I'm only giving you 2 example paragraphs for legal/courtroom transcripts. You'll have to research others alone.
Here is the imagined question:
'Using the stimulus as a starting point, discuss how legal power can be exerted through language use.'
So - imagine that the first 2 paragraphs have been answered in relation to the stimulus, here is what the next 2 COULD look like...
P3 - Within an extract from the murder case involving ex-athlete Oscar Pistorius, we studied an exchange between a defence barrister and a key witness. Within this exchange, power is exerted by the barrister when he attempts to undermine the witness and make them look less reliable. This is due to the fact that the barrister is probably attempting to defame the witness and prove reasonable doubt over the guilt of Pistorius. At first, 'D' demonstrates upwards convergence by saying to the witness 'let me explain to you what it means...when you testified'. here, the use of the imperative with the fronted verb 'let', along with the rather patronising verb 'explain' characterises the witness as unintelligent and lacking in legal know-how, which might cast doubt over her reliability in this context. Later, further unreliability is cast upon her when the barrister claims that she made 'no mention of the woman's screaming (1) no mention'. The use of repetition to draw attention to the negated common noun 'no mention', particularly when coupled with a planned unvoiced pause for effect, would accentuate the gap in the witness's version of events, despite her otherwise being trustworthy. This would be classed by Goffman as a 'face threatening act'. However, a different aspect of face presents itself later in the extract when the barrister protects the negative face of the witness, presumably to encourage compliance from her. We can see this firstly when the barrister repeatedly uses the imperative phrase 'hear me out', which undermines his opwn ego and makes it appear as if he is asking the witness' permission to continue, despite being in a position of power relative to her. He later follows an extremely long sentence with 'and I apologise for that'. here, the use of the first person singular pronoun and dynamic present tense verb 'I apologise' show that the barrister is deliberately attempting to pander to the negative face needs of the witness so that she will feel more inclined to talk and comply with his wishes.
P4 - In a similar courtroom extract, we examined data where a man named 'Mr Neil' was being interrogated by a barrister having got into a dispute with a neighbour after an incident with a car. Within the extract, we see the barrister attempting to distance himself from the witness in order to elevate his position of power. An example of this, near the start of the extract, is when the barrister uses low frequency lexis such as the noun 'incident', adverb 'previously' and noun 'grudge' to make him sound more educated than the defendant. The barrister subtly mocks the reliability of the defendant by repeating elements of his own words such as 'you can't remember whether [the police] came to see you?'. Here, the contraction 'can't' and dynamic verb 'remember', which would have been said in an incredulous tone, paints a picture of the defendant as unreliable and fanciful, probably causing the jury to discount his evidence. In a similar way to how the barrister in text A appealed to the negative face needs of his witness to encourage compliance, this barrister in this text uses a similar technique by using downwards convergence to speak to him more on his level. On the surface, he appears to sympathise with the defendant, saying, '...the reason there is ill feeling...is that you believe Mr Peterson shopped you to the police.' here, the use of the abstract noun reason, connoting understanding, and the colloquial past participle verb 'shopped' imply that the barrister is attempting to encourage the defendant to cooperate with him as he has started to see things from his point of view. This would make it far more likely that the defendant will say something which will incriminate him.
Thursday, 31 May 2018
COMPONENT 1B - COURTROOM TRANSCRIPTS
So, in this lesson, we looked at legal power in the context of courtroom transcripts, and how these can show power. These texts could also be used for situation.
The first text is a transcript of a discussion between a barrister and a defendant over a local dispute. The second is a transcript of a cross-examination of a witness in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.
Other examples of courtroom transcripts for your own research can be found at this link: http://dailycaller.com/2016/06/23/suck-my-d-read-the-most-insane-court-transcript-in-us-history/
The first text is a transcript of a discussion between a barrister and a defendant over a local dispute. The second is a transcript of a cross-examination of a witness in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.
Other examples of courtroom transcripts for your own research can be found at this link: http://dailycaller.com/2016/06/23/suck-my-d-read-the-most-insane-court-transcript-in-us-history/
COMPONENT 1B - POWER and ADVERTISING paragraphs
Hi all,
Before reading these paragraphs, please take note. PRAGMATICS is hugely important when it comes to power in advertising. As a lot of your theories relate to power in CONVERSATION, they will mainly not be relevant in printed adverts.
You may talk about INSTRUMENTAL POWER (Fairclough) if the text is from an authority figure. You could also mention INFLUENTIAL POWER (Also Fairclough). You could also mention Grice. Also, if the advert mimics speech, it may well be that Fairclough's features of dominance of 'Face' could be mentioned (For example, if a rhetorical question was used to commit a FTA, or if the advert seemed to be preserving the reader's negative face).
However, largely you will need to focus on PRAGMATICS. By this I mean, talking about why CERTAIN WORDS are important in CERTAIN SITUATIONS (Contexts/Target audiences).
Because of this, I have chosen texts where pragmatics is very important. You do not need to mention the word 'pragmatically' or 'pragmatics'. Just say something like, 'This noun takes on extra significance when we consider the target audience of elderly women because...'
So, here are some example paragraphs:
You will already have done 2 on the stimulus text. Here are another 3!
P3 - An additional example of a powerful advert which I have studied is an extremely emotive appeal by 'Pancreatic Cancer Action'. Within this advert, power is exerted through the use of direct speech in the form of the controversial declarative, 'I wish I had breast cancer.' By juxtaposing the emotive verb 'wish' with the common noun 'cancer', the author creates a sense of shock and intrigue in the reader, pressuring them to read on to find an explanation for this shocking admission. These words would be received particularly alarmingly by a modern audience who are frequently bombarded with appeals to aid cancer charities. Perhaps this is an attempt to stand out from other similar appeals. Power is also exerted through synthetic personalisation by ensuring the quote appears to be from a real person 'Kerry, 24'. The inclusion of her age would shock the audience and make them feel vulnerable, increasing the likelihood they might want to help. By using the adverb 'today, the author is able to exaggerate the seriousness of the problem faced by many, putting it into context. Additionally, the use of superlative phrases 'biggest cancer killer' and 'lowest survival rate', the disease is inflated hyperbolically to make it seem more of a threat, increasing peoples' interest in the topic. The use of the abstract noun 'action' in the title of the charity contrasts with the more passive 'research' in the title of the UKs biggest cancer charity, perhaps making the reader more likely to donate due to the fact they may think their money will be spent fighting the disease rather than simply researching.
P4 - In a hugely contrasting advert for Maybelline's 'Colossal Spider Effect' mascara, the advert exerts power by targeting a specific demographic of insecure young women in order to use language for maximum effect. Utilising an imperative tone throughout, the advert leads with the command 'open your eyes', the idiom simultaneously implying that the product will increase the size of your eyes, whilst also seemingly implying that the reader is naïve if they do not yet use the product, which may encourage them to buy it. Later in the advert, the effect of the product is billed as 'Boldly Sculpted Lashes'. Here, the adverb 'boldly' implies that a person can improve their shy personality by using the product, and the adjective 'sculpted' seems to suggest that it is preferable to appear different to how you do naturally, implying that readers should always see themselves as a work in progress. The title of the product 'colossal spider' is seemingly designed to polarise the target demographic as the adjective 'colossal' and noun 'spider' sound eye-catching and over-the-top simultaneously. Then result of this may be that more shy readers see the product as a way to improve themselves, and more bold readers may feel pressured into using it to be on trend.
