With detailed reference to Text I and to relevant from language study, explore how written language is used to assert power.
Text I is an agreement between students and the college at which they are studying in for their sixth form studies, there are therefore lots of examples of battles in power between the college and the students studying within it.
One way in which language is used to assert power is the degree of formality and Standard English used in the PowerPoint. An example of standardised English is in the introduction where the college explains what the contract entails. “The college and staff have discussed with students the following agreement in which we lay out what students can expect from us and, in turn, what we expect from them”. This shows the very high level of standardised English shown and this continues throughout the contract. I believe they do this as it represents the person or supposed people behind this contract narrating it to the people which shows Positional power as it seems as if they are almost lecturing this contract to their hierarchical inferiors (in this case the college students). Also it seems that there is a lot of power through knowledge and ideas being shown here shown in the technical language seen in other legislation such as “intervention contract”. Following on from this point it seems that this “narrator” is almost patronising the students as if they’re out of their superior’s league. This again links back to my previous point as these people proposing the contact are trying the get the message of a hierarchy out early. Although it could be argued that some power is conceded when the college admits that they have “discussed with students” which shows that there is no hierarchical power but instead a “harmonious” equality between college and student. But this idea of hierarchy does crop up again where at the end of the college agreement it is signed off by a superior this being the “Director of sixth form”. This...