The uses of tattoos

Teachers notes and key

Level: intermediate and above (B1+).
Aims:
to discuss personal experiences of tattoos
to predict the content of a lecture from its title
to make notes on the main points of a lecture
to express and substantiate an opinion on an academic subject.
Topic: tattoos.
Timing: approximately 60 minutes.
Key
Task 3
Answers
Reasons for having a tattoo Examples
!ecorative and spiritual
criminal "an"s
ethnic "roups
performance artists
colle"e fraternities and sororities
protection and "ood luck
#dentification
$a%i concentration camps
forensic patholo"ists
animals
&osmetic
permanent make'up
hidin" skin discolorations
(edical
radiotherapy
breast reconstruction
blood "roup
hidin" skin discolorations
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The uses of tattoos
cript
#)m sure that you)re all *ell a*are of the prevalence of tattoos in
contemporary +estern society , many of you yourselves probably have one , but
tattooin" is not a ne* phenomenon and has served a variety of functions across the
a"es and around the "lobe. -attoos have served as rites of passa"e. marks of
status and rank. symbols of reli"ious and spiritual devotion. decorations for
bravery. sexual lures and marks of fertility. pled"es of love. punishment. amulets
and talismans. protection. and as the marks of outcasts. slaves and convicts.
-oday # *ant to touch upon four different cate"ories of use decorative and
spiritual uses. identification. and cosmetic and medical uses. #)ll address each of
these in turn. but please bear in mind that there is considerable overlap bet*een
the cate"ories.
/o first. let)s look at decorative and spiritual uses. -oday. many people
choose to be tattooed in order to symbolise their belon"in" to or identification
*ith a particular "roup. -his can include membership of a criminal "an" but also
of a particular ethnic "roup or la*'abidin" subculture. 0or example. extensive
decorative tattooin" is common amon" members of freak sho*s and by
performance artists *ho follo* in their tradition and members of colle"e
fraternities and sororities in the 1nited /tates often voluntarily elect to have their
fraternity or sorority letters tattooed on their bodies.
-attoos may also be used for ma"ical and reli"ious reasons. #n 2aos.
&ambodia. and -hailand. for instance. the yantra tattoo is used for protection
a"ainst evil and to brin" "ood luck. /imilarly. in the 3hilippines certain tribal
"roups believe that tattoos help to protect their bearers. (ost traditional
tattooin" in the 3hilippines is related to the bearer4s accomplishments in life or
rank in the tribe. 5mon" &atholic &roats in Bosnia and 6er%e"ovina. tattoos *ith
&hristian symbols *ere like*ise used to protect the bearers from the (uslim -urks.
2et)s no* turn to the use of tattoos for identification. +hilst some people
choose to have a tattoo to sho* their membership of a "roup. others have been
forcibly tattooed. 5 *ell'kno*n example is the identification system for inmates
in $a%i concentration camps durin" the 6olocaust. 0or many centuries seafarers
have under"one tattooin" for the purpose of enablin" identification after
dro*nin". #n this *ay recovered bodies of dro*ned sailors could be reunited *ith
their family members and friends before burial. 0or this reason. tattooists often
*orked in ports. *here potential customers *ere numerous. -his tradition of
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The uses of tattoos
tattooin" continues today in the British 7oyal $avy. and tattoos are still used by
forensic patholo"ists to help them identify burned. putrefied. or mutilated bodies.
since tattoo pi"ment is buried deep enou"h in the skin that even severe burns are
not likely to destroy a tattoo.
-attoos are also placed on animals for identification purposes. 3ets. sho*
animals. thorou"hbred horses and livestock are sometimes tattooed *ith
identification and other marks. 3et do"s and cats are often tattooed *ith a serial
number (usually in the ear. or on the inner thi"h) via *hich their o*ners can also
be identified. Brandin" is also used for similar reasons and is often performed
*ithout anaesthesia. but is different from tattooin". as no ink or dye is inserted
durin" the process.
-hirdly. let)s look at cosmetic uses. +hen used as a form of cosmetics.
tattooin" includes permanent make'up and hidin" or neutralisin" skin
discolorations. 3ermanent make'up is the use of tattoos to enhance eyebro*s. lips
(replacin" liner and8or lipstick) and eyes (replacin" liner) 6idin" skin
discolorations can involve. say. coverin" moles *ith a li"hter skin tone.
0inally. medical uses medical tattoos are used to ensure instruments are
properly located for repeated application of radiotherapy and to sho* the position
of the areola in some forms of breast reconstruction. -attooin" has also been used
to convey medical information about the *earer. such as his or her blood "roup.
5s in the example of moles. tattoos are used in skin tones to cover vitili"o. or skin
pi"mentation disorder.
5lso. animals are occasionally tattooed to prevent sunburn (on the nose. for
example). /uch tattoos are often performed by a vet and in most cases the
animals are anaesthetised durin" the process.
/o today *e)ve looked at four principal uses of tattoos decorative and
spiritual. identification. and cosmetic and medical. +hile you)ve been listenin".
you may have been thinkin" about your o*n tattoo or a tattoo belon"in" to a
friend of yours. and # hope that this lecture *ill have led you to reflect on your
o*n reasons for *earin" tattoos. +ill societies find other uses for tattoos in the
future9 -his is the subject of another lecture alto"ether:
adapted from the entry ;-attoo) on +ikipedia (***.*ikipedia.or")
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The uses of tattoos
Task !
<et into "roups of three. &ompare any tattoos you have. #f you
do not have any. talk about any tattoos your friends have or about
tattoos that you have seen in the street. in ma"a%ines or on
television.
Task "
=ou are "oin" to hear a short lecture on the uses of tattoos. 5s a *hole class. try
to predict some of the content of the lecture.
Task 3
5s you listen to the lecture. complete the follo*in" chart
Reasons for having a tattoo Examples
!ecorative and spiritual
forensic patholo"ists
animals
&osmetic
&heck your ans*ers in pairs.
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The uses of tattoos
Task #
2ook at the follo*in" statement
Tattoos are just a fashion that future
generations will consider to be very odd
indeed.
-ake a fe* moments to consider your o*n opinions on this topic then share your
vie*s *ith your partner.
$o* look back at the table from task > and choose some examples to support your
ar"uments.
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