P5 - In an advert run by Martin Guitars, the text exerts power over the reader by insinuating that by buying a Martin guitar, you are buying into a legacy, exemplified by the declarative that Heather's guitar teacher 'introduced her...to a guitar that would change her life.' Clearly an example of Norman Fairclough's 'Influential Power', the past participle verb 'introduced' seemingly personifies the guitar. This idea is continued through the statement that on their last lesson together, the teacher 'passed down' a guitar to her. The phrasal verb implies a sense of tradition an cross-generational appreciation, raising the prestige of the guitars in question. Arguably, here - as an older guitar company - Martin Guitars attempt to appear as if they have instrumental power by seemingly claiming that they are a cut above their competitors. The advert even seems to put off some potential buyers, claiming 'A Martin guitar is nothing unless you know how to play one.' The use of direct address shown through the second person pronoun 'you', coupled with the sensationalist indefinite pronoun 'nothing' seems to put the onus on the customer to prove their worth and commitment, and prove that they are worthy of owning a Martin guitar, a very bold application of power.
Have a go at writing a paragraph for the 4th text by yourself.
Before reading these paragraphs, please take note. PRAGMATICS is hugely important when it comes to power in advertising. As a lot of your theories relate to power in CONVERSATION, they will mainly not be relevant in printed adverts.
You may talk about INSTRUMENTAL POWER (Fairclough) if the text is from an authority figure. You could also mention INFLUENTIAL POWER (Also Fairclough). You could also mention Grice. Also, if the advert mimics speech, it may well be that Fairclough's features of dominance of 'Face' could be mentioned (For example, if a rhetorical question was used to commit a FTA, or if the advert seemed to be preserving the reader's negative face).
However, largely you will need to focus on PRAGMATICS. By this I mean, talking about why CERTAIN WORDS are important in CERTAIN SITUATIONS (Contexts/Target audiences).
Because of this, I have chosen texts where pragmatics is very important. You do not need to mention the word 'pragmatically' or 'pragmatics'. Just say something like, 'This noun takes on extra significance when we consider the target audience of elderly women because...'
So, here are some example paragraphs:
You will already have done 2 on the stimulus text. Here are another 3!
P3 - An additional example of a powerful advert which I have studied is an extremely emotive appeal by 'Pancreatic Cancer Action'. Within this advert, power is exerted through the use of direct speech in the form of the controversial declarative, 'I wish I had breast cancer.' By juxtaposing the emotive verb 'wish' with the common noun 'cancer', the author creates a sense of shock and intrigue in the reader, pressuring them to read on to find an explanation for this shocking admission. These words would be received particularly alarmingly by a modern audience who are frequently bombarded with appeals to aid cancer charities. Perhaps this is an attempt to stand out from other similar appeals. Power is also exerted through synthetic personalisation by ensuring the quote appears to be from a real person 'Kerry, 24'. The inclusion of her age would shock the audience and make them feel vulnerable, increasing the likelihood they might want to help. By using the adverb 'today, the author is able to exaggerate the seriousness of the problem faced by many, putting it into context. Additionally, the use of superlative phrases 'biggest cancer killer' and 'lowest survival rate', the disease is inflated hyperbolically to make it seem more of a threat, increasing peoples' interest in the topic. The use of the abstract noun 'action' in the title of the charity contrasts with the more passive 'research' in the title of the UKs biggest cancer charity, perhaps making the reader more likely to donate due to the fact they may think their money will be spent fighting the disease rather than simply researching.
P4 - In a hugely contrasting advert for Maybelline's 'Colossal Spider Effect' mascara, the advert exerts power by targeting a specific demographic of insecure young women in order to use language for maximum effect. Utilising an imperative tone throughout, the advert leads with the command 'open your eyes', the idiom simultaneously implying that the product will increase the size of your eyes, whilst also seemingly implying that the reader is naïve if they do not yet use the product, which may encourage them to buy it. Later in the advert, the effect of the product is billed as 'Boldly Sculpted Lashes'. Here, the adverb 'boldly' implies that a person can improve their shy personality by using the product, and the adjective 'sculpted' seems to suggest that it is preferable to appear different to how you do naturally, implying that readers should always see themselves as a work in progress. The title of the product 'colossal spider' is seemingly designed to polarise the target demographic as the adjective 'colossal' and noun 'spider' sound eye-catching and over-the-top simultaneously. Then result of this may be that more shy readers see the product as a way to improve themselves, and more bold readers may feel pressured into using it to be on trend.
P5 - In an advert run by Martin Guitars, the text exerts power over the reader by insinuating that by buying a Martin guitar, you are buying into a legacy, exemplified by the declarative that Heather's guitar teacher 'introduced her...to a guitar that would change her life.' Clearly an example of Norman Fairclough's 'Influential Power', the past participle verb 'introduced' seemingly personifies the guitar. This idea is continued through the statement that on their last lesson together, the teacher 'passed down' a guitar to her. The phrasal verb implies a sense of tradition an cross-generational appreciation, raising the prestige of the guitars in question. Arguably, here - as an older guitar company - Martin Guitars attempt to appear as if they have instrumental power by seemingly claiming that they are a cut above their competitors. The advert even seems to put off some potential buyers, claiming 'A Martin guitar is nothing unless you know how to play one.' The use of direct address shown through the second person pronoun 'you', coupled with the sensationalist indefinite pronoun 'nothing' seems to put the onus on the customer to prove their worth and commitment, and prove that they are worthy of owning a Martin guitar, a very bold application of power.
Have a go at writing a paragraph for the 4th text by yourself.
COMPONENT 1B - STD/NSTD Example Paragraphs
P5 -
However, not all attitudes towards non-standard English are negative. In an article by Stephen Fry, the author outlines a descriptive attitude which would go against the ideas I have studied so far in this essay. In the article, Fry describes the variation in the sounds made by the human mouth as 'Euphoric bliss', the low-frequency adjective connoting a very descriptive stance. It would appear that Peter Trudgill would agree with Fry here as he claims that modern dialects are 'part of our environment' and 'should be protected'. As for people who wish to destroy dialects based on their own opinions, Fry says, 'Sod them to Hades'. Here, the expletive colloquial verb 'sod' and proper noun 'Hades' implies that Fry sees these people as standing in the way of language development rather than aiding it. Trudgill categorically states that, in his opinion, "preservation of dialect diversity should be encouraged". This is an interesting view as, like other prescriptivist commentators, Trudgill sees it as our duty to catalogue the changes in dialect as they represent the natural process of language. As David Crystal says, 'you cannot freeze a flowing river.'
Conversely, there are other more outspoken celebrities such as John Humphreys who have caused controversy by likening different dialects to 'raping' the English language. Humphreys' opinion, shown through the emotive present participle verb, reflects MacKinnon's view that some people see language as being 'morally inappropriate', as it is clear that Humphreys equates non-standard language use to one of the most serious crimes in humanity. John Honey mocks descriptivists who claim that encouraging standard English 'does irreparable damage' to young people who speak in a dialect, and this is apparently reflected by Humphreys in his article also. He also mocks descriptivists by saying claiming that they see anyone who seeks to defend language as 'a fuddy-duddy who deserves to be run down.' However, Hunphreys ' attitude shows a very serious and offensive view of language use. Whilst we may not agree with his decision to relate language variation to violent sexual crime, it is, nevertheless, a reflection of how strict the beliefs of a prescriptivist can be.
COMPONENT 1B - SITUATION EXAMPLE PARAGRAPHS...
These paragraphs go with texts 3 and 4 out of 4 from the last blog post....
Look at how they are structured...
Paragraph on the MIDWIFE text -
In a further transcript which we studied in class, a midwife speaks to a new mother shortly after a difficult birth. Again, it appears that the instrumental power of the midwife is put to one side in order to utilise Accommodation theory (Giles). It is quite clear to see that the midwife utilises downward convergence near the start of the extract through the interrogative, "What've you called her love?", the contraction 'what've' and colloquialism 'love' presumably designed to create an informal atmosphere and put the patient at ease. This continues through the midwife's use of empty adjectives such as 'lovely' to describe the baby name, which are usually an indicator of a lack of power. Noticeably, the midwife allows the patient to display all the features of dominance, allowing her to talk for the majority of the exchange, only back-channelling with 'right' to show she is understanding what she is saying. Later, she seeks clarification from the patient by repeating the interrogative the noun 'suction' as an imperative after the patient informed her that '[the baby] had suction'. This shows her using her position to gain clarity on a medical issue. The exchange ends with the midwife continuing to use her experience to create a relaxed atmosphere by guiding the husband to the toilet, claiming 'I know the anatomy of these places.' Notably, the only time she uses low-frequency medical jargon such as the common noun 'anatomy' is to create humour.
