Suzanne Talhouk - Don't Kill Your Language

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_talhouk_don_t_kill_your_language
'More and more, English is a global language; speaking it is perceived as a sign of being modern. But — what do we lose when we leave behind our mother tongues? Suzanne Talhouk makes an impassioned case to love your own language, and to cherish what it can express that no other language can'
                                

 

Jamila Lyiscott - 3 Ways to Speak English

https://www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english

Jamila Lyiscott is a “tri-tongued orator;” in her powerful spoken-word essay “Broken English,” she celebrates — and challenges — the three distinct flavors of English she speaks with her friends, in the classroom and with her parents. As she explores the complicated history and present-day identity that each language represents, she unpacks what it means to be “articulate.”

 

 

Anne Curzan - What Makes A Word "Real"?

https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_curzan_what_makes_a_word_real
'One could argue that slang words like ‘hangry,’ ‘defriend’ and ‘adorkable’ fill crucial meaning gaps in the English language, even if they don't appear in the dictionary. After all, who actually decides which words make it into those pages? Language historian Anne Curzan gives a charming look at the humans behind dictionaries, and the choices they make'.

 

Language and Identity - Good Quotes

"One of the most fundamental ways we have of establishing our identity, and of shaping other peoples views of who we are, is through our use of language"- Joanna Thornborrow (2004)

"Language and accent shape and define our identity"- Stephen Fry
                                                                                                                          

Language and Identity - What to Analyse?

Standard English- Formal language/register (the language of power)-Expect it from teachers and in proffessional work spaces/environments.
-It signifies status.
-It is the language of academia.
 
Slang- Informal language/register
-Expect it from dinner ladies, friends, often parents and in unproffessional environments.
-Certain work proffesions such as builders and postmen etc.
-It signifies class/social status.

Dialect- Lexical features or variations in grammar
-Expect it in informal environments/informal registers.
-Usually depends on where you live and where you have been brought up.

Taboo- Lexis choices which can be deemed as offensive in some cases
-Expect it from the social group of teenagers.
-Adults mostly use this type of language when they've been hurt/when they are feeling pain.

Technology Influenced Words and Phrases- E.g. tweets, texts/instant messaging
-Text language, e.g. lol (laugh out loud) and cba (can't be asked) are mostly expected to be used by
 teenagers/young adults.
-Sometimes we use this type of language (written language) more than we speak to people in a day (spoken
 language).
-Older people tend not to use text speak.

Neologisms- New words being created - e.g. bestie, selfie and twerking have been recently added to ]
                       the ocford dictionary
-Mostly expected to be created and said by teenagers/young adults.
-Heavily influenced by the media, for example, Miley Cyrus with the word 'twerking'.
-Also known as 'coinage'.

Occupational Register- Language influenced by your personal interests, e.g. jargon used by
                                           'gamers'
-Used by people involved in a certain group or profession.
-Also may depend on where abouts you live and have been brought up.

Recieved Pronounciation- The accent used when teaching the language of English to someone who
                                                 is foreign
-Language of power.
-Mostly used by headteachers, bosses of a proffessional work space/environment, the government and the
 royal family.

Regional Accent- When certain words depend on where you live or where you have been brought up
-Must realise that there are multi-accents within a region.
-People from the same place can speak differently.

Language and Occupation - Notes

http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/occupation.htm


Candidates will be expected to have studied in detail texts and data exemplifying language use and issues, and to have studied the relevant theory and research.
In preparing this topic area candidates should study: the forms and functions of talk; registers and styles of writing; historical and contemporary changes, where appropriate. In particular, they should examine:
  -everyday functions and activities (e.g. the role of interpersonal language)
  -discourse features.


Occupations are an important feature of society. Any analysis of how society works is likely to consider occupations - these are a very common feature of social organization. Occupations develop their own special language features, and use those of the common language in novel or distinctive ways. Occupations are a source of language change.

In studying language and occupation, you should consider particular forms (instruction, interview, discussion, conference, briefing, appointing, disciplining) in relation to their functions. We can understand forms;
  - in an explicit sense as those kinds of activity that we can name (job interview, team briefing, disciplinary
    tribunal, conference, marriage ceremony) or
   -in a looser descriptive sense (discussing a problem, telling a manager about an incident, asking an expert
    for guidance).

Here are some general functions of language in occupational contexts: 
  -communicating information
  -requesting help
  -confirming arrangements
  -instructing employees or colleagues to do something
  -making things happen or enacting them

Language interactions may occur between or among those within a given occupation, or between those inside and those outside (customers, clients, the “general public”). This distinction will affect significantly a speaker's (or writer's) language choices. Some uses are exclusive, because they shut out people who do not know them. It is opaque to outsiders, and meant to be. Some occupations are notorious for promoting neologisms (newly-invented words or compounds). These may be used for competition or individual advancement within an organization rather than for linguistic efficiency.


