Destructive discourses

How many times have you heard or read phrases such as “ugly bitch,” “sick as a dog,” or “monkeying around”? Like most native English speakers, you’ve probably encountered those phrases often. According to Arran Stibbe, an ecological linguist, these are linguistic mechanisms that express negativity toward animals. I bet you’ve never thought of such phrases in that manner. In other words, the very words we use in communication, even when no ill intent is meant, become part of our lexicon and can have unintended negative effects.

So what does this have to do with the news media and science? A lot, actually. The news media are vehicles that have perpetuating effects on language and discourse. If how we communicate about animals interests you, pick up a copy of Stibbe’s book Animals Erased. It’s a fascinating, behind the curtain look at how our language affects our relationships with animals.