Paragraph on the PHARMACIST text -
We see a more predictable use of language in a final transcript of a conversation between a pharmacist and a customer who wishes to be given something to deal with a troublesome cough. The exchange begins with the pharmacist latching on to a lot of what the customer says, often repeating them word for word "C - Bout two days / P - 'bout two days", presumably to clarify details to aid with a diagnosis. Also, here, the pharmacist converges to speak in a similar fashion to the customer to put them at ease. Later in the text, we see how the customer's embarrassment and lack of experience talking about sensitive issues causes them to interrupt the pharmacist when they talk about phlegm, "a lot of phlegm (.) or what [
[no (...) it's sort of a hard dry cough"
The abrupt interjection of 'no' shortly after the mention of the common noun 'phlegm' reveals that the customer feels self conscious speaking about her symptoms. After this, the pharmacist uses their instrumental power to take more control of the situation claiming, "Well, what I would take..." which acts as a cloaked imperative to maintain an informal atmosphere and protect the pharmacist from extended responsibility. The pharmacist is also able to show their expertise by using low frequency field-specific lexis such as the noun 'guaithenesin' and the adjective 'mentholoated' which would elicit confidence from the customer.
Notice how they achieve the following things 1. an opening sentence which fully introduces the text - which is absolutely essential. 2. A COMMAND of the situation which shows surprise and interest when things don't go as expected. 3. Apt and concise quotations which demonstrate how the situation is important but without going on forever and a day. 4. Full and thorough explanations about WHY language is being used this way. 5. Relevant application of theories where significant.
Look at how they are structured...
Paragraph on the MIDWIFE text -
In a further transcript which we studied in class, a midwife speaks to a new mother shortly after a difficult birth. Again, it appears that the instrumental power of the midwife is put to one side in order to utilise Accommodation theory (Giles). It is quite clear to see that the midwife utilises downward convergence near the start of the extract through the interrogative, "What've you called her love?", the contraction 'what've' and colloquialism 'love' presumably designed to create an informal atmosphere and put the patient at ease. This continues through the midwife's use of empty adjectives such as 'lovely' to describe the baby name, which are usually an indicator of a lack of power. Noticeably, the midwife allows the patient to display all the features of dominance, allowing her to talk for the majority of the exchange, only back-channelling with 'right' to show she is understanding what she is saying. Later, she seeks clarification from the patient by repeating the interrogative the noun 'suction' as an imperative after the patient informed her that '[the baby] had suction'. This shows her using her position to gain clarity on a medical issue. The exchange ends with the midwife continuing to use her experience to create a relaxed atmosphere by guiding the husband to the toilet, claiming 'I know the anatomy of these places.' Notably, the only time she uses low-frequency medical jargon such as the common noun 'anatomy' is to create humour.
Paragraph on the PHARMACIST text -
We see a more predictable use of language in a final transcript of a conversation between a pharmacist and a customer who wishes to be given something to deal with a troublesome cough. The exchange begins with the pharmacist latching on to a lot of what the customer says, often repeating them word for word "C - Bout two days / P - 'bout two days", presumably to clarify details to aid with a diagnosis. Also, here, the pharmacist converges to speak in a similar fashion to the customer to put them at ease. Later in the text, we see how the customer's embarrassment and lack of experience talking about sensitive issues causes them to interrupt the pharmacist when they talk about phlegm, "a lot of phlegm (.) or what [
[no (...) it's sort of a hard dry cough"
The abrupt interjection of 'no' shortly after the mention of the common noun 'phlegm' reveals that the customer feels self conscious speaking about her symptoms. After this, the pharmacist uses their instrumental power to take more control of the situation claiming, "Well, what I would take..." which acts as a cloaked imperative to maintain an informal atmosphere and protect the pharmacist from extended responsibility. The pharmacist is also able to show their expertise by using low frequency field-specific lexis such as the noun 'guaithenesin' and the adjective 'mentholoated' which would elicit confidence from the customer.
Notice how they achieve the following things 1. an opening sentence which fully introduces the text - which is absolutely essential. 2. A COMMAND of the situation which shows surprise and interest when things don't go as expected. 3. Apt and concise quotations which demonstrate how the situation is important but without going on forever and a day. 4. Full and thorough explanations about WHY language is being used this way. 5. Relevant application of theories where significant.
But also fully analyse the other two transcripts. Look at how power/situation is relevant in the Savile text. Look at how the policeman decides to speak to him and appeal to his negative face needs, bearing in mind he had not yet been found guilty of any crime, and was a major/respected celebrity.
Also, look at the job interview text. Look at the way the boss chooses to speak to the interviewee, and how her lack of English may have affected some of his language choices to her.
Nick
COMPONENT 1B - SITUATION/POWER transcript examples...
An extract of a police interview with Jimmy Savile...
An extract from a job interview between a British boss and an interviewee who has English as an additional language...
A midwife talking to the mother of a newborn baby after a complicated birth...
A transcript between a pharmacist and a customer that you have looked at in class multiple times...
COMPONENT 1B - SITUATION CASE STUDIES
Hi everyone,
One student emailed me yesterday still a bit confused about which case studies you can make reference to if a SITUATION question comes up and asks you to talk about POLITENESS or FACE.
Essentially...you already have loads of case studies which would fit a question like this. Any of your classroom transcripts, any courtroom scripts...George W Bush interview....lots of the ones from the POWER booklet (such as the vet in a variety of different circumstances), the Pharmacist transcript, the monty python dead parrot sketch, police transcripts...
All of these feature FACE strategies such as FTAs, consideration of positive face needs and negative face needs. Remember, politeness is just things like convergence, divergence, deference, turn taking, consideration of face needs etc.
Don't overthink it....just go back over your files and you will see the sheer amount of stuff you already have for this subject. All you need to do is highlight a couple of key quotes from each one and analyse/apply theory.
One student emailed me yesterday still a bit confused about which case studies you can make reference to if a SITUATION question comes up and asks you to talk about POLITENESS or FACE.
Essentially...you already have loads of case studies which would fit a question like this. Any of your classroom transcripts, any courtroom scripts...George W Bush interview....lots of the ones from the POWER booklet (such as the vet in a variety of different circumstances), the Pharmacist transcript, the monty python dead parrot sketch, police transcripts...
All of these feature FACE strategies such as FTAs, consideration of positive face needs and negative face needs. Remember, politeness is just things like convergence, divergence, deference, turn taking, consideration of face needs etc.
Don't overthink it....just go back over your files and you will see the sheer amount of stuff you already have for this subject. All you need to do is highlight a couple of key quotes from each one and analyse/apply theory.
Friday, 25 May 2018
EXAM PAPERS!
Check your emails from me 24th-25th of May.
You have been sent TONS of past papers.
Use them to plan, practice etc.
Do as many FULL responses as possible. If you run out of time for this, try partial responses and speed planning.
All of this is useful!
STB
Nick
You have been sent TONS of past papers.
Use them to plan, practice etc.
Do as many FULL responses as possible. If you run out of time for this, try partial responses and speed planning.
All of this is useful!
STB
Nick
WHERE TO FIND EXAM PAPERS!
On Thursday 24th of May (Check your emails) I sent you all of our best student answers from last year in each section.
