Standard English Wash (2022)
An project on bias and discrimination towards Accent & Dialects.
Language is integral to our lives and makes us unique as humans. The words we choose can define us and have greater impact than the meaning behind them. After researching language, I found myself reflecting on the theories of Prescriptivism and Descriptivism, and how language can lead to a subconscious or unconscious reaction.
My project considers this within the context of the ‘everyday’, washing clothes. Should language be cleaned and kept to a ‘standard’? Or, should we appreciate the role of slang and informal language, embrace new words and be proud of how they shape our identities and cultures?
Letterpress:
I learnt the process of letterpress, experimenting with colour and pattern to illustrate the “kaleidoscope” of accents, dialects and languages - using a quote by David Crystal.
Using the metaphor/context of the washing machine, I later printed - using letterpress - the statement ‘Keep Words Dirty’ which I also transferred into a tote bag design as well. The meaning of this statement therefore is to welcome the informal and slang elements of language and to discourage people from cleaning away the history and culture attached when the only purpose is standardisation.
