranean, trade was high, and people from different natives would converge to conduct their operations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sociolinguistics has delivered a significant impact on the language variations, and people make language choices in the process of selection. Although there are varying factors to consider, the language war is always based on the concepts of the interaction reason. With the availability of the language difference, there needed to be a control language which would also facilitate the interaction. On the other hand, lingua franca helped in maintaining the appropriate balance and control in the linguistic structure as it is used beyond the boundaries of its native setting bit like a language of communication between groups.

References

Ostler, N. (2005). Empires of the word: A language history of the world (p. 331). New York: HarperCollins.