I also sent you a separate email with the SAMS file attached. If you read through this file, you will see that there is a practice paper for every unit. We have done most of them already, but there is not a huge amount available for this new A-Level, so I'm sending what I can.
Today (25th May) I am sending emails to you which contain last year's real life papers for each unit. Again, you are familiar with these, but it will be good practice to go over them again.
I will send as much as I can today so keep checking your emails and saving the files in places you will be able to access them from home.
Nick
I also sent you a separate email with the SAMS file attached. If you read through this file, you will see that there is a practice paper for every unit. We have done most of them already, but there is not a huge amount available for this new A-Level, so I'm sending what I can.
Today (25th May) I am sending emails to you which contain last year's real life papers for each unit. Again, you are familiar with these, but it will be good practice to go over them again.
I will send as much as I can today so keep checking your emails and saving the files in places you will be able to access them from home.
Nick
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
COMPONENT 2B - PLANS
Use the acronym to help you group your data together.
Prosodics/Paralinguistics
Links and Limitations
Automated or Crafted
Near or Far
Sociolect and Multimodality
For example:
P
*Texts where prosodics are important (explain why in context)
*Texts where paralinguistics are important (explain why in context)
*Texts where paralinguistics are important (explain why in context)
L
*Texts which include HyperLinks (explain why this is important in context)
*Texts where the writer is governed by limitations of any sort (explain why)
*Texts where the writer is governed by limitations of any sort (explain why)
A
*Texts where the message is clearly SPAM or Auto (analyse features in context)
*Texts that have been precisely crafter (such as official/political texts - analyse features)
N
*Texts that have been precisely crafter (such as official/political texts - analyse features)
N
*Texts where the writer is socially near (analyse features in context)
*Texts where the writer is socially far (analyse features in context)
*Texts where the writer is socially far (analyse features in context)
S
*Texts where a high degree of sociolect is present (analyse why in context)
*Texts where a high degree of multimodality is present (analyse why in context)
COMPONENT 2B - Final 2 paragraphs continued...
So...
You've done a PG on 'wider reading/your own experience'. Now just ensure you do a paragraph which mentions theorists and other peoples' opinions. You can pretty much write this in advance.
Just look back at the opinions from Stephen Fry and John Humphreys. Make sure you discuss their attitudes towards CMC/21st century English. Stephen Fry thinks experimenting with language is great - so he is a descriptivist. Humphreys actually compares this sort of experimentation with language to 'rape'. Highly controversial and offensive, but in line with what some PRESCRIPTIVISTS think about language.
So, just write a paragraph where you sum up some public attitudes to CMC, and then finish off by quoting good old David Crystal. Say how he is a world expert in the field. Mention his classic quotes, 'you can't freeze a moving river' etc, as well as a few more descriptivist quote from the info I've given you.
Here are the texts you will need...
You've done a PG on 'wider reading/your own experience'. Now just ensure you do a paragraph which mentions theorists and other peoples' opinions. You can pretty much write this in advance.
Just look back at the opinions from Stephen Fry and John Humphreys. Make sure you discuss their attitudes towards CMC/21st century English. Stephen Fry thinks experimenting with language is great - so he is a descriptivist. Humphreys actually compares this sort of experimentation with language to 'rape'. Highly controversial and offensive, but in line with what some PRESCRIPTIVISTS think about language.
So, just write a paragraph where you sum up some public attitudes to CMC, and then finish off by quoting good old David Crystal. Say how he is a world expert in the field. Mention his classic quotes, 'you can't freeze a moving river' etc, as well as a few more descriptivist quote from the info I've given you.
Here are the texts you will need...
COMPONENT 2B - The final 2 paragraphs
So...
What do you need to put in your final 2 paragraphs, I hear you ask?
Dead simple.
1. You should ensure that you write a paragraph about your own experience of the medium named in the question. So, for the following mediums, you should just have a think about 1 paragraphs worth of example of unusual and strange langauge use you have witnessed in different contexts:
*SMS
*Facebook
*Twitter
*Snapchat
*Email
*Instagram
*Whatsapp
You can make it up/elaborate if you want to. Just ensure that you are able to talk for a PG about your personal experience, backed up with examples. So, if FB came up, I might have a few exaamples of how I talk to my friends, but then talk about how that differs if I'm talking to my mum on there or something. You might want to mention how memes have affected the way you talk, or 'in jokes' you have with your friends. All you need to do is to have one PG where you talk about your own experiences of the medium, using terms to back up what you're saying, and linking your points to multiple contexts.
If you are REALLY stuck for points to make, or you don't think your own experience of SMS of facebook is interesting enough, remember these stimulus texts that we have used in class, and analyse these instead. Some very unusual examples, particularly the 'wrong number' text, the SPAM text ad the text between the younger person and parent...
Also, if FB happens to come up, remember that we studied this HUGE argument from FB. There's all kinds of stuff you could drop in from here...
What do you need to put in your final 2 paragraphs, I hear you ask?
Dead simple.
1. You should ensure that you write a paragraph about your own experience of the medium named in the question. So, for the following mediums, you should just have a think about 1 paragraphs worth of example of unusual and strange langauge use you have witnessed in different contexts:
*SMS
*Snapchat
You can make it up/elaborate if you want to. Just ensure that you are able to talk for a PG about your personal experience, backed up with examples. So, if FB came up, I might have a few exaamples of how I talk to my friends, but then talk about how that differs if I'm talking to my mum on there or something. You might want to mention how memes have affected the way you talk, or 'in jokes' you have with your friends. All you need to do is to have one PG where you talk about your own experiences of the medium, using terms to back up what you're saying, and linking your points to multiple contexts.
If you are REALLY stuck for points to make, or you don't think your own experience of SMS of facebook is interesting enough, remember these stimulus texts that we have used in class, and analyse these instead. Some very unusual examples, particularly the 'wrong number' text, the SPAM text ad the text between the younger person and parent...
Also, if FB happens to come up, remember that we studied this HUGE argument from FB. There's all kinds of stuff you could drop in from here...
COMPONENT 2B - Disinhibition Theory
As well as David Crystal, please also remember Tim Shortiss' 'Disinhibition Theory'. You don't hae to remember quotes for this, just remember what the theory is, and mention it if it crops up in your data.
The theory is the idea that, because CMC allows you to communicate without having to see people face to face, you are more likely to say things that you would be too embarassed to say in real life.
If you see this happening in your data, mention Tim Shortiss and 'Disinhibition Theory'.
The theory is the idea that, because CMC allows you to communicate without having to see people face to face, you are more likely to say things that you would be too embarassed to say in real life.
If you see this happening in your data, mention Tim Shortiss and 'Disinhibition Theory'.
COMPONENT 2B - Theory (Crystal)
The amount of theory you have to remember for this section is nothing compared to the last exam.
Essentially what you need to do is try to add some relevant quotes into your analysis of the data when you think it is important, then memorise a really good example paragraph to put at the end of your essay.
David Crystal is a fantastic source, as he is one of the world's experts on this subject. When David Crystal visited, I made a PPT outlining all kinds of quotes he made about CMC communication.
Here is the PPT. You will see LOTS of useful quotes that you can use as you analyse your data.
Obviously the 'language and the internet' slides are the most important.
Essentially what you need to do is try to add some relevant quotes into your analysis of the data when you think it is important, then memorise a really good example paragraph to put at the end of your essay.
David Crystal is a fantastic source, as he is one of the world's experts on this subject. When David Crystal visited, I made a PPT outlining all kinds of quotes he made about CMC communication.
Here is the PPT. You will see LOTS of useful quotes that you can use as you analyse your data.
Obviously the 'language and the internet' slides are the most important.
Friday, 18 May 2018
COMPONENT 2B - So What Do We Do?
Really, this is a component which should NOT have you panicking.
You will be given a small set of data from the genre of 21st century English.
