Determinism... Its not the same a predestination; this is not the belief that every action and resulting consequence is pre-played by whatever god you believe in on some great strategy board somewhere. This is the belief that our lives are governed by many factors beyond our direct control (nature/nurture is a deterministic argument).
From a standpoint of pure linguistics this is a very postmodern debate. The words we use can make a huge difference in the message we get across and therefore how that message is received and perceived by our audience. For instance; it's been argued that a kindergarten teacher, using iterations of the words "good little worker", can "indoctorinate" children toward a blue-collar existence; making being a cog in the industrial process rewarding rather than frustrating.
It becomes necessary for us then to examine our language and our use of it. What things do you say, consciously or unconsciously that alter the perceptions of others? All words are meant to make a difference.
Michael Apple argues in "Ideology and Democracy" for examining the psycholinguistic characteristics of the language we use with children to encourage a post0industrial mindset. I recommend this book, but be warned; the language and philosophy are dense.
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