a mle mpf resource booklet mpf resource...a resource booklet a. introduction the mle/mpf project. p....

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MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH/ MULTICULRURAL PARIS FRENCH

A RESOURCE BOOKLET

A. Introduction The MLE/MPF project. p. 2 Resources for teachers p. 2

B. Classroom activities

1) Discourse –pragmatics p. 4 • Quotatives / les introducteurs p. 4 • General extenders / particules d’extension p. 5 • Discourse markers / marqueurs pragmatiques p. 6

2) Vocabulary p. 7

• Activities based on recorded data p. 7 • Activities based on a questionnaire from Le Raincy p. 8 • Lessons from an East London School p. 9

3) Syntactic features p. 9

4) Student research p.10

C. Activity Files

1) Resources based on MLE/MPF • Quotative expressions / les introducteurs p.12 • Extenders / particules d’extension p.14 • Discourse markers /marqueurs pragmatiques p.17 • Le Blédard p.19 • Les Boug’zeers p.21 • Dans le metro p.23

2) Activities based on the Raincy questionnaire p.25 3) Lessons from an East London school p.31

Appendix: References and further reading and research 1) Teaching references p.38 2) Academic references p.39

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MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH/

MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

A. INTRODUCTION The MLE/MPF project. The project is the first large scale comparison of two significant Western European settings from a sociolinguistic perspective. It aims to make a direct comparison of language change in contemporary London English and Paris French. The project is co-ordinated by the Principal Investigator Professor Penelope Gardner-Chloros, in the Department of Applied Linguistics and Communication at Birkbeck, with Professor Jenny Cheshire, co-investigator, Queen Mary College, University of London. The lead researcher is Dr Maria Secova. The project builds on and uses the same methodology as the Multilingual London English project, run by Jenny Cheshire at Queen Mary from 2007 to 2010. This explored the role of London as a motor of language change and studied young people in both inner and outer London areas. The present phase of the MLE/MPF project collected similar data from young people in a range of locations in the eastern banlieues of Paris. Areas were chosen that had substantial migrant populations. The research team paid particular attention to the influence on French of varieties spoken by communities of immigrant origin, especially French Caribbeans and Maghrebians. A significant part of the data analysis is focused on comparing data from both cities with a view to identifying processes of language contact and patterns of language variation and change. The project is jointly funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR). Resources for teachers The materials in this section of the website have been designed for classroom use by teachers of French from Year 9 up to A-Level. They are designed to complement the resources developed by the Multicultural London English project that are available on the Queen Mary website (http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching ) and follow a similar format. Over the last four years, from 2010 to 2014, approximately 45 hours of recordings have been made with young people in a variety of settings in the eastern suburbs of Paris, mostly in areas with a substantial population originating in migration. Many of the participants are familiar with languages other than French in their home and immediate community. The materials are aimed at teachers who wish to introduce their pupils to authentic contemporary spoken French and to explore the effect of language contact and the varieties spoken by minority linguistic groups on patterns of language variation and change. The activity files offer opportunities for students to encounter unfamiliar accents and intonations, to become familiar with some of the discourse-pragmatic features that are common in informal speech

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and some of the vocabulary used by young people in the Paris area. They offer opportunities for young people to explore their own informal usage in English and to encounter the complex linguistic and cultural task of comparing informal languages and finding equivalent words and expressions. The resources offer teachers and students original research materials as an addition to film, music and other media resources available on the internet and encourage students to carry out their own research, both with their family and peers and online. Each section below offers a description of the features studied, a summary of key findings on the topic from the MLE/MPF project and information on related activities to be found in section C.

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B. CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1) Discourse – pragmatics “Discourse-pragmatic features are syntactically optional linguistic items or constructions which make little or no contribution to the referential meaning (= factual content) of an utterance but are used instead to perform important interactional functions” (Pichler, 2012:3). These include quotative expressions (I was like), general extenders (and stuff) and discourse markers (like).

a) Quotative Expressions / Les Introducteurs

Quotatives are used to introduce direct speech in spoken language. While the words reported by the speaker rarely represent exactly what was actually said, the use of direct speech adds drama and authenticity to the exchange. It reflects the feelings, thoughts and responses of the speaker (Fox, 2012) as well as those of the person whose speech is reported. The use of direct speech can also function to recreate a memory or report internal speech. In conversation the reporting of direct speech is often accompanied by lively body language, gestures, acting and mimicry. In formal English say is the traditional way of introducing direct speech (she said ‘go away’). Teachers are familiar with the task of encouraging pupils to break the monotony of a text or presentation and extend their expressive range by using quotatives that better describe a situation: shouted, muttered, exploded etc.

In informal speech a wide range of quotatives is in use: go (she went ‘go away’), tell, as well as the zero quotative (go away) where speech is reported without an introduction, but is generally signalled through intonation and body language. There are regional variations.

The same applies to formal French where dire is the most commonly used verb with popular alternatives being: crier, raconter, répondre, demander, répéter, etc.

The MLE study described the role of young people as “linguistic innovators” (Cheshire et al, 2011). Quotatives are particularly sensitive to linguistic change. Their use has mostly been studied in English, in relation to geographical distribution and social context as well as over time. The MPF study, based on spontaneous and informal language recorded in natural settings in the Paris area, explores new trends in the use of direct speech and compares them with English forms in current use (Secova, forthcoming). It explores the pragmatic functions of these new forms as well as identifying forms that are specific to the French corpus. apres mes frères, ils étaient là “mais non maman laisse la” et tout moi j‘étais là (imitation pleurs). he was describing him and I was like “oh my god you like the same guy as me”. Zero: après ils en ont eu tellement marre que (.) « bon allez hop (.) tout en carré c’est bon ». ‘cos my parents were so (.) strict not strict but old school with like curfews and not going out to parties and (.) “oh you wanna sleep over at your friend’s house well who are they?” (Secova, forthcoming) Secova comments on the similarities in the data in the way that genre and like are used:

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no-one can really box us into like a category. ils se reconnaissent depuis qu’ils ont genre deux ans. on dirait des gamins genre « non j’ai pas deux ans ! » if I just said I’m from round the corner (.) like “I live in this estate here.” Secova, forthcoming

and notes that, as the use of the term genre has developed, it has acquired a function of mitigating statements quoted, distancing the speaker from the content as well as conveying the attitude of the original speaker and the impression made. Faire krari and faire style are other quotatives identified in the data. Of particular interest are the similarities in function between être la / comme ça and this is + NP and the way in which they introduce mimicry and direct attention to the content of the reported message. There is a clear change of voice in these examples and the speakers offer a dynamic recreation of the voice and manner of the original. Et puis il était comme ça “ah ah ah sors! (=crie) Et il allait – sa main elle était prête ! X et on se tenait comme ça (=imitation) On était tous comme ça « il va lui mettre une giffle (.) non ! » When your parents (.) when they go « oh he’s turning eighteen soon” they think “what we gonna do (.) we can’t say anything to him now” you’re like that “I’ve got so much freedom!” Secova, forthcoming.

