Chris: Good evening everyone! Welcome to the William Show, Live from BBC One Studio, London! Tonight we have 3 special guests as we will talk deeply about Music, Language, and Decency. Joining me tonight the famous Robin Thicke, Language Analyst, Charlie Chandler, and a University College London student, Violet Grey!
Chris: Today we will be discussing a controversial song titled “Blurred Lines” written and performed by American Singer Robin Thicke feat. T.I., and Pharell Williams. Blurred Lines has been peaked at number one in more than 25 countries. However, critics have appeared in response to the lyrics which are to be argued trivialized sexual content directly and explicitly. Not only the lyrics, many people especially the feminists found …show more content…
Your music video and lyrics are strongly inadvisable to be watched and heard by the society. The level of decency is clearly below average.
Chris: Whoa, hold it there, Violet. What do you think as a language and content analyst, Charlie?
Charlie: Well, I agree with Ms. Grey. Some of the lyrics are clearly inappropriate to be said. However, I understood completely that “Blurred Lines” purpose is to create a visual imagery of sexual actions. Although, Mr. Thicke could have changed the inappropriate words to something far more appropriate.
Chris: Could you give us an example?
Charlie: For example the phrase “Ok now he was close, tried to domesticate you. But you’re an animal.” The word domesticate is clearly emphasizing men’s supremacy and usually applied when educating animals. The comparison of women and animals obviously implies sexual objectification of women. In linguistic, Mr. Thicke was using dysphemism which is a substitution of an inoffensive word to a more offensive, derogatory, and unpleasant word. Also, I believe that the word “animal” was a metaphor to describe the wildness of women during sexual activity, but as a language analyst, that word has a very strong negative connotation and could have interpreted in the wrong …show more content…
How about you Robin? Do you have any defenses?
Robin: Well Chris, what he said is true though. Although, music is music. We have our own privileges to interpret the meaning. And, I could not really change the word as the overall song has negative meanings.
Violet: I am sorry to interrupt. I found something more controversial here. Your lyrics, “Had a bitch, but she ain’t bad as you. So hit me up when you pass through. I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two.” Do you think this is too explicit to be mentioned? Also, these phrases clearly emphasize men’s dominance and desire over a woman’s personal sexual agency which sometimes is not welcome which leads to treating a woman like a sex doll in order to pursue their own pleasure.
Charlie: I believe that the right term is orthophemism, Ms. Grey. It is a more direct literal statement, and less colloquial as well as figurative than an euphemism. Another evidence that I found Mr. Thicke was constantly using is the word “bitch” which I believe is a pejorative language. That word is used to insult, disparage, or hurt the subject that is being described.
Robin: Well, in this case, I assume the word “bitch” is considered as a compliment. It has gone through the history of the way word
Chris: Today we will be discussing a controversial song titled “Blurred Lines” written and performed by American Singer Robin Thicke feat. T.I., and Pharell Williams. Blurred Lines has been peaked at number one in more than 25 countries. However, critics have appeared in response to the lyrics which are to be argued trivialized sexual content directly and explicitly. Not only the lyrics, many people especially the feminists found …show more content…
Your music video and lyrics are strongly inadvisable to be watched and heard by the society. The level of decency is clearly below average.
Chris: Whoa, hold it there, Violet. What do you think as a language and content analyst, Charlie?
Charlie: Well, I agree with Ms. Grey. Some of the lyrics are clearly inappropriate to be said. However, I understood completely that “Blurred Lines” purpose is to create a visual imagery of sexual actions. Although, Mr. Thicke could have changed the inappropriate words to something far more appropriate.
Chris: Could you give us an example?
Charlie: For example the phrase “Ok now he was close, tried to domesticate you. But you’re an animal.” The word domesticate is clearly emphasizing men’s supremacy and usually applied when educating animals. The comparison of women and animals obviously implies sexual objectification of women. In linguistic, Mr. Thicke was using dysphemism which is a substitution of an inoffensive word to a more offensive, derogatory, and unpleasant word. Also, I believe that the word “animal” was a metaphor to describe the wildness of women during sexual activity, but as a language analyst, that word has a very strong negative connotation and could have interpreted in the wrong …show more content…
How about you Robin? Do you have any defenses?
Robin: Well Chris, what he said is true though. Although, music is music. We have our own privileges to interpret the meaning. And, I could not really change the word as the overall song has negative meanings.
Violet: I am sorry to interrupt. I found something more controversial here. Your lyrics, “Had a bitch, but she ain’t bad as you. So hit me up when you pass through. I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two.” Do you think this is too explicit to be mentioned? Also, these phrases clearly emphasize men’s dominance and desire over a woman’s personal sexual agency which sometimes is not welcome which leads to treating a woman like a sex doll in order to pursue their own pleasure.
Charlie: I believe that the right term is orthophemism, Ms. Grey. It is a more direct literal statement, and less colloquial as well as figurative than an euphemism. Another evidence that I found Mr. Thicke was constantly using is the word “bitch” which I believe is a pejorative language. That word is used to insult, disparage, or hurt the subject that is being described.
Robin: Well, in this case, I assume the word “bitch” is considered as a compliment. It has gone through the history of the way word