There were elements of this event that were symbolic of a particular mindset. This mindset came from a time when power was distributed far more unevenly than it is today. The symbolic meaning of these words had to be learned, which is always the case with symbols. However, this event also demonstrated the multifunctionality of language as well, by showing how language can be used to convey the feelings and opinions of a person or sub-group. This demonstrated the way that language can be used to go beyond labeling concepts and ideas. The terms being used by the people in the online chat were meant to express their opinions about specific people and sub-groups. In this way, that event demonstrated how language can be
There were elements of this event that were symbolic of a particular mindset. This mindset came from a time when power was distributed far more unevenly than it is today. The symbolic meaning of these words had to be learned, which is always the case with symbols. However, this event also demonstrated the multifunctionality of language as well, by showing how language can be used to convey the feelings and opinions of a person or sub-group. This demonstrated the way that language can be used to go beyond labeling concepts and ideas. The terms being used by the people in the online chat were meant to express their opinions about specific people and sub-groups. In this way, that event demonstrated how language can be