This could be from:
SMS
Twitter
Facebook
Snapchat
Instagram
Email
All the questions will ask you to do will be something like 'analyse how the context of this data affects language use in the 21st century'.
You already know ALL of this! You really do. All you have to do is imagine you are explaining EVERYTHING to a 95 year old, and you can't go far wrong (ie, just be prepared to explain what the heck is going on as if you are talking to someone who has never seen a text message or abbreviation in their life.)
Got it?
Key terms:
If you see any of these, you'll need to point them out and explain why and how they are being used. Don't just assume that you only need to mention them once. You might make a point about how a smiley face to a friend shows informality or flirting, whereas you might later make another point about how inappropriate a sad face is when used in a formal situation.
*Abbreviations
*Acronyms
*Initialisms
*Emojis/Emoticons
*Sociolect
*Elliptical expression
*Elision
*Logograms (when a symbol is used to carry meaning, like '+' or '@'
*Hyperlinks
*Hashtags
*Retweets
*Tagged friends
*Mentions
*Like/Dislikes
Again, none of this should scare you. This is the sort of language you use EVERY DAY. You just need to switch your brains on, look at the contexts, and ensure that you are fully explaining WHY these things are happening.
Grouping and Planning
Answering this question really is EASY.
The Sample Assessment material showed 8 SMS messages and expects you to write about 4-5 paragraphs.
Whilst we don't know that YOUR data will feature SMS messages, we can assume it will be a similar length.
So, just try to GROUP the data into about 4-5 paragraphs. Don't just blindly work your way through it one text at a time This won't show off your skills. See if any of the texts/tweets/message have anything in common, and tackle these in the same paragraph.
For example, don't do this:
Paragraph one - discusses sms 1
Paragraph two - discusses sms 2
Paragraph three - discusses sms 3...
Because if you do that, you'll find that you eventualy start repeating yourself.
Instead, do it like this...
Paragraph one - discusses all messages which features arguments
Paragraph two - discusses all message which are sent in a more formal context
Paragraph three - discusses all messages which are sent mby older people
Paragraph four - discusses all texts which are SPAM messages or unwanted messages
Paragraph five - discusses all texts sent between close friends and family
Linking to Context
Follow this formula and you won't go far wrong.
1. Point out a language feature
2. Show a clear example or examples of where we see this in the data
3. Explain why this happens in a general sense - 'Emojis like this are used to express emotion rather than putting things into words which means that word counts are cut down, and there is less chance of messages being misread on an emotional level
4. Explain why this happens in this particular context - 'Within this message, it is particularly important that this 'laughing' emoji has been used, as the recipient is an older individual who may be more inclined to misread the sarcastic tone of the text if the emoji was not used to clarify it.
It is that last point which will ensure you are always linking to context. So, within each message, consider and comment on the following factors:
*How old is the sender/recipient? Is this having any effect on the language used?
*Is there a language/culture barrier between sender and recipient? Any linguistic effect?
*How well do the sender and recipient know each other? Is this affecting anything?
*Is the message informal or formal? Why? How is this shown linguistically?
*How far apart are the sender and recipient? Any linguistic effect?
*Is the message wanted or unwanted? How does this affect the things the sender says?
*SPAM MESSAGES - Remember, SPAM companies will use abbreviations and hyperlinks to keep word counts and costs down. They will also use a whole host of tactics to trick people into following the messages. Point these out when they shows up, and explain what you know about spammers.
*Multimodality - Do any of the messages show signs of CONVERSATIONAL features? Why? Point these out.
ETC ETC ETC.
Do you see the benefit of this??? Essentially, this will guarantee that each PG has a nice specific focus, you won't be repeating yourself, and you should ALWAYS be able to link VERY EASILY to the context of the messages, showing how it is affecting language use.
You will be given a small set of data from the genre of 21st century English.
This could be from:
SMS
Snapchat
All the questions will ask you to do will be something like 'analyse how the context of this data affects language use in the 21st century'.
You already know ALL of this! You really do. All you have to do is imagine you are explaining EVERYTHING to a 95 year old, and you can't go far wrong (ie, just be prepared to explain what the heck is going on as if you are talking to someone who has never seen a text message or abbreviation in their life.)
Got it?
Key terms:
If you see any of these, you'll need to point them out and explain why and how they are being used. Don't just assume that you only need to mention them once. You might make a point about how a smiley face to a friend shows informality or flirting, whereas you might later make another point about how inappropriate a sad face is when used in a formal situation.
*Abbreviations
*Acronyms
*Initialisms
*Emojis/Emoticons
*Sociolect
*Elliptical expression
*Elision
*Logograms (when a symbol is used to carry meaning, like '+' or '@'
*Hyperlinks
*Hashtags
*Retweets
*Tagged friends
*Mentions
*Like/Dislikes
Again, none of this should scare you. This is the sort of language you use EVERY DAY. You just need to switch your brains on, look at the contexts, and ensure that you are fully explaining WHY these things are happening.
Grouping and Planning
Answering this question really is EASY.
The Sample Assessment material showed 8 SMS messages and expects you to write about 4-5 paragraphs.
Whilst we don't know that YOUR data will feature SMS messages, we can assume it will be a similar length.
So, just try to GROUP the data into about 4-5 paragraphs. Don't just blindly work your way through it one text at a time This won't show off your skills. See if any of the texts/tweets/message have anything in common, and tackle these in the same paragraph.
For example, don't do this:
Paragraph one - discusses sms 1
Paragraph two - discusses sms 2
Paragraph three - discusses sms 3...
Because if you do that, you'll find that you eventualy start repeating yourself.
Instead, do it like this...
Paragraph one - discusses all messages which features arguments
Paragraph two - discusses all message which are sent in a more formal context
Paragraph three - discusses all messages which are sent mby older people
Paragraph four - discusses all texts which are SPAM messages or unwanted messages
Paragraph five - discusses all texts sent between close friends and family
Linking to Context
Follow this formula and you won't go far wrong.
1. Point out a language feature
2. Show a clear example or examples of where we see this in the data
3. Explain why this happens in a general sense - 'Emojis like this are used to express emotion rather than putting things into words which means that word counts are cut down, and there is less chance of messages being misread on an emotional level
4. Explain why this happens in this particular context - 'Within this message, it is particularly important that this 'laughing' emoji has been used, as the recipient is an older individual who may be more inclined to misread the sarcastic tone of the text if the emoji was not used to clarify it.
It is that last point which will ensure you are always linking to context. So, within each message, consider and comment on the following factors:
*How old is the sender/recipient? Is this having any effect on the language used?
*Is there a language/culture barrier between sender and recipient? Any linguistic effect?
*How well do the sender and recipient know each other? Is this affecting anything?
*Is the message informal or formal? Why? How is this shown linguistically?
*How far apart are the sender and recipient? Any linguistic effect?
*Is the message wanted or unwanted? How does this affect the things the sender says?
*SPAM MESSAGES - Remember, SPAM companies will use abbreviations and hyperlinks to keep word counts and costs down. They will also use a whole host of tactics to trick people into following the messages. Point these out when they shows up, and explain what you know about spammers.
*Multimodality - Do any of the messages show signs of CONVERSATIONAL features? Why? Point these out.
ETC ETC ETC.
Do you see the benefit of this??? Essentially, this will guarantee that each PG has a nice specific focus, you won't be repeating yourself, and you should ALWAYS be able to link VERY EASILY to the context of the messages, showing how it is affecting language use.
COMPONENT 2A - The 60 Marker
Ok,
So you are going to want a general walk-through for the essay. You know this already. There is no way around the fact that it is a BIG essay. Remember, if you follow the timings I have outlined in an earlier post, you should have between 60-70 minutes to write it.
