english language at wyke · literature language analysing the way we speak and use language writing...
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English Language at Wyke
Welcome to English Language!
Welcome to Wyke!
Aims
● Find out what the course is about● Learn how to be a linguist through analysing spoken language● Complete several pieces of work.
Please note: This PowerPoint should be viewed in conjunction with the resource booklet.
This sign on a slide indicates a piece of work you should complete and b to enrolment, or email into the department.
What is the course about? What if I’d rather do Lit?
● It may be useful, when considering which English A Level to study, to see them side by side in order to make a comparison.
● On the next two slides, you will see exactly that. If you’re unsure as to which English is for you, it might be worth returning to these slides every now and again.
The Two Englishes
Literature Language
The Two Englishes
Literature Language
● Analysing the way we speak and use language
● Writing creatively● Looking at how language
is used in the real world● Exploring how language
has changed over time from the 16th century to the 21st century
● Books!● Reading, appreciating,
analysing and comparing books written over time, including ‘old’ books
● The contexts in which books were written
● Exploring interpretations ● Writing extended essays
about what we think
What is a linguist?
Someone who studies language in a scientific or systematic manner
What does this mean in A Level terms?
● It means unpicking a text at word, phrase, clause, and sentence level to explore the meaning and nuance.
● Linguists are skilled at exploring language in context – what difference does it make where and when something is said? To whom? At what time? With what purpose? All of these aspects are really important when exploring the effect of language, and one of the best mediums to look at for this is spoken language analysis.
Topic 1: Transcripts
What is a transcript?
Why do we do them?
How do they work?
● In essence, transcripts are the verbatim (word for word) translation of what people say in an interaction.
● They are not scripts – they do not include any sentence punctuation (because we don’t use punctuation when we are speaking!), they include every single ‘erm’ or ‘ah’, and they show all the awkward stutters, repetitions, mistakes, interruptions and non-fluency of everyday interaction.
● They are useful as they enable linguists to really analyse what’s going on in speech in terms of the speakers’ intentions and goals, and evaluate how successful an interaction is. They are ‘warts and all’ – you cannot hide anything in a transcript.
● You can see an example of a transcript on page 3 in your booklet.
● Notice how there are no capital letters, commas, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, brackets or semi-colons. The only capital letters are for names. This is because in speech, we use pauses to signal breaks, and rising pitch to indicate questions, or surprise (volume does this too)
Transcripts – Katie Hopkins
Try and follow what Hopkins says, but also notice how the hosts interact with her
Watch it first – then look at the transcript on page 3.
Key – a transcript will use several symbols to indicate key aspects – see below
= latch-on (when a speaker immediately starts talking after the current speaker has finished their turn)
// overlapping speech (interruptions) (.) micropause (very short pause):: elongated vowel (stretched out sound)emboldened text emphatically stressed words
Analysing a text
You are going to use the transcript to explore the choices each speaker makes
On pages 5-7 in the booklet, you will find a template to fill in with your responses.
● Who speaks the most?● Why does that person speak most?● Are they dominating? Why might this be?
Who is in control?
● How does Katie address Holly? What does that tell us?
● Why are some words emphatically stressed (eg, “working out what class that child comes from”)?
Language Used
● What is unusual the way Holly speaks to Katie? What might that suggest about their relationship?
● What do the overlaps and latch-ons show?
How they speak (Non-Fluency Features)
● Is the language used appropriate for the audience/setting/context?
● What you think about what Phillip mouths to Katie at the end?
Pragmatics – Choices speakers make
How successful was the interaction between Katie and the hosts?
● Write your own response to this question, using the notes you made when you watched the transcript to help you.
● There is a template on page 8 for you to use.
Topic 2: Language Issues:Attitudes towards language
Hopkins’ views are just one example of an attitude towards language
We explore this in our topic, Language Issues
Before you go any further, please complete the quick questionnaire on page 9 of your booklet.
Are you a prescriptivistor a descriptivist ?
Add up your answers:
a) = 3 b) = 2 c) = 1
What does this mean? >>>>>>>>
● If you have 18 or more, you have an urge to correct others and perhaps view there as being a ‘correct’ English – you are probably what we would call a prescriptivist.
● If you have 12-17, you are a pragmatist : sometimes you have strong opinions, but you sit on the fence and maybe keep these opinions to yourself. You see language as a tool to be used!
● If you have less than 12, you are probably what we would call a descriptivist. You don’t see there as being one ‘correct’ English and it isn’t in your temperament to correct people.
John Honey: ‘Language is Power’, 1997
● Standards of English are falling● Standard English (SE) is a superior variety● Used by teachers, texts books, spoken in
Parliament● ‘the same form of English used in books and
newspapers’● He criticises the idea that “all dialects of any
language are equally as good”
Q: Is Honey a
descriptivist or a prescriptivist?
Take one of the following statements about language. What evidence can you find in your own knowledge for/against that statement? Use the template on page 10 to write down your thoughts.
You can’t communicate without a basic understanding of certain rules, so we need to enforce those rules to make sure language stays understandable
The increasing use of internet/text slang, Americanisms and multicultural varieties of English means that the language is under threat
Insisting on a word’s correct meaning preserves useful distinctions, as with ‘uninterested’ (originally this meant ‘not interested’) and‘disinterested’ (unbiased)
Language change is natural, unavoidable and neither good nor bad. The meanings of words have always changed, and there are plenty of words that were once “new” that we now consider acceptable
How does it fit in?
Component One
Spoken Language (1 hour, 60 mark essay)
Language Issues (1 hour, 60 mark essay)
Prescriptivists
There is a correct variety of English
Standard English = superior
Descriptivists
There is no one true variety of English
Standard English = different to but not less regional dialects
language!
Why we study English
English is about communication
We’re going to focus on one profession (journalism), and one topic (opinion pieces).
Read the Stuart Heritage opinion piece (page 11)
Paragraph 1 (beginning ‘Marvel movies’): how many informal words can you find? Underline them.
Paragraph 2 (beginning ‘The newest’): Can you find three adjectives? And what impression do they create?
Paragraph 3 (beginning ‘The original’): how many words of three or more syllables can you count? Original is one...
Analyse the paragraphs (page 11)
What are the key ingredients of an opinion piece?
❏ A viewpoint, maybe a strong sense of bias❏ Sense of personal voice❏ Tone: entertaining, light-hearted, playful, mock-
serious/arch❏ Layout: Headlines, Paragraphs, Subheading❏ Structure: sets the scene, ends with a punchy joke
Can you use the features you found in your own opinion piece?
You have been asked by your editor to put an item or concept, word or phrase into Room 101.
You must write a 200-word article justifying its removal from existence!
Your piece should read like an opinion piece
Word count : 200 words (or 1 ½ sides of A4)
Use the template on page 13.
How does it all fit in?
Component Three
Creative Writing (1 hour 45 minutes, 80 mark essay)
Component One
Spoken Language (1 hour, 60 mark essay)
Language Issues (1 hour, 60 mark essay)
To summarise
This has been just a brief taste of what you’ll study in year 1…
● If it’s interested you, then good! ● If it’s made you consider lots of questions, then good!● If it’s made you realise there’s a lot left to learn, then good!
Have a great summer, everyone – take really good care of yourselves, and we can’t wait to meet you in September!