Gabbing to folk - English and Drama teacher (linguistic tones)

Gabbing with folk: English & Drama teacher....

So today I was gonna touch on linguistic tones throughout the #indyref debate and how words are but sounds and connotation or interpretation, is dependent on cultural and emotional associations. My lovely friend explained it as eloquently as this:

"All language is just sounds that are given a value depending on the culture they exist within. E.g the sound 'light' has a higher value in our culture than say 'bin' because light has religious/Christian connotations etc."

Alas the European elections took hold and I feel it's never been more relevant.

We will hear of the 'earthquake' and of the 'rise' and the general fanboy attitudes of some for those purple badged buffoons. But more than that, why has far right political groups surged over Europe? I asked several times throughout the evening of incoming results. Austerity I am told, it pushes blame on 'others'. However I don't think Scotland would've even been that aware of UKIP if they hadn't been swannying all over television like a big itchy rash for the past year.

Again it comes back to the tone of language used by media outlets and the sensationalism about 'foreigners'.

I cannae fully buy into this ideology; because of austerity the far right policies are a chance to entice disenfranchised voters out to 'protest vote'. I mean Greece was victim of particular austere but a left wing party won? Evidently austerity doesn't equate to right wing support.  If however austerity does equal disenfranchment amongst the electorate, then why are they disenfranchised? How on earth is it a protest vote if that party can actually be elected? Could it be down to the corrupt political systems all over the EU? That's pretty disenfranchising. Or could it be the bended knee homage given to these policies by other more 'left wing' parties? Does the pandering make it 'awrite'? Literally. All right?

I was called a desperate nationalist and a UKIP apologist for suggesting that as some consolation at least Scotland didn't vote on droves for UKIP. 10.4% of Scottish voters (the turn out was rather poor) decided that a party who's policies are rather obscure, perhaps with politicians who are a tad homophobic, xenophobic and even in a bit of a ...you know, holocaust denial (see recently ejected Kipper face in Scotland)... were better than a Labour or SNP or Green representative. What does that say about political parties in Scotland? Or in the UK? Or even across EU as a whole?

What is happening? I can't say it enough. What is happening? Yes austerity causes frustration but since when is racism cool? Or trendy? I mean how many Parisian hipsters voted for NF? Is it really just cos media loves a character? Someone to rave about as the peoples representative? I'm not calling folk who voted for UKIP stupid or racist or homophobic or misogynist, but the party that you have voted for seem to boast those attributes. So I come back to the effect of language.

The word 'foreigner' gets swung aboot like an empty tracksuit. Especially in #indyref debate as does the words 'seperatist' and 'nationalist'. Many other bloggers have addressed this much better than I, but I had to vent this frustration. I had to ask about a language that I fluently speak and write. I had to understand why when these words are spoken I instantly understand the direction of conversation. I think I kinda get it now.

I get that folk wanna talk about immigration, what I don't get is how in my local area, where the only immigrants I see are 'hardworking' (another flung aboot word for another blog), high-tax paying individuals who are fully integrated with Scottish society, yet BNP, BF and UKIP got nearly 3500 votes? Why? In my leafy suburban (mothers house) hometown, austerity denial is rife. Even though we have a Foodbank in the town. The folk here dismiss poverty as a thing in Scotland. My family live in the east end, friends in Parkhead and Shettleston, I see impact of austerity every day but not so much here. Yet, folk still voted for far right parties in my area? Why?

I want to make it clear now however that SNP won the EU parliamentary elections in Scotland, UKIP came fourth. It will however be described as a UK wide earthquake for UKIP. The rise of UKIP. Eurosceptism, the people's politicians, popular vote, all these words. How does that language make you feel? Emotionally? How do the words republican, socialist, communist make you feel? Or even the word independence?

Someone pointed out to me that all political parties could be described as certain things in some way. Perhaps except the Greens who's 'Welcoming Scotland' slogan was the overall winner for me!

Another great description of events I happened to gander upon last night was it was like the big brother house. The most popular candidate won, and like reality tv shows usually the most obtuse option succeeded.

If you actually want some radical change, some statement vote, then why not #voteYes come September. Why not dissociate with the way language is swung about? I know I will. I didn't even watch one single main stream broadcast of the European election results. I am a much happier person today for doing so.