The Activity File on Quotatives / Introducteurs offers an opportunity to explore issues around the topic in the classroom. It includes transcripts from London and Paris (the audio files can be downloaded from the MLE/MPF website at http://www.mle-mpf.bbk.ac.uk/Resources.html ). The Activity File is also available on the website as a Power Point.

The file offers opportunities for linguistic comparisons, for pupils to carry out their own research and analyse their data and, given the very dynamic way in which quotatives are often used, rich opportunities for role play and drama.

b) General extenders / particules d’extension

“These are phrases like and stuff, and things, or something or and all that. They are termed ‘general extenders’ because they often indicate that the previous word is part of a set, so they extend the meaning of that word without having to specify all the members of the set. For example, and stuff in I used to wear punk ear rings and stuff refers to a set of things that people wear when they want to look like a punk. Referring to a set is not necessarily their most important function though. Sometimes people use these little words to be purposely vague, to signal that they are not quite sure about something. However their most important function seems to be to create solidarity between speakers. By using a general extender the person speaking suggests that their interlocutor shares their knowledge or opinion, so there is no need to be explicit.” (from Spoken English Features http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching/spoken-english-features ) General extenders are widely used in informal speech in both English and French. Examples include: and things like that - and all that - and stuff - and all that kind of thing -

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and et tout - etcetera - et tout ça - et tout le tralala - et patati et patata They occur at the end of phrases or clauses and generally take the form of a conjunction + noun phrase. They can be adjunctive (and stuff, et tout, etcetera) or disjunctive (ou quoi, ou quelque chose comme ca) or not include a conjunction (machin, nanani nanana). The MLE data (Cheshire, 2007) offer “evidence of grammaticalisation (longer variants may have grammaticalised into shorter variants, undergone semantic bleaching and decategorisation, and acquired new pragmatic functions). Variants: and things (like that), and everything (like that), and stuff (like that), and all (that) etc.”

The MLE/MPF data feature several examples of extenders, but the quantitative analysis of the data reveals that et tout represents 66 % of the sample. All other examples occur in single figures (tout ça – et tout ça – nanana – etcetera – les/des trucs comme ça). “Et tout is significantly favoured by young people … et tout seems to be used for discourse – rather than reference-oriented purposes; its pragmatic functions seem much more frequent in the speech of young people” (Secova, forthcoming). From her data Secova suggests that et tout may have a range of functions:

• a punctor (individual narrative unites / quoted speech) • hedge (condenses discourse, avoiding unnecessary detail) • marker of contrast (et tout + mais adds justification) • an intensifier (if uttered with emphasis).

The Activity File on General extenders / particules d’extension offers an opportunity to explore issues around the topic in the classroom. It includes transcripts from London and Paris (the audio files can be downloaded from the MLE/MPF website at http://www.mle-mpf.bbk.ac.uk/Resources.html ). The Activity File is also available on the website as a Power Point.

The data offer the opportunity to explore the relationship between the use of the extenders in French and English as well as to consider the contextual knowledge that is required to interpret their meaning. The file also offers opportunities for pupils to carry out their own research, and suggestions for role play, drama and writing activities.

c) discourse markers / marqueurs pragmatiques

“Discourse markers are words and phrases used in speaking and writing to ‘signpost’ discourse. Discourse markers do this by showing turns, joining ideas together, showing attitude, and generally controlling communication.” (British Council, BBC http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/discourse-markers ).

‘Discourse markers are important features of spoken language with many different functions. They usually perform several functions at the same time. Their overall function is to show the listener how to interpret what the speaker is saying (so they don’t affect the literal meaning of what is being said)…. Like intensifiers, there are often striking differences between the discourse markers that younger speakers like to use and those that older speakers use.’ (from Spoken English Features, op. cit.)

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One of the functions of discourse markers is hedging. This very varied category includes expressions like possibly, sort of, like, I mean, I would suggest and may indicate insecurity and a lack of conversational confidence in the speaker. Like is one of the most common discourse markers in young people’s speech in English. Secova notes the prominence of genre in the MPF data : c’est genre, un truc genre, with style, en mode, façon, also in use and suggests they are shortened from expressions like le genre de, de ce genre, de cette façon.

Secova (2012) identifies the following functions for genre: approximation (similar to environ or a peu près), exemplification and paraphrase, quotation (faire genre), irony, focus marker (les garçons on va dire (.) populaires (.) c’est genre ceux qui sortent avec les filles et tout), to frame a topic.

Familiarity with common discourse markers is important to language learners to enable them to understand authentic language.

The Activity File on Discourse markers /marqueurs pragmatiques offers two transcripts for study from the MLF/MPF data with examples of the use of like and genre (the audio files can be downloaded from http://www.mle-mpf.bbk.ac.uk/Resources.html ). These can be used to explore some of the functions of the markers and this can be extended through personal and internet research and data analysis. As well as opportunities for role play and drama, writing activities are suggested that encourage students to explore the meaning of the markers through formal and informal language in English and French.

Activity 3 in Section A of the Programme of activities based on the Raincy questionnaire is focused on exploring examples of quotatives, general extenders and discourse markers using the following questions:

• What does it mean? • How can you find out? • How is this different from introducing reported speech in formal French? • Who might use this example? In what circumstances and who with? • Can you suggest English equivalents (with a similar function)?

2) Vocabulary

a) Activities based on recorded data

When discussing the speech of young people, vocabulary is one of the first topics that comes to mind. Sixteen year olds in an east London girls’ school were keen to learn more about Paris teenage informal speech so that they could communicate meaningfully with their peers when visiting Paris and not appear “stuffy” in their language use; an additional concern was “so we know if they are making fun of us, or insulting us”.

Unlike the previous activity files, the three files entitled “Les Boug’zeers”, le “Blédard” and “Histoire bus” do not offer texts for direct comparison. The texts offer a range of points for discussion: colloquial sentence structures, discourse markers, distinctive vocabulary and instances of slang and Verlan. A particular focus is on young people’s identity, their attitudes and values; how they position themselves and each other with respect to multi-level dimensions of categorisation: gendered, ethnic/cultural, social/stylistic/ geographical attitudes and values. Secova and Gardner-Chloros (2012) note that this process is highly complex and situation dependent and that “subjects may identify with

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one group at one time, and distance themselves from that group at another time”. They note that language is a key indicator, “a badge attributed to different groups".

On the social/stylistic dimension Secova and Gardner-Chloros note peer-based hierarchies are indirectly linked to social class (les populaires v les bolosses) and classifications are based on styles of clothing (les swag), common interests (les cybers) and group-specific behaviour (les boug’zeers, les wesh, les racailles/les caillera). This particular aspect is well illustrated in the Activity File “Les Boug’zeers” which offers opportunities for comparisons of group categorisation between Paris and London.

Gender dimensions are very pronounced in the MPF data, especially in descriptions of the other sex. The emphasis for boys is on masculinity and toughness and for girls on strict moral judgement, based on family and religious values (les tchoins v les filles hlel).

Speakers in the MPF “draw on ethnic/racial categorizations despite professing anti-racism / political correctness” – all ethnicities have a verlan term: babtou, renoi, keubla, rebeu, noich, quetur; marked linguistic features are used for imitation and crossing (speakers of Arabic origin imitating Caribbean pronunciation of /r/). The Activity File “Le Blédard” offers a good example of the role language plays in ethnic categorisation.

