Imagine you run a small business that sells party supplies and your daughter has just started dating Prince William, second in line to the British throne. They get engaged, the date is set, and suddenly you’re in London, at Buckingham Palace, meeting Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen extends her hand and asks, "How do you do?" You’re understandably nervous, but luckily you’ve rehearsed a reply: "Pleased to meet you."
Disaster. Wrong answer. What were you thinking? But you keep making conversation. Maybe you discuss the weather, the traffic, or how to pretend to modernise an outdated institution by marrying off your grandchild. The Queen says something you don’t catch, and, trying to be polite, you ask, "Pardon?" Another disaster. Your terrible word choices make headlines. You’re publicly shamed.
As ridiculous as all this may sound, it’s what Carole Middleton experienced when her daughter Kate married into the British royal family. Her mistake? Using language to try to climb the social ladder.
Britain has a complex class system, and word choices immediately reveal someone’s background. So upper-class people say: "How do you do?", "what?", and "lavatory". Use "pleased to meet you", "pardon?", or "toilet", and you’ll be instantly revealed as a member of the aspirational middle class trying to infiltrate the upper echelons of society (a heinous crime if you’re British, apparently).
Middleton’s story shows how language defines someone’s world. You can work your way up from a shop selling novelty party balloons to the hallowed halls of Buckingham Palace, but a single word is enough to put you back in your place. That’s because language is loaded with identity and power. Words can wound (as Middleton will be the first to tell you).
But words can also embolden and empower. And a shared language is the strongest connection any group can have to a shared history and culture. The language you speak might even change how you see the world.
That’s why this week, our recommended reads explore and celebrate language in its many forms. Happy reading, and have a great weekend!