How does the language we use impact our citizenship within a society?
The language we use impacts our citizenship within society as the more clearly and correctly we speak, the better our opinions and ideas are received. It is important to not rely solely on emotions, rather consider the benefits and drawbacks in all tasks. In one group assignment, we discussed how appeals to certain audiences differ. For example, when asking a bank for a loan it is more important to speak to credibility rather than emotions. On the contrary, when advertising for a school club, it's important to focus on engaging the audience and speaking to their curiosity. In David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day, he reflects on how his struggle with learning a second language impacted his citizenship in French society. The fear of making mistakes accompanied him everywhere. Sedaris went as far as removing himself almost entirely from the rest of the world: ignoring phone calls and pretending to be deaf. Though his beginners French did at times create a communication barrier, his increasing comprehension sustained a larger confidence. It is obviously important to be aware of the language one uses because it supremely affects how we participate and how we are perceived in the world.
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