The Words Unspoken: The Hidden Power of Language

by Debra C. Smith

While the "King's English" has typically been the language of power, popular culture has given way to new forms of power within language. In modern times, designers, liquor labels, department stores, and jewelers are prospering from the exposure they receive within the lyrics of rap music. This book examines the language of dominance, the language of hip-hop culture, and the transition in power between the two genres. For more than twenty years now, rap artists have created a rivalry of sorts between those language staples of power and the opportunity for new forms of power in language, thus creating a space for us to examine new possibilities for linguistic capital.

142 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 2008