Language Ideologies and Their Impact on Social Constructionism

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Into
Language is a tool which assists in communicating in a way that is comprehensible
and understandable by others. It provides a medium through which views and information
can be communicated in a way that others understand. Powerful language is, therefore, a
necessity for becoming independent and contributing to the community. The ability of an
individual to communicate in an effective manner in a given language denotes the language
power. It includes not only the ability to speak but also to listen and understand. This
research essay outlines ideologies in language and how they can be communicated in
everyday speech. This paper examines and provides evidence on ideologies that vary
through language. It also studies the ways in which critical discourse analysis and language
variation.
Critical discourse analysis is a regarded as an interdisciplinary approach that is based on
the discourse according to which language is regarded as a form of social practice.
Language and ideologies –
Discourse analysis, ideologies and the role of language can impact social
constructionism that examines social inequalities within the political sphere. Woolard
(1998, 20-25) explains language ideologies as sets of values and beliefs through a cultural
system by bringing together language and social practices. Language ideologies can be
found through the political and cultural spheres that can be interpreted to form stereotypes,
discrimination, and investigate further social inequalities.
The following example is how language ideologies merge with gender inequalities
and how women are perceived in politics and how ideologies of language are constructed.
Women are expected to communicate and show male assertiveness to be in political

leadership. Wright and Holland (2014, 3) define ‘the double bind’ as women who
demonstrate male qualities and compromise their feminine attributes.
To address gender and language ideologies and power relations, Eckert and
McConnell-Ginet (1992, 466) identify male power in language and the hierarchical relations
of gender differences within conversational practice and how gender is socially constructed.
By investigating language variation between males and females and theories of gender
conceptions and gender individualism can reflect social practice of how language can vary
between men and women. Language variation can influence gender identities and
implement social change. Women feel the need to use the male language traits to be in
political power to be able to impact social change (Eckert and McConnell-Ginet 1992, 472).
However, Lippi-Green (2011, 10) highlights that language changes over time, the structure
of words and how sentences are structured and there are situations that gender is not
indicated with the use of ‘they’, their, and them.
Women are still finding challenges within the political system to make social change.
The ideology of how governments still structure a ‘patriarchy system’and how there is still
male dominance in government and leadership and women are still being discriminated
because of their gender and feel they cannot voice their opinions without using masculine
traits. (Patel et al. 2020, 3). Women are still finding the need to use masculine traits to
make social change and voice their concerns on political issues. If women use ‘feminine
features with the language they use, then they can change society’s values and challenge
the stereotypes of women in power and more women will want to be in politics.
With further analysis and investigation of women in power, language ideologies, a
critical discourse analysis is used to examine spoken interaction and written data as a form
of social practice to find hidden ideologies (Cameron 2001, 121). For example, Julia Gillard
was the first female Prime Minister of Australia and gave an influential speech to parliament