The main geographical dimension of categorisation in the MPF data opposes central Paris with the banlieue (les swag v les mécheux) and this dimension overlaps with the ethnic and social/stylistic dimension (Parisians described as white, affluent and bourges).

The MPF data is rich in argot (thune, crari/krari, bolos) and borrowed words: from Arabic (seum, zehef, wallah, starfoullah), from English (speedé, cool, swag, LOL, follow), from Romani (bedav, bicrav, marav, narvalo). There are also many examples of the use of Verlan, the secret back-to-front language that has long been in used by young people (in the Activity Files: Dans le métro/ histoire bus – le Blédard).

Verlan: “French slang used by almost all youngsters especially in urban French areas. It consists in reversing the terms syllable by syllable, or even sometimes letter by letter. For example, the word "SPEED" is said "DEU-SPEE". This usually drives adults who don't understand nuts. Verlan is an important thing to learn for people who wants to speak fluently French with teenagers.” (Urban Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=verlan ) The three Activity Files described in this section offer opportunities for exploring French teenage informal language through internet research, through films and rap music, and for searching for equivalent terms in both formal French and English.

b) Activity based on the Raincy questionnaire

In 2013 students in a class in the Paris suburb of Le Raincy completed a questionnaire about their personal language use in informal contexts. They were offered a range of quotes (from MLE/MPF recorded data), and for each were asked to indicate their personal use of the expression, using the following questions:

Voici une liste des phrases tirées des enregistrements de jeunes Parisiens. Cochez la case qui correspond à votre usage personnel:

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Utiliseriez-vous une telle phrase? Cochez plusieurs cases le cas échéant:

1) C’est un bolos.

☐ Fréquemment ☐ Avec tout le monde, adultes ou jeunes ☐ De temps en temps ☐ Uniquement en famille ou entre ami(e)s ☐ Jamais ☐ Uniquement entre ami(e)s ☐ A l’écrit comme à l’oral ☐ Uniquement à l’oral Autre commentaire?.................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................

The original Raincy questionnaire is available on the MLE/MPF website. An activity for students in English schools has been designed based on the questionnaire. c) Lessons from an East London school

The French department of a secondary school in the Borough of Newham in East London explored French contemporary informal language with two Year 9 classes. Le Pera: introduction to French informal teenage language is based around the study of vocabulary from the rap lyrics Ma Direction by Sexion d’Assaut (2012). Using a pro-forma, pupils working in groups researched meanings and equivalences through discussion, dictionary and internet research and composed and performed a rap or song.

The lesson French slang from Marseille, introduces pupils to regional variation. Pupils follow a presentation by the teacher and work in groups to match English translations to the French expressions, then use what they have learned to produce short drama sequences.

3) Syntactic features

Syntactic features identified in the MPF data include:

• changes to the indirect interrogative (post verb : je sais ça veut dire quoi, replacing the formal pre-verb: je sais ce que ça veut dire)

• changes to relatives : omission of que, que replacing dont (la fille que vous parlez, je crois il va venir)

• changes in subordinate clauses (je sais c’est quoi, je vois pas c’est qui, on comprend direct c’est quel personnage, je sais qu’est-ce que ça veut dire)

• forms with quoi instead of ce que : je me souviens plus j’avais dit quoi – je sais pas si vous savez ça veut dire quoi – dont les parents ils savent ça veut dire quoi – tu sais ils ont dit quoi.

• forms with clause-final qui, comment, combien : je vois pas c’est qui – lui tu sais on l’appelle comment ? – je sais même pas c’est où – est-ce que tu vois c’est qui ? – on comprend direct c’est quel personnage – lui tu sais on l’appelle comment ? – je sais plus c’était combien.

• shortening of adverbs (direct for directement, normal for normalement) • simplification of plurals in –al (normals, specials)

The embedded structures above have been studied quantitatively and analysed according to speaker characteristics: degree of bilingualism, gender, network score (friends from different ethnic backgrounds), age. Post-verb forms are most commonly used by active bilinguals, by

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speakers with foreign-born parents of the same ethnicity, by males, by speakers aged 14 to 16 and by those with very ethnically varied social networks.

All the Activity Files include examples of these forms. The activity based on the Raincy questionnaire is specifically focused on exploring such forms.

4) Student research

The English language GCSE and A level curriculum offer many opportunities for developing students’ personal research skills. For example students observed in a different girls’ school in the London Borough of Newham study a unit on spoken language. This includes an exploration of informal language in a range of contexts, of features of teenage London English and of the role of speech in personal identity. As part of this programme they record and analyse informal conversations in a range of settings. This work then forms the basis of an assessed assignment. The resources developed by the Multicultural London English project to support English language study at A level include personal research activities and guidance (http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching). Suggested tasks involve targeted recordings (by age or gender of interviewee, for example) and advice on recording specific samples of speech, such as quotatives (Analysing Spoken English, 2012). This kind of work does not feature in the French curriculum in France. As part of the MPF project, in 2013, students in a class in the Paris suburb of Le Raincy took part in workshops on sociolinguistics and the development of informal spoken language. They completed a questionnaire about their language use and carried out personal research, recording themselves (using mobile phones) speaking with family and friends in a range of informal situations. The questionnaire offered a range of quotes, and, for each, students were asked to indicate their personal use of the expression (see above). The questionnaire is available on the website. A file of activities was designed, based on that questionnaire, to encourage students of French in the UK to explore the informal language used by young people in Paris and to compare and contrast it with the formal French they have learned in class as well as their own usage of English in informal contexts. The activities are designed to promote discussion on issues of standard language, linguistic variation and change and young people’s role in the process as well as attitudes to informal language in both English and French. Internet research. The activities designed from the MPF data include a number of opportunities for students to carry out personal internet research on aspects of informal French. These can be carried out in the classroom as part of personal, group or class projects (see the Le Pera, a lesson from an East London School featured above), or as homework. There are a number of good sites where students can gain information about informal French and its use. The lesson Le Pera also made use of clips from music videos. These together with trailers and clips from films offer considerable opportunities for research based on authentic contemporary materials.

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Collaborative research. Section B of the Activities based on the Raincy questionnaire proposes a range of research opportunities through joint explorations of spoken language in Paris and London, where English schools have partnerships with schools in France. These include shared presentations based on live research, compiling, exchanging and comparing questionnaires and sharing recorded drama sequences. A collaboration between schools in Paris and London would work best if it involved both the French department in Paris and the English department in London as well as the Modern Language ones.

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C. ACTIVITY FILES

MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH/ MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

ACTIVITY FILE: QUOTATIVE EXPRESSIONS/ LES INTRODUCTEURS

London English Paris French Sound file Sound file Quote SP1: alright right this is this is me

knocking at the door yeah and I'm knocking at the door yeah and and this is the dog "<makes gesture?>" he went and this is the dog "woof woof woof" (Cheshire 2011)

I just said (.) they come up to me and they said “yeh where you from?”

