What role does language and communication play in conflict? Why do people engage in or get drawn into quarrels? How can our awareness of the social rules of language use prevent disputes?
In this illuminating and accessible guide, Karol Janicki takes the reader on a tour through the field of conflict in language. Using real-life examples, the book examines how language usage influences conflict, and what people can do to avoid or resolve it.
Language and Conflict
- Ends each chapter with a story that neatly summarizes the key discussion points in a clear, digestible format
- Provides useful 'hands-on' tips and further reading recommendations for those who want to explore the subject further.
This book is ideal reading for undergraduates studying discourse analysis, language and communication, sociolinguistics, or applied linguistics, and for general readers new to the subject of language and conflict.
Preface
Note for teachers
Introduction
1. Mixing words and other things: A reason for conflict
2. Framing: How we talk differently about the same thing
3. Emotions: How words can influence our reasoning
4. Descriptions, inferences and evaluations: Different levels of abstraction and conflict
5. Euphemisms, dysphemisms, and political correctness: How we can get misdirected
6. Communicative competence: How we may misinterpret other people's linguistic behaviour
7. Meaning: How conflicts revolve around the definitions of words
8. Linguistics for peace education
Conclusion: A trip to the Matsés
Glossary
References
Index.
