Language Arbitrates Between Power and Subordination
Monday, November 26th, 2007
Juan Luis Conde, a Spanish philologist says a relationship may be between a parent and a child, a man and a woman, or an employer and an employee. It can be among friends or members of a group. According to him language arbitrates between power and subordination. Power is an imbalance, which can be obvious as in a master-slave relationship, when the subordinate is unaware of his or her position of disadvantage. The language we use is a basic instrument to build relationships; the very fabric of interpersonal life whether these are sentimental, industrial, or generational. The English Philosopher J. L. Austin reminds us, we use words not only to make true or false judgements, but also to make things.
Read: opinion.inquirer.net
Japan’s Ambassador said to Pakistan Seiji Kojima “Learning a foreign language is more than mastering the spoken part of it, as it helps people understand a different culture.” Kojima, who was chief guest on the occasion of Japanese language speech contest placed at the National University of Modern Languages. In the contest, there were eight students who participated and delivered a detailed and very well-prepared speech. Kojima said that a Japanese Language Proficiency Test will be placed again at NUML with the cooperation of NUML, MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan and the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan. Kojima also made an admiring comment on the varsity’s Japanese Language Department on maintaining the standard. Kojima was very happy with the professors and staff members of the Japanese Language Department for their heartily contribution and efforts to make Pakistani citizens, learn Japanese language.The prizes were distributed by the Ambassador Seiji Kojima, 1st prize was given to Muhammad Shahab Aslam, 2nd to Muhammad Imran Yousaf and 3ed to Attaullah Sajjad in the speech contest.
The precautionary measure was taken when the police in Finland received shooting plot warning in four days, the school was closed. The warning came after Finnish police examine an internet forum heard two people were talking that they had heard that a shooting might take place at the German school. German police spokesman Ralf Kamphausen said ‘The warning was very vague, but we had to take it seriously because the security of the pupils had priority.”A student of Finnish high-school killed six students and two women in a school shooting in the small town of Jokela before turning his gun on himself. police learned that two youths planned to attack their school in the city of Cologne, Pupils were told to stay away as a precaution. A 17-year-old committed suicide in front of a tram when police asked about the plot. His 18-year-old co-conspirator told the police that the two had abandoned their plan a month ago.
A festival for four days of German films, being organised by Max Mueller Bhavan and the Madras Film Society, opened at the Film Chamber Theatre. The festival was inaugurated by M. Ganesh, vice-chairman of the Indo Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where seven films were representing different themes, from industrialisation to unemployment and reality to imaginary tale. The highlight of the German film festival is the screening of ‘Lost and Found’, a movie directed by six young directors. Mr. Ganesh said “The German films have a simple but very good theme and they discover the various aspects of the chosen theme.”Priya V, Associate Director of ‘Mitr, My Friend’ said “When one watches international movies one figures out new themes and forms of expression, but then we realise that some of those thoughts are universal.” Priya was a guest of honour at the inauguration, along with the actor Naethra.