*SP2: different sections of areas . *SP1: I said “yeh east London” this is

them “I don't like east London”

(..) I was in south London one time that's why I was in d-‐

another (.) I was in south London so and they don't (.) south London and north London don't

really like east London (…) .

Quote SP1: dès qu'on détourne la tête de la feuille du cours

je sais pas on regarde le x. SP2: ouais on regarde la fenêtre et tout il dit xx . SP3: il crie "ouah ouah ouah" [= imitation des cris] .

SP1: ou sinon il fait "à ton tour de lire !" t'es là "ah euh euh" [=imitation].

SP3: et quand tu sais pas t'es stressé [= imitation] .

SP2: après après on est là "xxx" [= gestes] (.) après il fait "bon ok [= nom] lis !" (..) euh euh (..) t'es (.) le temps de réaliser et tout .

SP1: que quand il parle allemand il est là "ah ha ha oui oui oui" (..) c'est pour ça que toujours tu dois viser ta feuille même si tu penses à autre chose

(il) faut regarder la feuille .

Quotative expressions (introducteurs) introduce quoted words, thoughts or gestures. They function like verbal quotation marks. “People often report what they or other people said. Direct reported speech (the little bear said “someone’s been sitting on my chair”) is more lively and interesting than indirect reported speech (the little bear said that someone had been sitting on his chair) because by appearing to quote someone, the speaker almost acts out what they are reporting. When they introduce direct reported speech older speakers of English mainly use SAY or GO to introduce the quote, or there may be no introduction at all (known as a zero quotative) if it is clear whose speech is being reported. Younger speakers have an additional quotative expression – also BE LIKE – and in London there is an even newer quotative expression, THIS IS +speaker. Other quotative expressions are also heard. Examples: Say they said “move away” Go they went “move away” Zero “move away” Be like they were like “move away” This is +speaker this is them “move away” (perhaps only in London)

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(from Spoken English Features*) Exemples: Dire : Il m’a dit « reste là, on va revenir ». Genre : On dirait des gamins genre « non j’ai pas deux ans ! » Comme ça : et puis il était comme ça « ah ah ah sors » ! Etre là : après les marseillais ils étaient là ils pleuraient « vas-y vas-y vous avez trop de la chance vous gagnez ». (Secova, 2013)

As well as introducing reported direct speech quotatives can also introduce a reported

thought or internal dialogue, a sound or a gesture (et on se tenait comme ça

[imitation]).

Cross-linguistic comparisons

The examples in the boxes above were recordings made with young people in London

and Paris. What similarities and differences do you notice in the kind of quotatives used

and how they are used? Quotatives, such as the ones in the examples above often do

more than introduce speech. They can also introduce a dramatic performance, which

includes oral and physical mimicry, sound effects and gestures.

Carrying out your own research: Finding material to investigate:

1) Find a text in English that includes reported speech and note the different ways in

which it is introduced. Find one in French and make similar notes.

2) Listen to people talking, or prompt them to talk, about a conversation they have

overheard or been involved in and note how they introduce reported speech,

thoughts or actions. Listen to a conversation recorded in Paris by the MLE/MPF

team and make similar notes (sound file here).

Analysing your data

What quotatives are being used?

For each quotative consider who is talking, what they are talking about, what the context

is (formal/informal). What non-verbal effects do you observe? What is their impact?

List the examples you have found and describe the context. What do you consider

influences people’s choice of quotatives?

Drama and writing Bearing in mind the opportunities for dramatic performance offered by reported speech,

in a small group:

1) devise and record a short drama/dialogue to exemplify the use of quotatives you

have explored. What characters would use these expressions? In what

circumstances? What opportunities are there to project a personal identity using

mimicry, gestures and sound effects?

2) Write a short sketch as above.

Try these activities in both English and French or in a scenario that uses both languages.

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*http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching/spoken-english-features

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MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH/MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

ACTIVITY FILE: EXTENDERS -‐ PARTICULES D’EXTENSION

London English Paris French Sound file Sound file Quote GCSEs SP1: came to college and I went

down (.) well I'm coming back up [= C. laughs].

SP2: good (.) why did you go down

do you think? SP1: I don't know (..) tss I'm

never-‐ I’ve never been one to be distracted by boys and stuff but I was distracted by man [= C.

laughs] . SP2: a particular boy? [= laughs] . SP1: yeah (..) and I was distracted

by (.) other things like getting into trouble and stuff (.) but (.) I think now I'm older (.) I haven't got time

to waste anymore +…

Quote Une fille très populaire SP1: euh ben enfin elle elle était souvent avec eux et

tout elle s’asseyait sur leur genoux tout ça et

tout elle les calculait elle leur courait après et tout donc eux ils avaient l’habitude ils se sentaient ils se sentaient beaux frais et tout +/.

SP2: +< frais et tout (..) importants ! SP1: et après (.) et à un moment elle elle a

commencé à arrêter de traîner avec eux et elle

est-‐ elle a commencé à traîner avec Nathan . SP2: +< Nathan et ses bolos 1 c’est ça . SP1: et déjà ils ont commencé à s’attacher l’un à

l’autre et tout et lui surtout lui s’est beaucoup attaché à elle .

SP2: il l’aime (.) et après ils ont commencé à

être jaloux les populaires garçons . SP1: ouais il est xx (..) et genre eux les garçons ils ont

commencé à être jaloux et tout donc ça fait ils

ont commencé à traîner avec Nathan [= rires] .

General extenders

“These are phrases like and stuff, and things, or something or and all that. They are termed ‘general

extenders’ because they often indicate that the previous word is part of a set, so they extend the

meaning of that word without having to specify all the members of the set. For example, and stuff

in I used to wear punk ear rings and stuff refers to a set of things that people wear when they want

to look like a punk. Referring to a set is not necessarily their most important function though.

Sometimes people use these little words to be purposely vague, to signal that they are not quite

sure about something. However their most important function seems to be to create solidarity

between speakers. By using a general extender the person speaking suggests that their interlocutor

shares their knowledge or opinion, so there is no need to be explicit.”

(from Spoken English Features)*

1 bolos = loser, victime

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“Et tout is significantly favoured by young people … et tout seems to be used for discourse – rather than reference-‐oriented purposes; its pragmatic functions seem much more frequent in the speech

of young people” (Secova, 2013).

Examples : And things like that And all that

And stuff And all that kind of thing

Exemples : Et tout Etcetera

Et tout ça. Et tout le tralala Et patati et patata

Cross-‐linguistic comparisons The examples in the boxes above come were recordings made with young people in London and Paris. What similarities and differences do you notice in the kind of extenders used and how they are used?

For each language, consider what each example of and stuff or et tout represents. Do you think they

are being used in a similar way? What differences do you notice?

Carrying out your own research:

Finding material to investigate:

3) Brainstorm with your friends: how many different extenders can you think of that you may

use in everyday life?

4) Find a text in English that includes extenders and note the different ways in which they are

used. Find one in French and make similar notes.

5) Listen to people talking, or prompt them to talk, about a conversation they have overheard

or been involved in and note how they introduce reported speech, thoughts or actions.

