Foreword
1 Overview: How politics permeates language (and vice versa)
1.1 What does it mean to say that language is political?
1.2 The politics of different ways of speaking
1.3 The politics of talking to others
1.4 The politics of what 'the language' is
1.5 The politics of which language to speak
1.6 The politics of policing the language
1.7 Language, thought and politicians
1.8 Language and choice
1.9 Conclusion: Language is political from top to bottom
Notes
2 Language and nation
2.1 Them and us
2.2 What is or isn't 'a language'
2.3 The role of writing
2.4 Constructing 'the language' by controlling variation
2.5 Language, knowledge and power
2.6 How new languages emerge: From 'falling standards' to 'World Englishes'
2.7 Oppression and identity
Suggested further reading
Notes
3 The social politics of language choice and linguistic correctness
3.1 Hearers as speakers
3.2 The denial of heteroglossia
3.3 The role of education
3.4 Linguistic imperialism
3.5 Language rights
3.6 The linguistic performance of minority identities
Suggested further reading Notes
4 Politics embedded in language
4.1 Struggle in the sign
4.2 Struggle in interaction
4.3 Deferential address
4.4 Gendered language
4.5 'Powerless' language
4.6 The politics of language change
Suggested further reading
Notes
5 Taboo language and its restriction
5.1 Swearing
5.2 The language police state
5.3 The politics of (selfo)censorship
5.4 Hate speech
5.5 The right to hear no evil?
Suggested further reading
Notes
6 Rhetoric, propaganda and interpretation
6.1 Rhetoric versus truth?
6.2 Language, thought and reality
6.3 Propaganda anxiety
6.4 Newspeak
6.5 Linguistic creativity and manufacturing consent
6.6 Critical Discourse Analysis
6.7 The function of language in a democracy
Suggested further reading
Notes
7 Condusion: Power, hegemony and choices
7.1 Agency
7.2 Broccoli theory
7.3 Conclusions
7.4 Implications and applications
References
Index