THE QUESTION WILL PROBABLY ASK YOU HOW THE CONVENTIONS OF THE GENRE, OR ANOTHER RELATED ASPECT OF THE GENRE, HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME. WHATEVER IT ASKS YOU, YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION DIRECTLY AND SIGNPOST YOUR ARGUMENT BACK TO THE QUESTION IN EACH PARAGRAPH.
Got it? Sorry if that looked a bit shouty, but it's pretty much the most important thing on the exam so take note.
So...make sure you do the following things:
1. Read the blurbs for each texts and highlight any key words that will give you clues about the content of the text. Often, you will see clues to do with the class, social position, age of writers etc.
2. Aim to find SIX key points in each text which directly answer the question. ie, if the question asks you to talk about how the conventions of the genre have changed, then aim to find around SIX conventions per text. Alternatively, if the question asks you something like 'how have attitudes towards love changed over time? Find points which mostly answer this question. And so on.
3. Write your paragraph clearly with a focussed TOPIC SENTENCE, back them up with multiple bits of EVIDENCE and use TERMS to discuss the KEY WORDS of PRAGMATIC SIGNIFICANCE. Remember, don't classify EVERY word, just the ones which carry meaning or are the most important.
4. If you come across KEY LANGUAGE TERMS, point them out as a 'by the way' sort of point. Don't just look out for grammatical stuff...comment on words which are archaic, or have changed meaning too.
5. Write your paragraphs QUICKLY and CONCISELY - you will need to get through a lot of them.
6. Write your six PGs on text A, then 6 on B, then 6 on C.
7. Ensure, in the majority of your paragraphs, that you make a comparison with one of the other texts.
8. STICK TO YOUR TIMINGS!!! YOU MUST COVER EACH TEXT EQUALLY!!! If you get a third of the way through your time and you have only done 4 PGs, MOVE ON!! Don't carry on with Text A forever, as your essay will be weak.
9. Remember, your paragraphs can differ in length. Some may be long, and some may only be short.
10. WRITE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. It is a long essay....there is no avoiding that...so write FAST. Write FASTER THAN YOU EVER HAVE BEFORE. WRITE UNTIL YOUR HAND ACHES. It will be worth it!
Do all the above, and you'll be fine.
Nick
So you are going to want a general walk-through for the essay. You know this already. There is no way around the fact that it is a BIG essay. Remember, if you follow the timings I have outlined in an earlier post, you should have between 60-70 minutes to write it.
THE QUESTION WILL PROBABLY ASK YOU HOW THE CONVENTIONS OF THE GENRE, OR ANOTHER RELATED ASPECT OF THE GENRE, HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME. WHATEVER IT ASKS YOU, YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION DIRECTLY AND SIGNPOST YOUR ARGUMENT BACK TO THE QUESTION IN EACH PARAGRAPH.
Got it? Sorry if that looked a bit shouty, but it's pretty much the most important thing on the exam so take note.
So...make sure you do the following things:
1. Read the blurbs for each texts and highlight any key words that will give you clues about the content of the text. Often, you will see clues to do with the class, social position, age of writers etc.
2. Aim to find SIX key points in each text which directly answer the question. ie, if the question asks you to talk about how the conventions of the genre have changed, then aim to find around SIX conventions per text. Alternatively, if the question asks you something like 'how have attitudes towards love changed over time? Find points which mostly answer this question. And so on.
3. Write your paragraph clearly with a focussed TOPIC SENTENCE, back them up with multiple bits of EVIDENCE and use TERMS to discuss the KEY WORDS of PRAGMATIC SIGNIFICANCE. Remember, don't classify EVERY word, just the ones which carry meaning or are the most important.
4. If you come across KEY LANGUAGE TERMS, point them out as a 'by the way' sort of point. Don't just look out for grammatical stuff...comment on words which are archaic, or have changed meaning too.
5. Write your paragraphs QUICKLY and CONCISELY - you will need to get through a lot of them.
6. Write your six PGs on text A, then 6 on B, then 6 on C.
7. Ensure, in the majority of your paragraphs, that you make a comparison with one of the other texts.
8. STICK TO YOUR TIMINGS!!! YOU MUST COVER EACH TEXT EQUALLY!!! If you get a third of the way through your time and you have only done 4 PGs, MOVE ON!! Don't carry on with Text A forever, as your essay will be weak.
9. Remember, your paragraphs can differ in length. Some may be long, and some may only be short.
10. WRITE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. It is a long essay....there is no avoiding that...so write FAST. Write FASTER THAN YOU EVER HAVE BEFORE. WRITE UNTIL YOUR HAND ACHES. It will be worth it!
Do all the above, and you'll be fine.
Nick
COMPONENT 2A - DIARIES
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...Probably only written by educated/higher class people as these would be the only ones to survive. Will be written more as a historical record or document. Will often include mention of activities/timetables. No focus on entertainment. Far more mention of religion and religious practices. Written in a factual tone - no suggestion that they are written to entertain or to be read by anybody else. Will contain mention of life in high-class settings. Writing will be largely accurate (for the time) and well-written due to nature of writers. A formal tone to be expected.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by anyone. Written for a variety of purposes - possibly to record secrets, to complain, voice anger - far more focus on freedom of expression. Focus will be more on feelings and opinions due to change in oppressive nature of society. Tone of honesty and sometimes entertainment. Some more modern diaries - particularly if written by a significant individual such as a celebrity - are written with a view to them being read out or published (wider audience). Will feature interesting AND mundane activities. May be very informal in their approach.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by anyone. Written for a variety of purposes - possibly to record secrets, to complain, voice anger - far more focus on freedom of expression. Focus will be more on feelings and opinions due to change in oppressive nature of society. Tone of honesty and sometimes entertainment. Some more modern diaries - particularly if written by a significant individual such as a celebrity - are written with a view to them being read out or published (wider audience). Will feature interesting AND mundane activities. May be very informal in their approach.
COMPONENT 2A - ARTICLES
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...Not necessarily as immediate in their reporting of the news. Might be published periodically rather than daily due to constraints of technology. May mention 'God' or 'God's will' more due to religious society. May seem far more superstitious due to beliefs of society at the time. Might demonise natural elements and disasters rather than people. May have a far more dramatic tone (more like a narrative rather than the more factual tone of modern journalism). May make assumptions and accusations due to the lack of legal system in society. May have a more local appeal and mention local place names/people etc as national papers are a relatively modern concept. May show views which are considered controversial by today's standards. Might seem sensationalist in their approach, as if warning the public. Not very much focus put onto writer.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
More immediate - sometimes even reported within minutes. Will tend to stick to facts and quotes to ensure they can't be sued. May seek to demonise perpetrators of crimes, but always making sure they do not say anything which is legally dubious. May have a dramatic tone, but only once the modern conventions of the genre are established. For example, most articles' first PG will outline the who/what/where facts in a concise way before continuing to add information. Will always be very careful about legal implications when making assumptions, often relying on the quotes of others or modals such as 'may have' or 'might have'. May have a more national appeal. Will probably show less controversial views than an older text, but can still be controversial. Some papers will display a clear political stance. Might seem sensationalist in their approach, but simply just to sell papers rather than acting as a warning. Sometimes written by celebrities or famous journalists.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
More immediate - sometimes even reported within minutes. Will tend to stick to facts and quotes to ensure they can't be sued. May seek to demonise perpetrators of crimes, but always making sure they do not say anything which is legally dubious. May have a dramatic tone, but only once the modern conventions of the genre are established. For example, most articles' first PG will outline the who/what/where facts in a concise way before continuing to add information. Will always be very careful about legal implications when making assumptions, often relying on the quotes of others or modals such as 'may have' or 'might have'. May have a more national appeal. Will probably show less controversial views than an older text, but can still be controversial. Some papers will display a clear political stance. Might seem sensationalist in their approach, but simply just to sell papers rather than acting as a warning. Sometimes written by celebrities or famous journalists.
