Conservatives' "Linguistic Coup" and How to Fight It

By: Lowell
Published On: 7/5/2006 4:42:30 PM

The  Boston Globe has an interview with leading linguist Geoffrey Nunberg, in conjunction with the release of Nunberg's new book, "Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism Into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show."

According to the Globe:

Even though surveys show that liberal positions on issues like tax fairness, health care, and Social Security enjoy broad support, conservatives have pulled off a "linguistic coup" so deftly, Nunberg says, that the right now controls "the basic language of politics" in this country.

How do liberals fight back against this coup?  Nunberg lays out a plan to do so, including "tell[ing] a persuasive narrative of what they're about" and not just offering a "shopping list."  In general, liberals need to fight back and not allow conservatives to define them as an "elite,
self-indulgent, upper-middle-class coastal phenomenon."  And they need to choose candidates who "understand...the need to recapture the language and redirect the party's narrative in a more populist direction that builds solidarity between the working class and the middle class."

Does that sound like Jim Webb or what?

On several leading 2008 Democratic Presidential aspirants, Nunberg has these comments:

I would say that John Edwards, whatever other shortcomings he has a candidate, has an intuitive understanding of this. Hillary Clinton certainly doesn't get it the way Bill did, though she's trying. Wesley Clark and Mark Warner don't seem to have a natural gift for this stuff.

Very interesting, although I don't know that I agree with Nunberg regarding Clark and Warner. Still, I look forward to reading Numberg's book.  I also look forward to meeting the author when he reads at Politics & Prose in Washington, DC on July 26 at 7 PM. 

Comments



OK-see, I love messing with people... (phriendlyjaime - 7/5/2006 4:53:09 PM)
And before I realized that Al Franken had done something similar to O'Reilly, my dream was to write a book called "How to Deal with a Fascist Republican (if you must)."

Then I was going to wear the same clothes as (and pose the same) as Anne Coulter did on the cover of her book "How to talk to a Liberal (if you must)."

But her outfit is nasty, and so is she.

I refuse to save this pic, so you gotta click

So, I have no answer, but I think that would be hilarious.  Of course, I would get sued by the woman who can threaten the lives of Supreme Court Justices without a problem, but hey...



Liberal confession... (Loudoun County Dem - 7/5/2006 5:50:25 PM)
Whenever I am in a bookstore and I see her books turned cover out (like godless) I can't resist the urge to place another book in front of it to cover it up, since book stores shelf political books by author I usually use 'Our Endangered Values : America's Moral Crisis' by Jimmy Carter since it is nearby.


Why does anyone carry her hateful books? (snolan - 7/6/2006 7:57:50 AM)
I was shocked to see that particular facist-repug's books in Price Club the other day, then Erci pointed out to me that they were on the discounted to $1.99 rack and appeared to be nearly full (as in: virtually untouched) case lots.

Erci can be so positive at times!  Woohoo!

PS: I thought about spelling facist with a ph, but then decided there is no phun in facist.



You are correct! (phriendlyjaime - 7/6/2006 10:28:02 AM)
The ph must be reserved for awesomeness.


And how is Warner (mkfox - 7/5/2006 7:53:29 PM)
not a good candidate, according to this guy's formula? He appeals for more dialogue and less partisan bickering, comes from an ordinary middle class background, isn't an extremist, isn't a career politican (holding elective office, that is), promotes rural job creation and is one of the most affable one-on-one politicians in the '08 race, plus he's one of the few '08 Dems with a tangible vision for the future. Hilary, Dean and Kerry represent the "freak show" in the minds of most Americans. Warner/Clark is my ticket for '08!


When the Bush Zombies are laying on the floor... (Bubby - 7/5/2006 8:29:07 PM)
in November the dialogue will change as America returns Congress to two-party rule. Republican consultants will be tasked with keeping their clients out of court and we can have a discussion about what America's vital interests really are.  At that point we are certain to hear alot more from Mark Warner and Wes Clark. You know, guys that actually get 'er done.


Linguistic Coup => Bullshit dominates => Leadership failure => ? (Kathy Gerber - 7/5/2006 9:45:33 PM)
That a linguistic coup has occurred is certainly true enough.  It's important to understand it, but who's highly motivated to "take back linguistics" for its own sake?  Not me.  I'm just afraid it can turn into too much of a sidetrack.

What the writer calls "persuasive narrative" I think of as truth and common sense. They are our most reliable tools.

For starters in the truth arena, some liberals really are elites, do drink latte, etc.  And some liberals are no more comfortable among Americans struggling to get by than is Barbara Bush.  We shouldn't pretend like we don't have such folks, because we do.  And it is true that most liberals are rather ordinary.



Key = getting beyond caricatures (Kindler - 7/5/2006 10:20:38 PM)
Read "What's the Matter with Kansas" by Thomas Frank.  He does a very good job of showing how Repubs convince regular people to vote against their own economic interests by pawning themselves off as common folk in opposition to the tyranny of the latte-guzzling liberal elites.


Extremely good book, but I am stumped trying to find answers (snolan - 7/6/2006 8:01:13 AM)
Frank's book made me angrier and angrier with each chapter, and I kept hoping for a positive ending or some practical suggestions on how to reverse the lunacy, and none was offered.

"What's the Matter with Kansas" (like real life in Kansas) does not have a happy ending or suggestions for how to defeat the deceptions of the neo-cons.  The reader is left to figure that out for himself...  frustrating, but still very useful information.