The dry, sarcastic humor that Chinua Achebe uses is amusing to me. The wording and language selection he puts to use is interesting, for as he is writing a text about the desecration of the english language he twists it to express his own thoughts. Now i’m not calling him a hypocrite, but it is interesting. The fact that he would ridicule others for twisting the language to meet their needs, and at the same time he would use the language to express his own views with a certain hidden honesty. The advertising companies encouraging you to “be progressive, use ABC toothpaste” does not degrate the language in my opinion, language is a tool meant to be manipulated to fit each individual needs. But as the advertising companies use slight of toungue to convey their thoughts, Achebe does too. The implications made towards people in postions to speak publically, allows the reader to infer into what Achebe feels toward politicians and the misstrust and decietfullness that he feels they share. The simple slip of a term is excusable(596,17), but the need to extrapolate upon it only shows the authors need to use language to express his own feelings toward public figures.
Erik on Achebe’s Literature. September 17, 2007
This class has shown a large emphasis on ideas instead of actions. Without language these ideas would have been lost and could not have influenced our world. Written language is one of the greatest creations that we as a species have invented. Language and literature have so much power the bible would be a perfect example of the power that language can have on a society. A seemingly long myth about the creation of the world and of our creator, but it caused almost every war that has been fought. Language brings so many people together, but it can also serve as a barrier. What if you were placed in a room with a native Italian speaking person and given a set of questions to ask the other person? It would be very difficult to do so.
Posting 4 – Achebe By Julia GK September 17, 2007
Achebe says that language was the most important tool in the creation of society. I think he is right, and I have a strong feeling about that. When we arrive a place that people speak different language, then we will realize how important laguage is. We are different from animals, because we know how to thinking, animals are not. We talk to others and let them know what we think. At the same time, language can help us to avoiding a lot of trouble with its power.
Ross: The Caveman September 17, 2007
I would like to tell a story which happened to me last night. My partener and I were working on a project in the library on the second floor. We weren’t getting much done as we were waiting for a third member to arrive. It wasn’t long before we saw him, sitting on a bench a floor below us. “How are we to get his attention?” we asked ourselves. Going down to get him would take far too long. Then almost at the same time the lightbulb lit above our heads: “We will throw a gluestick at him.” While calculating the desired angle of launch for our projectile, accounting for wind resistance and the pull of gravity as well as the many innocent bistanders, I began to think of Achebe and his writings. As I stood there, gluestick in hand, I pictured the caveman weilding the rock. Than it hit me, why not just yell his name. “Hey Matt we’re up here.” Looking around to locate the source of this vocal information Matt realized where we were and started up towards us. It turned out to be much easier then throwing the gluestick and I might have done it too had I not read Achebe’s writing.