Listen to a conversation recorded in Paris by the MLE/MPF team and make similar notes

(sound file here).

Analysing your data What extenders have you identified in your data? What do you think they refer to?

Could you replace them with a word, a phrase? Try ‘translating’ them? Are they referring to a part of

a set? Are they more of a discourse marker**?

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Focusing on a particular example, what kind of knowledge would you need to understand what is being implied? Do you need to be part of the conversation or the group? What in-‐group knowledge

do you need?

Is it used because the speaker is unsure of what to say next?

Drama and writing Bearing in mind the opportunities et tout and and stuff offer for creating an in-‐group scenario:

1) Work with a small group of friends to devise and record a short drama that would exemplify two different ways in which extenders can be used.




**Discourse markers: “Discourse markers are words and phrases used in speaking and writing to ‘signpost’ discourse. Discourse markers do this by showing turns, joining ideas together, showing attitude, and generally controlling communication.” (British Council, BBC

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-‐database/discourse-‐markers Further reading and resources:

French slang http://www.languagerealm.com/french/frenchslang_m.php For further reading on the social role of extenders:

http://linguistics-‐research-‐digest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/who-‐makes-‐language-‐change-‐begin.html RS -‐ January 2014

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MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH/ MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

ACTIVITY FILE: DISCOURSE MARKERS / MARQUEURS PRAGMATIQUES

London English Paris French Sound file Sound file Quote Weightlifting SP1: it's like (.) me yeah (.) I always

just (.) I can just do weights for hours and like (.) no one in the class would be able to lift as

much as me like you was there innit no one can lift as m-‐ the teacher can't lift as much as me

(..) and then like (.) I’ll still be ready to do more (..) .

Quote Altercation SP1: Il est, il est venu s’excuser mais Aude l’a encore

rejeté il avait le seum ! SP2: x en fait (.) les filles elles venaient vers moi (..)

et genre et genre je les ai vues arriver vers moi et tout (.) et après j’ai vu lui il arrivait (..) et genre je l’ai regardé comme ça (..) genre en

mode "tu veux quoi" et tout . SP1: ah xx Scarface ? . SP1: et après x dès que j’ai vu qu’il allait ouvrir la

bouche je fais "casse-‐toi" !

Discourse markers ‘Discourse markers are important features of spoken language with many different functions. They

usually perform several functions at the same time. Their overall function is to show the listener how

to interpret what the speaker is saying (so they don’t affect the literal meaning of what is being

said)…. some of their most typical functions:

• marking the beginning or end of a turn

• marking grammatical structure by being placed at the beginning or end of a clause, or at the

start of reported speech

• marking information that is new to the discourse or marking the start of a new topic

• showing how the speaker feels about what they are about to say or about what they have

already said

• checking that the listener is following

• creating solidarity with the listener

• appealing to the listener for understanding

Like intensifiers, there are often striking differences between the discourse markers that younger

speakers like to use and those that older speakers use.’ (from Spoken English Features*) Examples: Well – like – of course – yeah – right – oh. Exemples: Genre – façon – en mode – crari/krari -‐ style (Secova, 2013)

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Discourse markers : cross-‐linguistic comparisons

The examples in the boxes above were recordings made with young people in London and Paris.

What similarities and differences do you notice in the use of like and genre and how they are used?

Look at the list of discourse marker functions above: which of these functions do you think occur in

the quotes above?

Exploring the text

The quotes above have been chosen to illustrate particular discourse markers, however, in both the

English and French transcripts, there are examples of very informal speech. These include both very

informal words as well as sentence structures common in informal speech.

In pairs or a small group, read one of the texts. What are the speakers talking about? Identify

unfamiliar words. How much can you guess from the context in which they are used?

Carrying out your own research

1) Search online for unfamiliar words and expressions and their meaning. How much can you find out about the context in which they are used?

6) Finding material to investigate: Listen to friends talking among themselves in informal

settings, or prompt them to describe a recent event they have been involved in and note

which discourse markers they use.

7) Listen to a conversation recorded in Paris by the MLE/MPF team and make similar notes

(sound file here).

Analysing your data

What discourse markers are being used?

For each discourse marker consider who is talking, what they are talking about, what the context is

(formal/informal). What non-‐verbal effects do you observe? Do some speakers use them more often

than others? If there are older speakers in your sample, do they use the same discourse markers as

teenagers?

Drama and writing

In a small group:

3) devise and record a short drama/dialogue to exemplify the use of discourse markers and

some of the other informal features you have explored. What characters would use these

expressions? In what circumstances? What opportunities are there to project a personal

identity using mimicry, gestures and sound effects?

4) Choose one of the quotes above and write a very brief summary in formal English or in

formal French of what the conversation is about.

Try these activities in either English or French or in a scenario that uses both languages.

Online resources:

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*http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching/spoken-english-features http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-‐database/discourse-‐markers

23


ACTIVITY FILE: LE BLEDARD

Speaker French text : le « Blédard » Sound file SAM ENQ SAM YUS NIZ ENQ NIZ SAM YUS SAM ENQ SAM NIZ

moi j'habite à [xxx] . c'est quoi ? c'est une autre cité . c'est vrai ta mentalité de (..) toi t'habites même <loin> [?] [= rires] . ouais t-‐ toi t'habites pas à [= lieu] toi t'habites au bled mon frère [= rires] ! (…) pourquoi (.) t'y vas souvent ? c'est un blédard . euh non x . c'est un blédard . c’est non c'est faux ! [= rires] . pourquoi t'es un blédard ?

je sais pas parce que je parle comme ça c'est, c'est eux, c'est lui le blédard il parle avec moi ah c'est toi le blédard mais non parce que moi je t'aime bien mais tu vois toi t'es un vrai darblé (.) non mais c'est bien t'inquiète .

(Secova and Gardner-‐Chloros, 2012)

The example in the box above is a transcription of a recording made with young people in Paris.

SAM, ENG, YUS and NIZ are talking to the researcher (ENQ: enquêteur) about where they live and their attitudes to different parts of their neighbourhood. The speech is informal and uses expressions commonly used by teenagers in Paris.

Note: x is used in the transcript to avoid identifying names and places.

Exploring the text

In pairs or a small group, read the text. What does it tell us about where SAM lives and his friends’

attitude to this?

What is the meaning of cité in this text?

Multilingual French: this text offers an example of the way in which words and expressions from other languages and cultures have become part of the informal language of teenagers in large cities.

The last line of the text also includes an example of Verlan*. What does it mean?


Search online for current meanings of bled and blédard. What language does the word originally come from?

24

What can you find out about Verlan and how it is used by teenagers?

Cross-‐linguistic comparisons

There are many different ways of translating a text. Translating informal language and slang is notoriously difficult as the words used can have very different connotations. For example a close

equivalent to a commonly used word in one language, may be considered very rude in another. The words bled and blédard probably do not have direct equivalents in English.

Brainstorm words that are used in English, usually negatively, to describe where people live or come from.

Can you think of any examples of a secret language, like Verlan, that is used by English teenagers?

