Nothing but words
- Words & echoes
I have noted many unique linguistic expressions used by hardworking politicians of Nepal over the years. But after Baburam Bhattarai became prime minister of Nepal a couple of weeks ago, the continuity and modifications of these expressions have struck me as a very important means of unravelling the complex political logic in Nepal. As a student of stylo-linguistics, the term “phatic”, among a few others, has attracted my attention more than anything else. Of course, political discourse studies do interest me, but the phatic aspect of language use has been telling me more than anything else.
Linguists complain that though language is bandied about in political discussions, it is not theorised to the same extent as politics is being theorised these days. Phatic communication is said to be devoid of content; it does not have a structured meaning. But when it comes to politics, phatic communication receives a great deal of attention. Different languages do share certain expressions for making sense of cultural differences and knowledge.
After the Maoist movement, a new sense of mixing codes or overemphasising the phatic aspect of the Nepali language came into greater use. The expressions used during the early years are also being repeated freely. The present position is that in Nepal, overuse of phatic communication, even though it is devoid of meaning, is slowly creating serious consequences. Overt and overuse of phatic communication by politicians reflects a psyche of mistrust and thwarted personal ambitions and jealousy which, if given greater priority in discourses and publicity in the media, can create a very bad political atmosphere in the country, especially at a time when we need to focus more on the clarity of expression, making sense rather than repeating convoluted phatic communication.
The nature of anxiety is complex. The basis of understanding such anxiety is the use of language again. The two most important agencies of abundant use of language are political leaders and the media who carry their language. A surfeit of phatic communication, a system of overused expressions, can easily drown out a clear sense of direction in politics. Phatic communication is woven around conspiracy theories and their greater use in political discourses. A sense of failure can be noticed in the nature of the language used in the ongoing political repartees. So, we can say that many such phatic expressions are not spontaneously fixed but appropriated or accommodated in political speech.
The exchange of phatic communication between the Maoists in Nepal and other parties is very eloquent. To Sushil-da, president of the Nepali Congress, the oldest democratic party, the communists are bad, the Maoists are the worst. They cannot and must not be trusted.
To the Maoists, especially to its militant faction, the parliamentary parties are the bearers of the bad old bourgeois standard.
The in-between jumbo party, the United Marxist Leninist, does not have ideologues or a charismatic leader. But it has been seen in the near past that they send a candidate for prime minister, and once he takes the oath of office, they start theorising conspiracy and manufacturing the language of vituperation. Once the person steps down, they happily become united and speak the same phatic language.
The Maoists’ use of phatic expressions is even broader. Speaking against India is their favourite phatic communication. Though they would know how wonderful it would be to open new avenues of good relationship with India for both the country and themselves, the lure of anti-Indian phatic expressions is very strong. Of course, India has its own side of the use of phatic expressions too, but such use of phatic expressions would blind the parties to wonderful opportunities of relationship that may open up on all sides.
Phatic expressions can also perform miracles sometimes. Anna Hazare’s use of Gandhian phatic expressions galvanised the forces in India. Phatic expressions can be anachronistic, but politicians try them over and over again. Some of them succeed. When the centre does not hold, when old fixed meanings erode, phatic expressions becomes dysfunctional. But it does not matter for phatic communication. It can continue because it is never supposed to be functional anyway. Phatic expressions don’t mean anything. But in Nepal, the use of phatic expressions has begun to be effective.
Baburam Bhattarai’s use of a Nepali vehicle is creating the most phatic talk. One senior politician expanded the phatic discussion and said he should instead use a horse-drawn tanga. Another big leader of the opposition said, “Look how we have brought the Maoists to their knees and made them surrender the key!” Even big leaders have been saying about the simple Dashain festival arrangements of the government that they are a populist measure. I would say phatic expressions should not be used here. Baburam Bhattarai’s efforts should be appreciated. If he rides a “swadeshi” vehicle, don’t make it a political life-and-death discourse. If he closes “gundpak” and confectionery stores selling rotten food, don’t see it as a political threat against you. It is a simple day-to-day market surveillance measure. You should realise that use of phatic expressions unwittingly over such matters may mean that you condone the sale of rotten sweets.
There is a lot of ambivalence in the use of phatic expressions. That is the other side of it. I have noticed that the same leader who calls closing down stores selling rotten sweets and arranging easy sale of Dashain rice a populist measure calls Bhattarai a good man, who could do nice things. But why not support him by being flexible and making it easier for him and his party to submit the key and resolve the cantonment and regrouping process? Given that the country has spent so much money on war and also on salary payments to the guerrillas, and the power-wielding people in this country have unfairly gobbled up billions of rupees from the state coffers, it would be wise to agree to give “seven” hundred thousand rupees to each registered young militant in the cantonments and a little more to their leaders and let them melt into normal life. One word or two for the donors. You have spent so much for this country, you have been so nice to us, why not support us with some money in this process and help end the stalemate?
But one final note to the Maoists. You are very good in the production and use of phatic expressions, much of which don’t mean anything anymore. At a meeting between Prime Minister Bhattarai and civil society leaders, Devendra
Raj Pandey and Khagendra Sangraula asked him, “If your party is divided over the question of handing over the key and regrouping the combatants, what would you expect civil society to do to help you?” That is the crux of the matter. My point is, it is the duty of the other parties also to help the chairman of the Maoists and the prime minister at this juncture of time rather than wasting time reiterating the trifle bulk of phatic expressions on a daily basis with semi-ethical devotion. But the Maoists should act first.
Posted on: 2011-09-14 09:16
Post Your Comment
Today's Paper
The Kantipur in Print
FROM THE PAST 7 DAYS
ENTER KEYWORD OR DATE
FROM THE PAST 7 DAYS
ENTER KEYWORD OR DATE
Abin
All of them discussed the issue. The result was the same...and we have committed to continue discussions on the issue till midnight.
ADVERTISEMENTS
OUR PUBLICATION :
