Businessman Quote by Kory Stamper
“The initial 18th-, 19th-century intention was to give the less-educated lower classes a way to move up into this new, rising middle class, to enable them to fit in. So our view of language as being class-based is an unintended consequence of the drive to help educate rising businessmen.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Language and Class, Kory Stamper, 2018
Stamper explains that language stratification arose unintentionally from efforts to educate the rising middle class, not from deliberate class division.
In simple terms: Education unintentionally created language classes.
Key Takeaway
Be aware of hidden class biases in language.
Themes
sociolinguistics
education
class
Mood
thoughtful
concerned
Type
sociological
observational
When to use this quote
- teaching
- policy making
- community outreach
Key Concepts
language hierarchy
social mobility
Questions to Reflect On
- How does language signal social status?
- Can inclusive language reduce class bias?
A Different Perspective
Language reforms may reinforce class boundaries.