COMPONENT 2A - LETTERS
COMPONENT 2A - LETTERS
If you get a question based on letters, look out for the following conventions. If they are there, then you can comment on them. If you find the EXACT OPPOSITE, then you can comment on how unusual that is. Either way, you win!
Letters
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by people who are generally more literate and adventurous with language due to higher prestige of the form; look out in particular for particular people and how their role is reflected within the letter (explorers, writers etc - only letters from reputable individuals will have survived); more formal in tone; aimed at higher classes - consider how literate the population would have been; letters were far more practical - once upon a time they would have been the only real way of communicating over long distances. This would affect the content hugely; people generally more skilled and proficient at letter writing; lots of mention of love as often letters would be kept and saved if they were significant; lots of mentions of God due to more religious society; formal and proper uses of SE/grammar; strict social conventions.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by anybody; aimed at a much wider audience; letters now written to show sentimentality or to raise importance of the communication; lower standards of grammar/SE; not as many social conventions or standards; much more choice and freedom; may include multi-modal aspects; may include intrusions from similar formats such as text/email (emoticons, phonetics spelling, homophones, abbreviations); often associated with military/complaints/legal processes; more casual in terms of subject matter.
Letters
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by people who are generally more literate and adventurous with language due to higher prestige of the form; look out in particular for particular people and how their role is reflected within the letter (explorers, writers etc - only letters from reputable individuals will have survived); more formal in tone; aimed at higher classes - consider how literate the population would have been; letters were far more practical - once upon a time they would have been the only real way of communicating over long distances. This would affect the content hugely; people generally more skilled and proficient at letter writing; lots of mention of love as often letters would be kept and saved if they were significant; lots of mentions of God due to more religious society; formal and proper uses of SE/grammar; strict social conventions.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by anybody; aimed at a much wider audience; letters now written to show sentimentality or to raise importance of the communication; lower standards of grammar/SE; not as many social conventions or standards; much more choice and freedom; may include multi-modal aspects; may include intrusions from similar formats such as text/email (emoticons, phonetics spelling, homophones, abbreviations); often associated with military/complaints/legal processes; more casual in terms of subject matter.
COMPONENT 2A - RECIPES
If you get a question based on recipes, look out for the following conventions. If they are there, then you can comment on them. If you find the EXACT OPPOSITE, then you can comment on how unusual that is. Either way, you win!
Recipes
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by cooks, for cooks; authoritative in tone; aimed at higher classes or people who are servants to higher class people; cooking is a practical and necessary thing; cooking may often be done on a grander scale; lots of presupposition because of the fact that the people reading it already do the job (knowledge of methods, equipment, amounts, measurements will be assumed); less sterile environment; archaic ingredients and attitudes will be shown; often recipes seem to be unappealing by today's standards showing a change in tastes.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by celebrity chefs (maybe - but be careful); aimed at a much wider audience; cooking is now a hobby/done for enjoyment; creativity is key; multi-sensory approach due to new technologies; much less presupposition; much squeamish attitudes towards ingredients/ more sterile environment; much more choice and freedom (cloaked imperatives/face); different equipment available.
Recipes
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by cooks, for cooks; authoritative in tone; aimed at higher classes or people who are servants to higher class people; cooking is a practical and necessary thing; cooking may often be done on a grander scale; lots of presupposition because of the fact that the people reading it already do the job (knowledge of methods, equipment, amounts, measurements will be assumed); less sterile environment; archaic ingredients and attitudes will be shown; often recipes seem to be unappealing by today's standards showing a change in tastes.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by celebrity chefs (maybe - but be careful); aimed at a much wider audience; cooking is now a hobby/done for enjoyment; creativity is key; multi-sensory approach due to new technologies; much less presupposition; much squeamish attitudes towards ingredients/ more sterile environment; much more choice and freedom (cloaked imperatives/face); different equipment available.
COMPONENT 2A - General
Hi all,
I'm going to be blogging for a bit today and also a lot tomorrow to get you prepared for the next exam. Although this might seem like a more complex exam, I actually don't think that you should feel as stressed about it as you did for component 1 as there are fewer variables and less stuff to remember. I am assuming you've been reading the posts I put on a few days ago. Keep reading those and revising them, and I'll take you through the component.
On the exam, you are tested on two different sections, A - Language Change over Time and B - Language in the 21st century.
However, this time, the sections are NOT EQUALLY WEIGHTED.
Timing
Here is how you should spend your time:
The exam is 2hr 15 mins long.
You should spend around 1 and a half hours on Section A - Language change (The 20 marker, and the 60 mark essay), then you should spend around 45 mins on section B (language in the 21st century essay).
I would recommend you spend around 15-20 mins on the 20 marker, and about 70 - 75 mins on the essay (including your planning time)
The 20 marker
There is guidance on CONNECT regarding how to answer the 20 marker. Mark uploaded this last week. Please go to connect and open the relevant resources, ensuring you feel comfortable with precisely what you are doing.
My initial few posts on Component 2 such as the orthographical points, change terms etc will be very important for this.
The 60 mark essay
You will be asked to compared 3 texts from a similar genre but separated over time. The question will have a specific focus and will usually ask you to identify how the genre itself or an element of the genre has changed over time. You MUST ensure that the wording of your essay is always signposted towards this question, and shows a thorough understanding of the change you have seen.
You should aim to make around 6 points per text, making small but relevant comparisons as you go. Ensure you have analysed each text fully before moving onto the next.
In total, you essay should be between 16-20 PGs long plus an intro.
I would recommend you spend around 20-25 mins on the 20 marker, and about 65 - 70 mins on the essay (including your planning time)
The '21st Century' essay
This is a reasonably basic and approachable task. You should revise and read everything I provide for you here, but you should be confident over this.
You will be presented with some 21st century data. We don't know what it will be, but the practice materials have shown SMS messages and Tweets.
Essentially, you will be asked to analyse this data by talking about how the CONTEXT of the messages is affecting language.
This really is easy, and just requires you to think carefully about things you do every day.
I will write some more specific guidance on this in the next few posts.
You will be expected to analyse the data for around 4-5 paragraphs, then spend about 2- paragraphs talking about your own experiences and what theorists' view on the subject matter are.
Read ALL posts I put on here over the next two days, and you'll be fine.
Nick
I'm going to be blogging for a bit today and also a lot tomorrow to get you prepared for the next exam. Although this might seem like a more complex exam, I actually don't think that you should feel as stressed about it as you did for component 1 as there are fewer variables and less stuff to remember. I am assuming you've been reading the posts I put on a few days ago. Keep reading those and revising them, and I'll take you through the component.
On the exam, you are tested on two different sections, A - Language Change over Time and B - Language in the 21st century.
However, this time, the sections are NOT EQUALLY WEIGHTED.
Timing
Here is how you should spend your time:
The exam is 2hr 15 mins long.
You should spend around 1 and a half hours on Section A - Language change (The 20 marker, and the 60 mark essay), then you should spend around 45 mins on section B (language in the 21st century essay).
I would recommend you spend around 15-20 mins on the 20 marker, and about 70 - 75 mins on the essay (including your planning time)
The 20 marker
There is guidance on CONNECT regarding how to answer the 20 marker. Mark uploaded this last week. Please go to connect and open the relevant resources, ensuring you feel comfortable with precisely what you are doing.
My initial few posts on Component 2 such as the orthographical points, change terms etc will be very important for this.
The 60 mark essay
You will be asked to compared 3 texts from a similar genre but separated over time. The question will have a specific focus and will usually ask you to identify how the genre itself or an element of the genre has changed over time. You MUST ensure that the wording of your essay is always signposted towards this question, and shows a thorough understanding of the change you have seen.
You should aim to make around 6 points per text, making small but relevant comparisons as you go. Ensure you have analysed each text fully before moving onto the next.
In total, you essay should be between 16-20 PGs long plus an intro.