Drama and writing

1) In a group discuss some of the different ways in which young people are described in your neighbourhood. Are there names for groups of teenagers who live in different postcodes or estates? Are negative terms or insults used that indicate rivalries between groups? Devise and record a short drama/dialogue in French using informal language in which young people discuss positive or negative aspects of where they and their classmates live.

2) Write a brief summary of the scenario in French

3) 4) Write an entry for an encyclopaedia of teenage slang in standard French, beginning un

blédard c’est quelqu’un qui ...

-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐

*Verlan: “French slang used by almost all youngsters especially in urban French areas. It consists in reversing the terms syllable by syllable, or even sometimes letter by letter. For example, the word "SPEED" is said "DEU-SPEE". This usually driving aldults who don't understand nuts. Verlan is an important thing to learn for people who wants to speak fluently French with teenagers.” (Urban

Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=verlan )

RS – January 2014

25


ACTIVITY FILE: LES BOUG’ZEERS

Speaker French text : les « boug’zeers » Sound file ODL: CLO: CLO: ODL: ENQ: AIM: ENQ: ODL: AIM: ODL : AIM: ODL : AIM: CLO: ENQ : ODL: AIM:

boug’zeers ! les boug’zeers (.) les boug’zeers voilà . les boug’zeers . boug’zeers . c’est quoi ça ? ça c'est genre (.) en fait c'est +/. ah ! la plupart du temps . c’est genre ceux avec les piercings et tout . des casquettes (..) les sacoches montées . les casquettes (.) genre les petites sacoches comme ça et tout . qui sont (..) qui sont en groupe et tout . énervés (..) toujours en bande et tout . qui font du bruit dans le train (..) ouais c'est ça . ah ouais . et qui rackettent [= rires] . ouais (.) grave !


The example in the box above is a recording made with young people in Paris. ODL, CLO and AIM are

talking to the researcher (ENQ: enquêteur) about the names given to different groups of young people in their neighbourhood. The speech is informal and uses expressions commonly used by teenagers in Paris.

Exploring the text

In pairs or a small group, read the text. What does it tell us about the “boug’zeers”? What do they

wear? How do they look? How do they behave in public?

Identify unfamiliar words. How much can you guess from the context in which they are used?


Search online for unfamiliar words and expressions and their meaning. How much can you find out about the context in which they are used?

The importance of research and understanding slang: how else would you know, when visiting France and meeting young people your own age, whether you are being teased or insulted?

26


There are many different ways of translating a text. Translating informal language and slang is notoriously difficult as the words used can have very different connotations. For example a close

equivalent to a commonly used word in one language, may be considered very rude in another.

In the text above, genre is used as a discourse marker*; et tout is an example of an extender**. Can you think of English equivalents that you would use in this context?

Drama and writing

1) In a group discuss some of the different ways in which young people are described in your neighbourhood. Choose a group. Devise and record a short drama/dialogue in French using informal language in which you are explaining to a visitor what these people look like and how they behave.

2) Write an entry for an encyclopaedia of teenage slang in formal French, beginning les boug’zeers sont des…..

-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐

*Discourse markers: “Discourse markers are words and phrases used in speaking and writing to ‘signpost’ discourse. Discourse markers do this by showing turns, joining ideas together, showing attitude, and generally controlling communication.” (British Council, BBC)

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-‐database/discourse-‐markers

**Extenders: “These are phrases like and stuff, and things, or something or and all that. They are termed ‘general extenders’ because they often indicate that the previous word is part of a set, so they extend the meaning of that word without having to specify all the members of the set. For

example, and stuff in I used to wear punk ear rings and stuff refers to a set of things that people wear when they want to look like a punk. Referring to a set is not necessarily their most important

function though. Sometimes people use these little words to be purposely vague, to signal that they are not quite sure about something. However their most important function seems to be to create solidarity between speakers. By using a general extender the person speaking suggests that their

interlocutor shares their knowledge or opinion, so there is no need to be explicit.”

(from Spoken English Features*)

Resources and websites:

French slang http://www.languagerealm.com/french/frenchslang_m.php


RS – January 2014

28


ACTIVITY FILE: DAND LE METRO / HISTOIRE BUS

Speaker French text : Dans le métro Sound file LOC ENQ

ah ça c'est peut-‐être le métro londonien parce qu'à Paris tu tu tu restes coincé comme ça là (.) parce que un mec il était comme aç il courait (.) on a

on a entendu 'beep' il a sauté (.) [= click] (.) il est resté coincé [= rires] (..) il est resté coincé comme ça là tu vois sur la ligne huit là [=rires, imitation] (.) on était là on le tirait à l'intérieur du truc c'était méga drôle . Oh !

French text : Histoire bus LOC même dans le bus là dans le cent trois [= rires] (.) j'étais à x (il) y a un mec il a

fait la même il a couru il a sauté ça s'est bloqué sur sa jambe gros dedans (.) et un

un bras seulement (..) [= rires] gros il était comme ça c'était sur sa tête il avait trop mal et nous on était à l'intérieur et on poussait sa tête (.) pour le jeter à l'extérieur du bus (..) [= rires] il faisait trop pitié (..) eh c'était méga drôle .


The example in the box above is a recording made with young people in a school in Paris. LOC is

telling the researcher (ENQ: enquêteur) about two incidents that she witnessed in a tube train and in a bus. The speech is informal and uses expressions commonly used by teenagers in Paris.

Exploring the text

In pairs or a small group, read one of the texts. What happened?

Identify unfamiliar words. How much can you guess from the context in which they are used?

The second line of the first text also includes an example of Verlan*. What does it mean?


Search online for unfamiliar words and expressions and their meaning. How much can you find out about the context in which they are used?

What can you find out about Verlan and how it is used by teenagers?


There are many different ways of translating a text. Translating informal language and slang is

notoriously difficult as the words used can have very different connotations. For example a close equivalent to a commonly used word in one language, may be considered very rude in another. Consider some of the informal words that occur in the text you researched. If you were retelling this

29

story in English or telling a similar one, what words would you use that would have the same effect in this context (see drama activity below for trying them out).

Drama and writing

1) Work with a small group of friends to devise and record a short drama about a dramatic event that you have witnessed.



3) Write a summary of one of the incidents in formal or informal French.

RS – January 2014

-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐

*Verlan: “French slang used by almost all youngsters especially in urban French areas. It consists in reversing the terms syllable by syllable, or even sometimes letter by letter. For example, the word "SPEED" is said "DEU-SPEE". This usually driving aldults who don't understand nuts. Verlan is an important thing to learn for people who wants to speak fluently French with teenagers.” (Urban

Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=verlan )

30

MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH / MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

A Programme of Activities based on the Raincy questionnaire

AIM: for pupils to relate their explorations of informal French to their own use of informal

English in a range of social contexts

Introduction -‐ The questionnaire

In 2013 students in a class in the Paris suburb of Raincy completed a questionnaire about their personal language use in informal contexts. They were offered a range of quotes, and for each were asked to indicate their personal use of the expression.

Voici une liste des phrases tirées des enregistrements de jeunes Parisiens. Cochez la case qui correspond à votre usage personnel:

Utiliseriez-vous une telle phrase? Cochez plusieurs cases le cas échéant:

1) C’est un bolos.

