Explain how language has the power to help create very
positive as well as very negative outcomes.
What will be an ideal response?
Language has the power to bring about good or bad results. The public speaker
must make the ethical decision to use language for good and not for evil. Language can be
very positive because it can help bring people together for a common cause. It can also help
empower people and create equality among groups. For example, language can help forge
treaties and get people to see what they have in common. Unfortunately, however, if used
in an unethical way, it can create inequality. Hitler used words to label the Jewish
population in order to make them a scapegoat for problems in Germany during that time.
You might also like to view...
Which of the following could be the basis for committing boundary violations?
a. Malice b. Ignorance c. Thoughtlessness d. The intention of kindness e. All of the above
In many colleges and universities, departments related to communication studies draw which of the following with regard to numbers of majors?
a. Equal to other disciplines b. The fewest number of majors c. The largest number of majors d. No majors—communication classes used only as elective classes