I would recommend you spend around 20-25 mins on the 20 marker, and about 65 - 70 mins on the essay (including your planning time)
The '21st Century' essay
This is a reasonably basic and approachable task. You should revise and read everything I provide for you here, but you should be confident over this.
You will be presented with some 21st century data. We don't know what it will be, but the practice materials have shown SMS messages and Tweets.
Essentially, you will be asked to analyse this data by talking about how the CONTEXT of the messages is affecting language.
This really is easy, and just requires you to think carefully about things you do every day.
I will write some more specific guidance on this in the next few posts.
You will be expected to analyse the data for around 4-5 paragraphs, then spend about 2- paragraphs talking about your own experiences and what theorists' view on the subject matter are.
Read ALL posts I put on here over the next two days, and you'll be fine.
Nick
COMPONENT 2A - Change Terms
You should also be able to identify examples of these phenomena in any historical texts you are presented with, and mention them as they crop up. This does not mean that you should write entire paragraphs about them, just that, if you see an example of pejoration, say this...
"The noun 'shambles', which has gone through a process of pejoration over time, is used here to express an attitude that the organisation of the kitchen is chaotic.'
See...so the pejoration bit is not the main point, it is just mention as a 'by the way'.
Language Change Terms
Semantic change/ semantic shift - an umbrella term for where any word or phrase has changed its meaning over time.
Example - 'Gay' used to mean 'happy', but now means 'homosexual'
Pejoration - A process where a word takes on a more negative meaning over time.
Example - 'Silly' used to mean 'happy', but now means 'idiotic'.
Amelioration - The word has become more positive in meaning over time.
Example - 'Brilliant' used to means 'bright', but now means 'extremely good or impressive'
Weakening - A word means the same thing but has lost impact over time.
Example - 'Awesome' used to mean 'beyond comprehension'. Now it is just a throw-away colloquialism for 'good'.
Narrowing - A word that used to refer to a variety of things now only refers to something far more specific.
Example - The word 'fowl' used to be a direct synonym for all species of birds. Now, it refers to a specific group of birds commonly used in cuisine such as hens, geese and ducks.
Broadening - A word which used to be very specific now refers to a much wider spectrum of things.
Example - The word 'desktop' used to mean 'the top of a desk'. It still means that now, but also the visual display on a computer screen.
Borrowing - A word which is clearly adopted from another language or culture.
Example - 'Pyjamas', 'Croissant', 'Boomerang', 'Tepee', 'Kindergarten'.
Neologism - A brand new word made up because there was not a suitable one already in existence
Compound - 'Lawn + mower = Lawnmower', 'Flower + pot = flowerpot'
Blend - 'Britain + Exit = Brexit', 'John + Edward = Jedward'
Clipping - 'Television' becomes 'telly', 'Telephone' becomes 'phone', 'perambulator' becomes 'pram'
Initialism - an abbreviation which is not said as an individual word - Like: FBI, DVD, BBC
Acronym - Where the abbreviation is said as a word - Like: Ofsted, Nato, Fifa
"The noun 'shambles', which has gone through a process of pejoration over time, is used here to express an attitude that the organisation of the kitchen is chaotic.'
See...so the pejoration bit is not the main point, it is just mention as a 'by the way'.
Language Change Terms
Semantic change/ semantic shift - an umbrella term for where any word or phrase has changed its meaning over time.
Example - 'Gay' used to mean 'happy', but now means 'homosexual'
Pejoration - A process where a word takes on a more negative meaning over time.
Example - 'Silly' used to mean 'happy', but now means 'idiotic'.
Amelioration - The word has become more positive in meaning over time.
Example - 'Brilliant' used to means 'bright', but now means 'extremely good or impressive'
Weakening - A word means the same thing but has lost impact over time.
Example - 'Awesome' used to mean 'beyond comprehension'. Now it is just a throw-away colloquialism for 'good'.
Narrowing - A word that used to refer to a variety of things now only refers to something far more specific.
Example - The word 'fowl' used to be a direct synonym for all species of birds. Now, it refers to a specific group of birds commonly used in cuisine such as hens, geese and ducks.
Broadening - A word which used to be very specific now refers to a much wider spectrum of things.
Example - The word 'desktop' used to mean 'the top of a desk'. It still means that now, but also the visual display on a computer screen.
Borrowing - A word which is clearly adopted from another language or culture.
Example - 'Pyjamas', 'Croissant', 'Boomerang', 'Tepee', 'Kindergarten'.
Neologism - A brand new word made up because there was not a suitable one already in existence
Compound - 'Lawn + mower = Lawnmower', 'Flower + pot = flowerpot'
Blend - 'Britain + Exit = Brexit', 'John + Edward = Jedward'
Clipping - 'Television' becomes 'telly', 'Telephone' becomes 'phone', 'perambulator' becomes 'pram'
Initialism - an abbreviation which is not said as an individual word - Like: FBI, DVD, BBC
Acronym - Where the abbreviation is said as a word - Like: Ofsted, Nato, Fifa
COMPONENT 2a - Periods of English
Below is a diagram outlining the key periods in the history of the English language. Memorise them (this should take around five minutes). Whenever you introduce a text, you should mention in your intro which period of English it dates from.
It is unlikely you will get anything before early modern English, but memorise all of them just to be sure.
It is unlikely you will get anything before early modern English, but memorise all of them just to be sure.
COMPONENT 2A - 20 MARKER GUIDANCE
Spelling - Historical/Archaic Aspects and Terms
Key Words in the Question
§Extra
final –e (vowel) or you could say appended –e or inflected vowel
§Doubling
(vppon,
natural, seurall) and
Single consonants (maners)
§Omission
of medial e: wherby, somtimes
§Omission
of final e: diuers
§Interchange:
I/Y or U/V for example
§Inconsistencies
or idiosyncratic spelling
§Phonetic
spelling
§Loan
Words : French/Latin or borrowing (like the text A in travel writing example)
Key Words in the Question
§In
each of the questions there are two key words.
These are:
§Q1:
word class and archaic spelling pattern (SPELLING)
§Q2:
word class and variation. In this
question you can also make reference to language change concepts like;
reference to 1755 dictionary, spelling inconsistency and standardisation
(SPELLING & PUNCTUATION)
§Q3:
Form (word class with detail – third person present tense inflection) and
archaic grammatical feature (GRAMMAR)
Question 4
Grammatical Structure & Punctuation
Grammatical Structure & Punctuation
§You will not score any marks for comments
on archaic spelling and lexis
§Here,
you need to simply name/state the grammatical structure and/or punctuation
feature and give an EXAMPLE
§You
should revise by studying the practice questions we’ve completed and corrected
§The
next slides will give you reminders of what you could select:
Grammar
§Inversion
(word order). Explain which words are
‘inverted.’ Example, “Here sheweth the man…” (Inversion of auxiliary and
subject)
§Position
of adverbs (word order). Example, “He
presently giueth it
are maruelously
delighted.” (adverb before lexical verb)
§Negation
(verb phrase). Example, “Some planet
that loves not.” (Negator
placed after lexical verb)
§Multiclausal
(sentence type). Example, “Here God sheweth, that it is…that honoureth
thee, and that it is…that taken thee.” (All cluases begin with relative pronoun or
connective)
PUNCTUATION
§NOTE
FROM THE EXAMINER: Your answer must move
beyond observation. Appropriate
terminology should be selected to describe and explain usage.
§
§Position
of full stops, commas, colons and semi-colons where it is different from PDE
usage
§Random
capitalisation; lack of sentence initial capitalisation
§Absence/presence
of possessive apostrophes (or inconsistencies)
§The
frequency of commas
§Emergence
of semi-colons (where today we’d use a full stop)
§Absence/presence
of question marks for direct speech
§Use
of hyphens to create compounds (Hyphenated compounds)
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