Almost every occupation has its own special lexicon - a vocabulary that is specific to the occupation generally (the legal profession, the Merchant Navy, teaching) or more narrowly to the particular solicitors' practice, ship or school. That is, there will be
  -forms used only in the occupation, or 
  -forms in the common lexicon but used with meanings which are special to the occupation: justify means
   very different things to a printer or typesetter and to a priest.

You may think that register is more or less the same as special lexis - but this is not the case. Lexis is one (admittedly an important one) of various language features that might go to make up a register, which is, in Professor Crystal's phrase “a socially defined variety of language”. It is perhaps only helpful to introduce the idea of register, if this leads to an account of the different things that make up the (particular) register in question, or an observation of a particular feature - say that the register of;
  -professional orchestral music includes a lexicon of Italian loan words (forte, andante, allegro, pizzicato
   and so on) with cross-cultural meanings;
  -soccer players (and managers and commentators) allows use of the perfect tense in a specific way (he's
   gone past the defender and given me a good pass, and I've knocked it in);
  -particle physicists includes a lexicon of old forms with novel meanings that we cannot describe verbally,
   but can represent only mathematically, like spin, strangeness and charm.

Good Revision Material - Andrew Moore

http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/contents.htm#langa

Example Exam Papers and Mark Schemes

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-language-7701-7702

Nosheen Iqbal - Femvertising

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/12/femvertising-branded-feminism

'Hashtag feminism has gone viral, with soap, shampoo and even energy firms launching social-media campaigns marketing feminism. But behind the hype, who’s really benefiting?'

Brown and Levinson

The linguists Brown and Levinson put forward some ideas about politeness. The identify what they term positive and negative face needs.

Positive face needs refers to the assumption that we want to be liked and approved of in our dealings with others. As a result of positive face needs we use positive politeness strategies. Brown and Levinson suggested these might include;

-Paying attention
-Seeking agreement (safe topics)
-Pretend agreement (white lies/hedging)
-Use humour
-Use appropriate address terms
-Compliments

Negative face needs refers to the assumption that we deal with difficult conversational situations in a tactful way. As a result of negative face needs, we use negative politeness strategies. Brown and Levinson suggested these might include;

-Being indirect
-Questioning and Hedging
-Being apologetic
-Giving deference (reducing your own status)

AS ELL Spontaneous Speech Test

1. 'A pattern of speech in which one utterance is followed by an appropriate linked
    response' - is the definition of which term?     Adjacency Pairs.

2. Explain the term 'side sequencing'
    The general drift of conversation is sometimes halted at an unpredictable point a request for
     clarification and then the conversation picks up again where it left off.

3. Give an example of a tag question
    'It's okay here, isn't it?'

4. Give three terms that are examples of non-fluency features
    False starts, hesitations and repetition.

5. Explain the term 'phatic language' and give two examples of 'phatic' language
    Phatic language is small talk, just talking about everyday things such as; 'Isn't the weather lovely today?'

6. Non-verbal aspects of speech or 'p..........' features such as 'fillers' can help reveal a
    speakers attitudes and feelings. Name two other non-verbal aspects of speech.
    Paralinguistic features - gestures and facial expressions.

7. 'Elp me orf this orse' is an example of........... spelling which means the spelling of  
    words to represent how they are pronounced.
    Elision.

8. List Grice's Maxims and briefly what each one refers to
    Quantity - too much/too little.
     Quality - truth.
     Relevance - on topic?
     Manner - clear communication.

9. Grice was interested in suggesting what helps to create a ........... conversation
     Interesting.

10. When analysing spontaneous speech we do not refer to 'sentences' but ............
      Utterances.

11. Brown and Levinson put forward some theories about politeness. Name four positive 
      strategies we might employ if we want to be liked?
       Paying attention, seeking agreement, use humour, compliments and use appropriate address terms. 

12. In order to analyse a transcript what three things must you establish an awareness of
      from the outlet?
      Context, the relationship between the speakers and each of there personalities.

Awkward Interviews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M29C4dCWyCw
In this interview, the hosts on 'This Morning' interview David Cassidy and it doesn't turn out too well. David Cassidy takes things maybe a little too personally and gets rather defensive. His use of non-fluency features, such as hesitations and false starts, show that he is perhaps un-certain with what they are asking him. His paralinguistic features, such as, pulling a disgusted face and putting his hands up to sort of say 'who cares?', show that he really want happy with the hosts, creating a sense of awkwardness.

RSA Animate - Steven Pinker - Language as a Window into Human Nature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-son3EJTrU
RSA Animate is a youtube channel that will be useful throughout English Language A Level.
In this talk, Steven Pinker shows us how the mind turns the finite building blocks of language into infinite meanings.