Selection in Language

I will be reviewing the differences between three person’s perspectives of the outfit that I am wearing currently in order to exemplify how selection has an impact on the information that each individual takes in according to their own personal interests. The perspectives will be among an artist, a tailor, and a nudist. I am wearing a capris-like blue tights with a long, brown sleeveless tunic and a long bright, magenta pink vest over the tunic. The tights reach down to just below the knee and the tunic, as well as the vest, reach down about mid thigh. An artist may pay closer attention to the color scheme of the neutral blue and brown hues against the vibrant magenta. Also, the perspective of an artist will have interest in how the clothing flows away from the body in its length. The idea of making the clothing seem appealing is by its structure of soft lines and fluidity in movement. The outfit can be considered attractive by the shape, colors, textures, and movements. The diction that could be chosen by the artist to describe the outfit may be “contrasting” and “fluid”. If this same outfit were to be viewed through the eyes of a tailor, there may be many errors in the right fitting of the clothing against my body type. Their perspective will be emphasized on the lines and curves of the material. Their interest would be on the measurable sizing of the different pieces of clothing. The capris-like tights may be seen at too tight; therefore needing to alter the fitting so that the tights will look more like comfortable fitting capri pants. There would not be much detail on the color palette of the outfit. Their attention will be on the sizing, shapes, and cut of the clothing. When describing the outfit, the tailor may use wording such as “loose-fitting”, “formless”, and ill-defining.” A nudist may have a perspective driven with the idea of less clothing to be more flattering to the shape of the body. The “flowing” appeal to the artist may look like too much material to the nudist. Their concentration would be on the simplification of the outfit. Also, the bright magenta may be too extreme or animated for a nudist. They may be more attracted to the neutral color toned palette of just the brown and the blue shades. Their overall effort would be to minimize each article of clothing. To a nudist, it may seem better to wear shorts with a shirt and vest that reach the hip. In their description, their focus may be on how oversized the outfit is. For example, they may use terms such as “baggy”, “shapeless”, and “voluminous” when describing my outfit. The differences in each person’s perspective will be looking at the aspects of the outfit in which appeal to their areas of interest. Therefore, each description is made up of the features in which they select being that these are areas that they are most knowledgeable about.  

Inspirational Dreams of Free at Last

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech “I Have a Dream” was delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1963 as a symbolic statement for the location being a place of remembrance to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a civil rights activist and had signed the Emancipation Proclamation that freed all the African American slaves in the south in 1863. The location held significance in Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech when referring to how although slaves had been proclaimed free by law, there still many events and occurrences are taking place such as segregation and discrimination. With much of the cruel behavior exhibited by hostile whites, African Americans were still far from being free as any other man of equal rights were. This speech is an example of “language that inspired change” for the structure was well thought out in that it began with the struggles that African American have been having to face and the emotional and psychological affects that are caused. This was to depict the struggle and sufferings that were still present and very much alive in the current times. After, he follows through with the emotional affect of how younger generations are being tainted by the explanations for being denied the same opportunities as whites. After providing reason and purpose, King then creates a sense of urgency by stating that ‘the time is now” and there should not be another moment wasted on gradual actions.  With a historical event such as the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, King is able to gain credibility. Soon after, King uses that the “check has bounced” due to “insufficient funds” as an analogy for not receiving full value of freedom. This reminds the audience that African Americans promised a certain action to have already taken place. Therefore, there cannot be any further delays for what has already become long overdue. This speech changed the way people thought of civil rights because up until then, most people allowed for not direct action to take place with hopes that soon enough African Americans will receive their full credited freedoms as time continued. After bringing to view that there was still much to be done after already waiting one hundred years since it had become law, brought a sense of perseverance to the audience. By holding the speech at the Lincoln Memorial the audience can feel a sense of timelessness in which although years have passed by, there is still a struggle to finally gain what has been pending for so long. King begins to end the speech with what he imagines or dreams of what could be reality in the future if there is no more time wasted. A life in which everyone regardless or race, ethnicity, or religion will all be created equal. Martin Luther King Jr. envisions a dream in which all the people in the land will be equal and he leads the audience with a song of change with “Free at last.”  

Freedom in Language

 The experiences from Malcom X and Helen Keller regarding using language as a freeing experience is understandable because language is a set system that is universally used in order to convey thoughts and express wants, desires, and needs. Without being part of this system, people such as Malcom X and Helen Keller are left out from the sources others use in order to express themselves. Malcom X gained power through his experience of becoming literate. He could not have portrayed the magnitude of his thoughts in the struggle to take action for African Americans. By having access to this language, he is able to be heard by others of the opposing side in order to have views heard. Hellen Keller was able to use language as a means to communicate with any of the world. Being cut off from all communication, her low functionality is what prohibited her from being able to gather meaning in all her surroundings. She was limited by the feeling of having other pass her by but there were no ways of communicating what was happening before she had lessons from Mrs. Sullivan. When Hellen broke her doll and pieces flew everywhere, she felt content and glad that she did that in order to communicate her frustration. After she realized what her teacher had been trying to explain to her, she was freed from her inability to understand as she felt sorrow after realizing that she was lacking comprehension of what Mrs. Sullivan was trying to communicate earlier. In my own experience as a child, I had an older sister that would at time not allow me to express myself and get my point across. Frustration would build up inside of me and it was as though I felt captive by not being able to express my thoughts or feelings. It felt freeing when I finally was able to gain better diction in order to describe and in better detail, explain my thoughts. I felt as though I was finally being heard. Also, now working with children with autism, some within the spectrum of a speech impediment or low verbal skills, it is difficult to function properly when there is a barrier in communication. Although pictures and words are shown for the basic needs, there is still a level of expression that is left out. This expression may have a lot to do with the feeling of love and other emotions in which are not describable as tangible objects are. When a want or desire is unable to be communicated to the level of being able to be understandable to the communicative partner, there is a metaphorical sensation of being barred. Not having this freedom can be extremely complicating to someone who has the thought process and understands what is going around them but their voice is discredited by others who have may not be aware of what this other person feels. There is a degree of freedom in language that enables some to fully request for what they desire. This freedom is felt after experiencing the limitations of an under developed vocabulary.