The Concept of Prestige
The prestige is widely and commonly applicable term, yet highly contextualized. There are questions of where prestige resides, whether in people, in things, possession, or in the relationship with things. However, scholars have determined that prestige resides in the roles or functions that a person performs. The presidency or kinship is prestigious; however, prestige does not reside in a person (Blackmore 03). The ancient European society offers two contexts of defining prestige; an illustrious name such as Pompey who is a person of great exploits, and a person conferred with a great mark of esteem has to possess great prestige. Secondly, as enemies of Pompey stand envious, he has to have the greatest prestige. Oxford living dictionaries define prestige as “widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of a perception of their achievements or quality.” In defining prestige, evidence of glory and distinction, an excellent reputation or social esteem, great influence, a highly reputable office among other values and aspirations that a society considers a reserve of royalty has to exist to contextualize prestige (Kuhn 10).
Prestige in Language and Communication
Perhaps the most relevant view of prestige is in language and communication. In this context, prestige is either overt or covert. Prestige is a concept of social standing, honor or esteem, and prominence. Overt and covert prestige in language can apply when changing speech to gain a reputation or appear to possess a high social standing, or success, especially among women of a reputable class. Again, the notion of illusion or a perception features in defining prestige in this criterion. Prestige is the highest standard of social value ascribed to a linguistic variety in a speech community. These standards require codifying a legitimized language while marginalizing language varieties perceived as less prestigious. Contextually, overt prestige in language and communication means general social acknowledgment of a language as correct, hence greatly valued. On the other hand, covert prestige in language refers to nonstandard varieties. The notion of perception comes as speakers attach value to such minor varieties without awareness by a positive evaluation.
Prestige in Different Contexts
Even with the sociopolitical, cultural, environmental, and advancements in language and social structures, the meaning of prestige in various contexts has essentially remained the same. “A country or an organization has prestige if they are admired and respected because of the position they hold or their achievements,” Collins English Dictionary. Companies still use prestige to define highly reputable and generally accepted products by people of high standings or a high social class. Coincidentally, as a modifier, Collins English Dictionary presents Prestige definition as “Denoting something that arouses widespread respect or admiration.” Events are still considered prestigious based on the social perception among important personalities. Over time, prestige remains a perception of value attached to people, things, places rather than the people, things, events or places themselves.
Prestige in the Creative Industry
Contextualizing prestige is prevalent in defining a perceived masterpiece in the creative industry. A drawing in an art gallery is regarded prestigious subject to judgments of artistic quality influenced by the prestige of the context rather than anything about the work of art itself. Consideration relates to whether or not the work belongs to a famous painter, or whether or not it hangs in an art museum. Creating a perception that a piece of material is of a renowned artist is a strategy that art dealers employ to attach different prices on art pieces on even the same piece of art (Sawyer 223). This context aids in defining prestige first in context and then as a perception created on something rather than the objects being of value.
Prestige in the Economic Context
The most controversial definition of prestige is in the economic context that presents another prestige relative to marginal utility (Keasbey 457). However, defining prestige regarding the value is more subjective rather than objective. If regarded objectively, prestige would ultimately result in actual and measurable satisfaction rather than perception. Keasbey maintains further that, present in the mind is a construct that makes valuing of things and the conception of concrete, quality, and quantitative measure of that thing possible relative to set standards. These perspectives define something satisfactory, or good. Even good itself is not enough; there has to be a perception of a “better good” or continuous attainment of value. Prestige is defined based on the ability of possessions to continuously give an impression of value, a concept of marginal utility. Value is a quantitative measure of utility or a calculated form of utility. Therefore, prestige defined based on utility implies the perception of the relationship between persons and their economic environment, want and the possibility of the highest satisfaction.
Conclusion
Over time, prestige is a concept attached to the wealthy and royalty and places they find pleasurable. Therefore, defining prestige requires a more subjective approach. Giving weight to perception fits within the scope of subjectivity in examining prestige. Also, glory and distinction in character or class are important aspects of creating value or uniquely identifying prestige as class-based. Prestige comes of such values, hence their importance in contextualizing prestige. Lastly, through a context, a standard emanates to define the boundary of what is prestigious. The only measurable or objective definition of prestige is potential for the satisfaction in the economic context. Keith Hope’s A Liberal theory of Prestige (1982) that “… prestige has both a normative and factual component” supports the two facets of prestige.
Works Cited
Blackmore, Paul. Prestige in academic life: Excellence and exclusion. Routledge, 2015.
Kuhn, Annika B. "The dynamics of social status and prestige in Pliny, Juvenal and Martial." Social status and prestige in the Graeco-Roman world(2015): 9-28.
Sawyer, R. Keith. Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. Oxford University Press, 2011.
Keasbey, Lindley M. "Prestige value." The Quarterly Journal of Economics 17.3 (1903): 456-475.
Hope, Keith. "A liberal theory of prestige." American Journal of Sociology 87.5 (1982): 1011-1031.
