Animal-unfriendly Expressions in English

Animal-unfriendly Expressions in English

Janpha Thadphoothon

The language we use is not just a system of signs or symbols. it often reflect our social construction.

Language as a symbolic system does not function in vacuum. There are truckloads of values and ideas embedded into it. Often such historical and experiential embodiment is the result of its use in society. Very often, we do not think much about it. But when we carefully look into our language we might be more aware of our construction ans perhaps our shortcomings.

Language has power. It reflects values and reinforces values. One example of the power of language can be seen in various animal-unfriendly expressions found in English. In Thai, we have a saying โง่เหมือนควาย or as stupid as a buffalo.

In many languages, we can often notice the biases against animals.

Three such animal-unfriendly expressions in English are:

a. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. (This means that we can use different ways to achieve our goals.)

b. Kill two birds with one stone. (This means to perform two tasks or achieve two goals at the same time.)

c. Don’t be a sitting duck. (This means someone or something likely to be attacked or unable to put up a defense. A duck hunter knows that if a duck is sitting still, it’s a much easier target than a duck in flight.)

In semiotics, we have learned how discourse represents and constructs society. The way we use those expressions, if anything, reflects our attitudes and mindset of those animals.

Bearing this bias in mind, as a teacher, you may ask your students to find the biased expressions or proverbs in Thai or in English. Let them discuss and unpack the many values embedded in them.