What to wear? What to say?

Leila Shearon
Blog 2
Dr. Jennifer Hughes
8.28.2009


One whose private life, opinions, or statements contradict his or her public statements, this is a definition of a hypocrite. Theodore Dalrymple uses this term to describe Steven Pinker. Who is Pinker? Pinker is a professor at Harvard. He is well-known for his revolution…nary theory of how children acquire language and how it changes. He explains the way he sees language. He explains thing like “Language change is normal…Value judgments about different languages and dialects are matters of taste.”Dalrymple tries his best to Pinker is a hypocrite, states that Pinker clearly values Standard English as higher language because he writes in it. Dalrymple says Pinker wrote to “please schoolmarms.” Is this true?
Language I believe is like ones wardrobe. When one goes to a wedding or a formal party in America a man might wear a tail coat a tie and leather shoes. A woman might wear a dress with beautiful jewlerey. In a different culture a different type of dress may be expected. Also one would not wear a suit and patent leather shoes to a construction site or a Braves baseball game. The attire that is expected and suitable for these locations is more casual. At a construction site a hardhat is needed for ones saftey. At home pajamas is needed or wanted for ones comfort.
What does wardrobe and attire have to do with linguistics? A Suit and tie is the correct attire for a formal occasion. A Jersey is the right attire for a baseball. And, pajamas are the right attire for a comfortable day around the house. Words such as pretentious and juxtaposition can be used to present a speech to adults at a formal awards ceremony, but words such as w’sup and dude is correct language for a high school event such as a party or basketball game.
I think that Pinker understood the importance of language flexibility. There are no absolutes in language. Something maybe correct in one house but a mile down the road a different dialect with different rules jargons is spoken. There is a time and place for different starters and styles of language. When Pinker writing he wrote in a style and dialect that was appropriate and needed at the time.