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Introduction

1.1 What the Book Is About

In simple terms, this book is about:

• The ways different people use language and otherwise communicate (including using media)
• The ways language and communication (including media communication) are used about people (i.e. to represent people)
• What people think about other people based on the language and media used by them and about them.

representation: the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

If you think about it, you probably have plenty to say about these points before you even start reading this book. Language, media and society are things we do and experience every day. So studying them is not so much about learning 'new' things. It is about recognising and observing patterns in what we already know, 'deconstructing' those, and 'analysing' them. And it is about learning names for these things that other people studying them use - in other words, developing a vocabulary of academic terminology - which helps us all to discuss together across the academic field.

deconstruct: reduce (something) to its constituent parts in order to reinterpret it.

analyse: examine (something) methodically and in detail, typically in order to explain and interpret it.

academic terminology: the body of terms used in a particular subject of study.

Before we go any further, it is important to define our terms. 'Language', 'media', and 'society' are quite generic terms, so it'll be useful for you as my readers if I explain now how precisely I am going to use them.

When I use the term 'language' in this book, I am thinking about language in use. Rather than analysing, say, the grammatical structures or sound systems of different languages, I will analyse specific occurrences of people using language to create meaning. I will occasionally talk about overall languages - such as English, Irish, and British Sign Language - but this will always be in relation to the ways in which each language is used in society, the relative power each language has, and so on, so even then my focus will be on language in use. And I will sometimes talk about, the sounds of a language, but this will always be in relation to a person's use of a particular accent when talking in different situations, and how that is evaluated by themselves and others; again, language in use.

When I use the term 'media', I am talking about any form of communication that is carried out through a channel other than person to person interaction, such as television, radio, film, newspapers, and advertising (together known as mass media) and social media. We will see that there can be overlaps between mass media and social media. For example, advertisers may release a clip or meme that goes viral when people share it on social media, or a person may perform or parody a film clip on a social media platform such as TikTok.

meme: an image or video, usually accompanied by text and typically humorous in nature, that is shared by internet users, often with slight amendments.

to parody: to produce an exaggerated imitation of something, usually for humorous effect and sometimes with the intention to ridicule.

When I use the term 'society', I am talking about groups of people who inhabit the same physical or virtual spaces, particularly in terms of their diversity and what that means for power relationships. The later chapters of the book will each explore an aspect of identity that people in society possess - such as gender, ethnicity, or disability. The analysis will think about how these aspects of identity - and the links between them - are played out in linguistic interaction and media, with a particular focus on representation.

I have some lists of three to share with you to get you started. Have you noticed that lists of three are everywhere, particularly where someone wants their communication to be memorable, like in an advert or a political speech? I like them for similar reasons. They're brief and memorable, and useful to keep coming back to.

1.2 Three Tips for How to Use This Book

There are three 'Rs' I will ask you to do when using this book, and your experience of it will be best if you do all three.

1.2.1 Read

This one seems pretty obvious given this is a book, but you can tailor the precise way you read the book depending on what context you're using it in. I've tried to write the book quite conversationally, so you might enjoy just starting at the beginning and reading the whole thing. But you don't have to. You can dip in and out. You can focus more on some sections of a chapter than others if they interest you more, or if they fit more with the degree subject you are studying, or maybe even if they are completely different to your subject; for example, there will be some things that people studying linguistics might know already that people studying media won't, or things that people studying sociology will know about that people studying journalism won't, and vice versa. It's OK to skip over stuff if you think you've seen it before. At the same time, reinforcement is great, so there's no harm reading about the same thing again in case I might give you a different take or perspective on it.

If you're reading this book as part of a university college course, your tutor will put their own stamp on it, and use it in the way they think will best enhance your particular learning experience (that will probably be different depending on, for example, what your degree subject is, how many credits the module carries, and so on).

1.2.2 Reflect

reflect: think deeply or carefully about.

My approach to pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching) is to make the most of what my students and readers already know. I like to encourage students to realise that they actually do have some degree of knowledge and/or experience of and/or opinion on a topic. So throughout this book I will often ask you to think about something before I have explored it with you in an analytical or theoretical way. I will then help you to overlay your own thoughts with appropriate analytical and theoretical terms. Sometimes I will ask you to think generally about a topic. Sometimes I will ask you to think about a specific example of language you have heard, media you have watched, or experience you have had. Sometimes I will ask you to imagine what it would be like to be someone else having a different experience.

1.2.3 Research

research: investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish patterns and reach new conclusions.

apply: to make use of something for a practical purpose or in a real situation.

There are lots of tasks in this book. I believe the most effective way to learn about something is to do it, to apply it. I will ask you to apply the things you have read about to examples of language and media. Sometimes I will provide you with these examples, and sometimes I will ask you to find some examples for yourself. Sometimes I will ask you to find someone who uses the type of language we are exploring, who has seen the type of media we are exploring if you haven't, or who has had the type of experience we are exploring.

I talked above about skipping over parts of the book if you want to (and if your tutor hasn't asked you to read them!). However, I'd rather you didn't skip over the tasks in the sections you do read. It's tempting to do that, especially when you have to get the chapter read for your class tomorrow morning and your friends are waiting for you at your favourite café; I get that, and I've been there (a long time ago, granted, but I have been there). But, as I've said, the best way to learn things is to apply them. I think you will find that, if you do a task, that part of the subject will stay in your memory more easily.

Again, if you're using this book as part of a college course, your tutor may want you to approach the tasks in a specific way. Maybe they will set you specific tasks to do as well as reading certain bits. Maybe they will tell you not to do the tasks as you read because you're going to do them in class. Whatever structure your learning takes, please do at least some of the tasks; I can almost guarantee that this will enhance your learning experience and you'll come away having enjoyed the book more.

1.3 Three Tips for How to Approach This Book

You might think this subheading means the same thing as 'how to use this book', but it doesn't. These tips are more about you than they are about the book; they're about the kind of attitude I think would help you to get the most out of the book.

1.3.1 Celebrate Your Own Unique Experience

For the topics in this book, as with many academic topics, the key is making the links between the academic content of the book and your own life experiences, your own language, your own media consumption, and your own society(s). I would go as far as to say that the book should be different for each...