☐ Fréquemment ☐ Avec tout le monde, adultes ou jeunes ☐ De temps en temps ☐ Uniquement en famille ou entre ami(e)s ☐ Jamais ☐ Uniquement entre ami(e)s ☐ A l’écrit comme à l’oral ☐ Uniquement à l’oral Autre commentaire?.................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................... (Secova, 2013)

The activities in this section of the programme are designed to encourage students of French in the UK to explore the informal language used by young people in Paris and to compare and contrast it with the formal French they have learned in class and their own usage of English in informal

contexts. They are designed to promote discussion on issues of standard language, linguistic variation and change and young people’s role in the process as well as attitudes to informal language in both English and French.

32

MULTICULTURAL LONDON ENGLISH / MULTICULTURAL PARIS FRENCH

Exploring a selection of quotes from the Raincy questionnaire: Grammar

Recordings of young people’s speech in informal settings in Paris as part of the Multilingual Paris French research project revealed the following grammatical features:

• changes in subordinate clauses (e.g. with savoir, connaître, comprendre, e.g. je sais c’est quoi, je vois pas c’est qui)

• changes to relative clauses (e.g. omission of que, dont; and que replacing dont etc. (la fille que vous parlez)

• adverb-‐shortening (direct for directement) • simplification of plurals in –AL (e.g. normals, spécials))

Activity 1:

Choose a quote from the selection below and consider the following questions:

Je crois il veut venir avec nous – Je vois pas c’est qui – C’est pas bien qu’est-‐ce que tu fais ! -‐ Je sais c’est ou – deux semaines après on reparlait normal – on est parti direct – il y a des gens normals

comme moi.

a) What does it mean? b) In what way does this sentence differ from what you have learnt of French grammar? c) Who do you think might use this example? In what circumstances and who with? d) Can you think of an English equivalent (with a similar function)?

33

Vocabulary

The MPF data revealed substantial innovations in vocabulary. These included:

• slang • Verlan (back slang) • foreign loanwords (e.g. Arabic, English)

Activity 2:


C’est ceux qui s’intéressent aux tchoins – il s’habille bien il a du swag – je suis méga malade – il avait le seum – avec ma daronne

a) What does it mean? b) How can you find out? c) In what way is it different from the French you have been learning so far? d) Who might use this example? In what circumstances and who with? e) Can you think of an English equivalent (with a similar function)?

Research extension: what can you find out about the word and its origin?

Verlan: Il a une taille normale pour un keum – il était coincé comme aç.

a) What does the expression mean? b) Which word is in Verlan? What word does it represent? c) What can you find out about French back slang? d) Who might use this example? In what circumstances and who with? e) Can you think of any equivalent use of language in English?

34

Discourse – pragmatics

The MPF data revealed innovations in a number of discourse features. These included:

• quotatives (e.g. genre, être là, être comme ça) • general extenders (e.g. et tout, tout ça, nanana) • discourse markers (e.g. genre, style, krari, wesh))

Activity 3.


J’étais là: “mais qu’est-ce qu’elle a fait!!!” – Il fait genre « ah oui » ? – Depuis qu’ils ont genre deux ans – ils trainent dans les gares et tout.

a) What does it mean? b) How can you find out? c) How is this different from introducing reported speech in formal French? d) Who might use this example? In what circumstances and who with? e) Can you suggest English equivalents (with a similar function)?

35

Collaborative activities for French and English schools in partnership

Encouraging collaborations and exchanges between French and English schools focused on pupils’ own research into the informal language of their peers.

AIM: to encourage cross-‐linguistic partnerships and pupils’ personal research

Introduction The students in Raincy participated in a series of workshops on sociolinguistics and the development of informal spoken language. They have completed a questionnaire about their language use (see a

sample in Section A above). They were also asked to record themselves (using mobile phones) speaking with family and friends in a range of informal situations.

Students in Newham study a unit on spoken language as part of their English Language course for the GCSE. This includes an exploration of informal language in a range of contexts; of features of teenage London English and the role of speech in personal identity.

The students are set the following homework task: Analyse the conversations that you have between now and next lesson. Make sure that these

conversations with different kinds of people for example: - friends - elderly relatives such as grandparents

- adults such as teachers - adults you have not met before such as shop assistants

Choose three different situations. For each one, describe the situation and identify the purpose for

speaking and the audience. Replay the situation in your mind and write a short extract that shows part of what you said on that occasion.

Ethical guidelines are given to students in relation to consent. This homework then forms the basis of a written assessed task

Explore some aspects of the ways in which your speech changes according to the context you are in. Note: A collaboration between schools in Paris and London would work best if it involved both the

French and English classes as well as the Modern Language ones.

Student research -‐ joint explorations of spoken language in Paris and London

Activity 1.

Presentations based on students’ personal recorded research

36

Students in both schools who have made recordings of their own and their friends’ and families’ informal language use offer a short presentation to their class which can include audio clips.

These are exchanged by email between schools and used as material for discussion in class. Activity 2:

A questionnaire on language use Students compile, exchange and compare a questionnaire on language use. Using the original Raincy

questionnaire as a starting point, students design a questionnaire based on examples of their own informal language use and that of their peers.

Students exchange the questionnaire and use email to ask each other for translations and explanations about context of use.

Activity 3: Improvised drama sequences

• Groups of 3 to 4 students either script or improvise dialogues in their own language to

illustrate the context of use of selected quotes. Audio/video recordings are made.

• Recordings are exchanged through Skype or similar available technology.

• Using dialogues from the partner school and their own research into informal language use, students work in small groups to develop and perform short dialogues in the foreign language.

Internet resources for student research into contemporary spoken French

Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales http://www.cnrtl.fr

RS – January 2014

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Le Pera: introduction to French informal teenage language

A lesson for a Year 9 class

The lesson was carried out in a double period at Forest Gate Community School in Newham by Mehdi Benchoula, an experienced teacher and native speaker of French.

Objective of the lesson: discovering French slang and familiar language

• to recognise the features of a music style • to understand and recognise informal words and expressions • to express ideas using informal expressions

Introducing informal language and Verlan through rap music.

38

Introduction • A short discussion with the pupils about their use of informal language and slang in English.

• The teacher talks about his personal experience of growing up in an eastern suburb of Paris

and the difference between the language he used in his home environment with his friends and while working in a shop selling designer goods on the Champs-‐Elysées. He stresses the importance of learning when it is appropriate to use which form of language.

• Introducing “le pe-‐ra (le rap)”. Using the Power Point, the teacher asks the class to work out the principle behind Verlan.

Pupil B works it out: “You put the start of the word at the end and the rest at the beginning”. Pupils experiment with some examples.

Pupil research After discussing in groups some key features of rap music, pupils carry out a research task.

• Working from a list of key phrases from “Ma Direction” by Sexion d’Assaut (2012), pupils research meanings through discussion, dictionary and internet research.

• Class discussion to share findings and match informal expressions with standard French equivalents.

39

Video

• Pupils watch a video of Ma Direction, initially without the sound, to become familiar with the context of the song.

