Two different views on the Mong Kok incident: language analysis
Two different views on the Mong Kok incident: language analysis
1. Please, no more buts in justifying Hong Kong’s Mong Kok riothttp://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1913487/please-no-more-buts-justifying-hong-kongs-mong-kok-riot
“Only cowards without morals and political courage would blur the line between right and wrong. Public Eye nearly hurled a teacup at the TV screen when we saw legislator Cyd Ho Sau-lan shifting blame away from the rioters within hours of the rampage. How do these self-proclaimed champions of democracy and human rights live with their conscience? What about the human rights of the policeman who was nearly bludgeoned to death?”
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(1) Coward:
Definition
Someone who is too afraid to do what is right or expected: someone who is not at all brave or courageous
Association of word
Chicken, quitter, fear, run away
Measurement
Evaluate
Negative (-10, on a scale from -10 to 10, same afterwards)
Potency
Strong (+9)
Activity
Passive (-6)
This word refers to people that justify the violent rioters by blaming the CE CY Leung. It clearly shows the author’s attitude that violence is unacceptable regardless of the cause and the twist to which sympathize the rioters is unnecessary.
(2) Democracy
Definition
a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting; a country ruled by democracy; an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights
Association of words
Republic, autonomy, dictatorship, tyranny
Measurement
Evaluate
Moderate positive (+2)
Potency
Strong (+8)
Activity
Positive (+6)
Contradictory to general usage of the word democracy, the term in the context implies the limitation of democracy and the author used it as sarcasm to show people’s zealousness toward which is doubtful.
(3) Bludgeoned
Definition
That usually has one thick end and is used as a weapon; something that is used to attack or bully someone
Association of words
Hit, knock down, hurt
Measurement
Evaluate
Negative(-10)
Potency
Strong (+10)
Activity
Passive (-10)
The word used here emphasizes that the policemen are also hurt in the riot and the rioters are framed as the antagonists.
2. Forever we stand with the rebels: Declaration of the Hong Kong University Students’ Union on the Battle of Mongkok on 8th February
Standing in others’ shoes, one shall only shiver in horror when the gunshot across the air was heard, the gun barrel pointing at skulls were witnessed. In view of such situation, hundreds of citizens overcame their terror and rose to revolt for justice. Had PC 5619 taken the shot out of fear, how should people have reacted in face of the strikes and kicks of the fiendish police? At the same time, held in custody in the deep black car, the detainees suffered countless blows and punches, let alone further tortures as they arrived the police station. Did you, devoid of conscience, deem them to ask for their own troubles, it would only show your total lack of empathy. We are all the same. We are just human. We laugh when tickled, hurt when beaten. And when people are suppressed, they rebel for sure.
It was never only a day for all these to happen. Bricks and flames are the surface, the authoritarian and its suppression are indeed the crux. The Hong Kong government had once behaved and given in in view of peaceful demonstrations. But in recent years, the Hong Kong communist regime only became more shameless and even remained indifferent towards the hundreds of millions of support to true universal suffrage. As Hongkongers could no longer tolerate, people rose to revolt in the Umbrella Revolution with barricades and shields. Battle of Mongkok today originated from and resembled the Umbrella Revolution. In the midst of teary smog and frightening gunshot, we no longer fear and we stride forward with courage, unveiling the start of a brand-new way in protest.
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(1) Courage
Definition
the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous
Association of words
Bravery, daring, cowardice, resolution
Measurement
Evaluate
Positive(+10)
Potency
Strong (+10)
Activity
Active (+8)
The word is used to show that people like the author are not afraid of the violent conflict caused by the protest and are determined to take down the HK communist regime.
(2) Authoritarian
Definition
Expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws : not allowing personal freedom
Association of words
Tyrannous, dictatorship, democracy
Measurement
Evaluate
Negative(-10)
Potency
Strong (+10)
Activity
Active (+9)
This word shows the author’s discontent to the government, as he is rising against which, he/she find that the administration is tyrannous.
(3) Suffered
Definition
to experience pain, illness, or injury; to experience something unpleasant (such as defeat, loss, or damage); to become worse because of being badly affected by something
Association of words
Tolerated, pain, hurt
Measurement
Evaluate
Negative(-10)
Potency
Strong (+10)
Activity
Passive (-10)
The usage of the word suffer exaggerates the physical damage of the rioters and, contradictory to the word the former article used, the police is framed up as the antagonist.
Conclusion
Upon the same incident, though the two extreme cases mentioned before are selected to have a more dramatic effect, different people have varied view and their respective opinions are expressed through a selection of wordings. Indeed, the wording they selected, from coward to courage, from democracy to authoritarian, from bludgeoned to suffered, all reflected the author’s personal emotion and ideology and these wordings can appeal to the audience’s unconsciousness. The subjectivity of language is too prominent to be neglected.
References
Chugani.M.(2016. 16 Febuary) Please, no more buts in justifying Hong Kong’s Mong Kok riot. South China Morning Post. Retrieved from http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1913487/please-no-more-buts-justifying-hong-kongs-mong-kok-riot
Webster dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coward
The Hong Kong University Students’ Union. (2016. 10. Febuary) Forever we stand with the rebels: Declaration of the Hong Kong University Students’ Union on the Battle of Mongkok on 8th February.