Discourse Control and Censorship

THE SUPPRESSION OF UTTERANCE is a factor common to all forms of discourse. Not only is it impossible to express every idea that enters one's mind; in order to articulate a thought, it is also necessary to select the appropriate words from a wide range of possibilities, the rest of which are thereby rejected. Choices about what to say and how to say it inevitably involve choices about what not to say; and under most circumstances such decisions are shaped by an awareness of the rules of discourse applicable to a particular situation. Conversational etiquette may influence how much we choose to say, our adherence — or otherwise — to the rules of grammar, our choice of register and volume, as well as our responses to the actions, words, and silences of those around us. Social pressure may also cause us to avoid certain words or themes, either because they seem generally unacceptable or because we fear the response that they will provoke from particular listeners.

For many forms of discourse, a further level of restriction is imposed by the exclusion of certain categories of individual. In the case of specialized professional and academic debates, qualifications, knowledge of technical language or background knowledge are common prerequisites for participation. While the barring of those who do not meet these requirements may be necessary for pragmatic reasons, it nonetheless involves a silencing of their voices.