• The video is replayed with sound.

• Pupils study the lyrics of the song from a hand-‐out and identify informal expressions in addition to those on the earlier handout.

• A whole class session to report back on expressions identified.

40

Pupils are working very intensively at this point

Whole class work

• Using the first two columns of the hand out with informal and formal French words, the teacher reads the words aloud in pairs asks pupils to consider differences between the words in terms pronunciation and emphasis. “They are strong, they are really strong”.

• Pupils search for similar differences in formal and informal English.

Group task • Pupils in pairs listen to the video again while completing a texte à trou (Cloze procedure),

requiring them to fill in gaps.

41

Production and performance Pupils are given 15 minutes to work in their groups to create a rap or song, using the expressions they have identified and any others they have discovered through personal research. Teacher stresses the importance of demonstrating presentation skills. These are performed before break.

Resources available:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDszM2_UvUs&safe=active • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7-vP7TnluY&safe=active • A handout listing key phrases from the song with three columns for Standard French

equivalents, Standard English translations, informal English equivalents. • The lyrics of Ma Direction

43

Salim Foughali,

Forest Gate Community School London Borough of Newham

44

Raymonde Sneddon – June 2014 With thanks to Sue Fox for advice and guidance in the early stages of my involvement with the project.

APPENDIX

REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING AND RESEARCH

1) Teaching references

For teaching English Queen Mary, University of London: English language teaching resources archive: (http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching

Queen Mary, University of London: Spoken English features: http://linguistics.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/english-language-teaching/spoken-english-features Queen Mary, University of London: Linguistics Research Digest http://linguistics-research-digest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/who-makes-language-change-begin.html British Council: Teaching English: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/discourse-markers For teaching French Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales : http://www.cnrtl.fr For teaching translation : http://translation-nation.heroku.com/ Faïza Guène (2005): Kiffe-Kiffe demain. Librairie generale française. Award winning English translation by Sarah Ardizzone : Just like tomorrow (2006) Definitions. French slang: French Today: http://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/parler-d-jeunes-french-slang-generation-y-part1 Language Realm: http://www.languagerealm.com/french/frenchslang_m.php BBC Languages: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/cool/ Urban dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=verlan ) French Learner: http://www.frenchlearner.com/slang/ IE Languages: http://ielanguages.com/frenchslang.html Michel Buze: http://michel.buze.perso.neuf.fr/lavache/petit_momo.htm Bonjour du Monde: http://www.bonjourdumonde.com/blog/bresil/11/non-classe/largot-ou-langage-des-jeunes Site de français langue étrangère: http://lewebpedagogique.com/ressources-fle/civilisation-francaise/largot/ Film and music Fluent U, Learning French with movies: http://www.fluentu.com/french/blog/learn-french-movies/

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Cinephile: http://cinephile.ca/archives/volume-4-post-genre/lost-in-translation-subtitling-banlieue-subculture/ IE languages: http://ielanguages.com/blog/learning-french-slang-culture-through-hip-hop-and-rap/ Fluent city: http://www.fluentcity.com/blog/slang-in-french-rap/ Ma Direction, Sextion D’Assaut : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDszM2_UvUs&safe=active and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7-vP7TnluY&safe=active

2) Academic references

Isabelle Anzorgue (2006). Du blédo au toubab. De l’influence des langues africaines et des français d’Afrique dans le parler urbain de jeunes lycéens de Vitry-sur-Seine. Le français en Afrique - unice.fr Jean-David Bellonie, Françoise Gadet and Emmanuelle Guérin, (2014) Réflexions autour d’un corpus : des faits émergents dans le contact. Nancy : Colloque annuel de l’Association for French Language Studies.

Françoise Gadet, and Penelope Gardner-Chloros (2014). Multicultural London English and Multicultural Paris French. Publications de l’Ambassade de France en Grande-Bretagne. http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/IMG/pdf_ESRC_ANR.pdf?3192/15819be5cb4bacc5b6e7bc4b70c65626c955acf6

Ali Bercetti (2010) L’innovation lexicale dans les parlers (de) jeunes lycéens : un marqueur identitaire et urbain ? In Blanchet, P. and Martinez, P. eds. Pratiques Innovantes du Plurilinguisme.

Jacqueline Billiez et Cyril Trimaille (2001) Plurilinguisme, variations, insertion scolaire et sociale. Langage et Société, 4. N.98. Claire Boukoulou, Les parlers des jeunes de Sarcelles (Val-d’Oise). UMR CNRS 3069

Jenny Cheshire (2007) Discourse variation, grammaticalisation and stuff like that. Journal of sociolinguistics 11,2:155-193.

Jenny Cheshire, Paul Kerswill and Ann Williams (2005). On the non-convergence of phonology, grammar and discourse. In Auer, P., Hinskens, F. and Kerswill, P. Dialect change: Convergence and divergence in European languages. Cambridge University Press.

Jenny Cheshire, Paul Kerswill, Sue Fox and Eivind Torgersen, (2011). Contact, the feature pool and the speech community: the emergence of Multicultural London English. Journal of sociolinguistic 15, 2:151-196.

Kristin Davidse, Lieselotte Brems, Peter Willemse, Emeline Doyen, Jessica Kiermeer & Elfi Thoelen, (2012). A comparative study of the grammaticalized uses of English sort (of) and French genre (de) in teenage forum data. University of Leuven, Université de Liège

Christine Deprez, 2008. La transmission des langues d’immigration dans l’enquête sur l’histoire familiale annexée au recensement de 1999. In Migrations et plurilinguisme en France. Cahiers de l’Observatoire des pratiques linguistiques, n.2 :34-42.

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Suzanne Fleischman and Marina Yaguello 2004. “Discourse markers across languages? Evidence from English and French”. In Discourse Across Languages and Cultures, Moder, Carol Lynn and Aida Martinovic-Zic (eds.), 129–147. Sue Fox, (2012) Reporting Speech: the use of quotatives in spoken language. In Analysing Spoken English: resources and Techniques for English Language Teachers. Resource Booklet. University of Salford.

Isabelle Léglise et Marie Leroy, 2008. Insultes et joutes verbales chez les « jeunes » : le regard des médiateurs urbains. In Aline Tauzin (ed), Insultes, injures et vannes en France et au Maghreb :155-174. Paris : Karthala. John Lindsay (2010). The secret world of gang slang. Evening Standard, 1st November. Pierre-Alexis Mével, 2008 Traduire La Haine: banlieues et sous-titrage. Glottopol ; 12: 161-181. http://glottopol.univ-rouen.fr/telecharger/numero_12/gpl12_14mevel.pdf Heike Pichler (2012) Analysing Spoken English: Resources and Techniques for English Language Teachers. Resource Booklet. University of Salford Maria Secova forthcoming. Discours direct chez les jeunes: nouvelles structures, nouvelles fonctions. Swinford, S. and St Quinton, L., 2005. All raait ! It’s a new black-white lingo. The Sunday Times, 11 December 2005. Cyril Trémaille, 2003. Approche sociolinguistique de la socialisation langagière d’adolescents. Grenaoble : Université Stendhal

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