Introduction
Language is a social phenomenon, but it also has an individual aspect. The individual is formed through an internal attitude to language, through the formation of personal linguistic meanings; at the same time, it should be remembered that it influences the formation of linguistic traditions. Each such personality is formed based on the appropriation by a particular person of all the linguistic wealth created by its predecessors. The language of a particular person consists to a greater extent of general and a lesser extent of individual linguistic features.
Language
Professor of phonetics Higgins makes a bet with Colonel Pickering that in a few months, he will be able to teach a street flower seller the correct speech and make her successfully pass for a duchess. However, in an atmosphere of attention and respect for her personality, Eliza shows extraordinary abilities, intelligence, talent, and a sense of inner dignity. Eliza’s transformation is designed to refute the established opinion that social barriers are insurmountable (Shaw). They only prevent people from realizing the possibilities inherent in them. Shaw believes in culture and knowledge, which destroys the gap separating class from class and soul from soul.
At the initial stage of the play, Eliza Doolittle appears to readers in the image of a street vendor. The author describes her appearance and clothes, which are greatly influenced by street dirt. Eliza’s appearance does not allow her to be ranked among the upper strata of society (Shaw). At the lexical level, it is essential to note the presence of colloquial words and expressions in the main character’s speech, which emphasizes the lack of proper upbringing. So, Professor Higgins begins to create a new Eliza Doolittle, trying to change not only her speech but also her character, manners, and views. Motivation is at the heart of the basic social structure. Eliza Doolittle had a powerful one: she wanted to become a professional flower girl.
However, she believed that only good English was needed for this (a limited cognitive concept of the profession). Higgins proved to his students that it is necessary to change completely to become a flower shop lady. Higgins ordered not only to burn her dirty old clothes, but the professor and his servants completely changed Eliza’s inner world. Even the temperament changes, the hot-tempered (typical choleric), rude Eliza at the beginning of the play cannot be compared with the restrained majestic Eliza at the end of the work, so similar in terms of her behavior to the sanguine (Shaw). The concept of the biosocial substructure under the influence of the professor’s teaching and upbringing is polished to such a high level that Eliza grasps not only the finest nuances of pronunciation and intonation but also her manners become incredibly aristocratic.
Conclusion
Summing up, it should be noted that the show demonstrates the importance of language in significantly affecting a person. Culture and class are certain, depending on how a person operates with his language experience. However, it should be noted that more than one literate speech is needed. In order to notice significant changes, it is also necessary to work out one’s behavior. All this subsequently has a specific effect on consciousness, which is why a person discovers his true capabilities and potential, which were limited by the inability to communicate in an appropriate way.
Work Cited
Shaw, George Bernard. Pygmalion. The Project Gutenberg, 1912, Web.