2-3 Paragraphs of Analysis of the June 2013 Paper

Analysis on the June 2013 Paper

Study the texts A–G on the next seven pages.  These texts illustrate different varieties of language use.

Discuss various ways in which these texts can be grouped, giving linguistic reasons for your choices. (48 marks)

Texts A-G all illustrate different varieties of language use and can be grouped in various ways. One way some of these texts can be grouped is due to the graphology features used. Texts B, C, F and G can be grouped as all four of these texts are posters. Compared to all the other texts they immediately stand out, they are eye catching due to the big bold headings and subheadings although they lack a range of lexis. Texts C and F also contain images and colour making the texts much more appealing to their audience. For example the pragmatics in text C shows a chicken and a mushroom having a conversation. The chicken says “In a chicken and mushroom casserole, I’M THE MAN.” The mushroom replies “you are the chicken.” This shows a creation of a relationship with the intended audience of people who are looking into healthy eating. It includes humour into a healthy eating adverting portraying that healthy eating can be fun.

In addition the subject specific lexis stands out in texts D, F and G. For example in text D subject specific lexis is spoken between the two people having a conversation. They use the word ‘Morrissey’ to refer to a British singer and lyricist rather than his full name ‘Steven Morrissey.’ It may be only the adults talking during their night out that understand the meaning of Morrissey and other people not part of the group may not know what these people are talking about. Other subject specific lexis includes ‘fan’, ‘lyricist’ and other singer’s names to show the discourse of these peoples conversation. Similarly in text G where subject specific lexis is demonstrated in terms of technology for example the words ‘broadband’, ‘wireless’, ‘connection’ and ‘BT total broadband’. People who are not up to date with current technology may not understand the meaning of these words and therefore the lexis is specific to those who use technology and is aimed at a younger audience. Text F also demonstrates subject specific lexis through a poster about bike safety. For example words such as ‘bicycle’, ‘helmet’, ‘reflectors’ etc. show subject specific lexis, however most people are likely to understand these terms.

Language and Power Class Notes

Language and Power Class Notes

 -Conversations
-Political Speeches/ Debates
-Arguments
-Transcripts
-Letters
-Written Language i.e. eviction notices

 There are two types of power according to Wareing 1999 Political/Personal/Social group

1.       Instrumental Power
2.       Influential Power

Type of Power	Example:
Political	Held by politicians, the police and those working in law courts
Personal	Those who hold a position of power as a result of their occupation or role such as teachers or employers.
Social Group	Those who hold power as a result of social variables such as class, gender, age (typically) but not exclusively white, middle class men hold positions of power.

 

1.       Instrumental- When it is used by individuals or groups to maintain and enforce authority.
2.       Influential- When it is used to influence and persuade others:

·         Peer Pressure
·         Politics
·         Government
·         Media and Advertising

Task 1

 What does it mean to be powerful?

 

·         Being knowledgeable
·         Being respected
·         Be able to take control and have the last say
·         Leadership
·         Narccism (Love yourself)
·        Authority
·         Confidence
·         Responsibility
·         Encouraging
·         Assertive (In charge)
·         Intimidating
·         Being decisive
·         Being a role model
·         Experience

 What does not dictate power?

·         Age

·         Gender

·         Qualifications

 

What situation is an interview? How do you feel? What do you expect?

Interviewer- Instrumental

Interviewee - Influential

·         Interviewer uses interrogative questions

·         Put on the spot
·         We use declaratives e.g. ‘I will’
·         Try to project confidence in body language
·         Expect to use formal language and lexis
·         They have the power to give us the job: assertive, decisive, higher position of power
·         Use maxim of manner and maxim of relevance
·         Control the way we speak including tone/volume
·         Completely unfamiliar in terms of discourse

 

 

 

Shawshank Redemption Presentation

Shawshank Redemption
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtwXlIwozog

 Parole Officer

 •     He starts off with the power, however his turn is shorter than Red’s and hence his moment of power is shorter

•       The conversation begins on the parole officers terms as he sets the agenda and frames the conservation by calling him by his full name- ‘Ellis Boyd Reading’

•       He speaks clear and rhythmically using formal lexis

•       He used imperatives such as ‘please sit down’ which uses maxim of manner, displaying his confidence of his authority because formality is uncommon in a prison.

•       However he doesn’t have maxim of quantity, but instead wants Red to use it in his speech to see if he can be released from prison.

Red

•       Personal authority: knows that the parole officer and him are not part of the same group so does not use “we”, uses “I” instead

•       Rhetorical questions: “What do you really wanna know?”

•       His authority is visible because his speech sticks to the four Maxims – the reason why he sounds eloquent.

Brown + Levinson's Face Theory and Grice's Maxims

Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory

Politeness can be described as normal social behaviour or a set of prescriptive social ‘rules’ also known as rules or things we do to be liked. Lots of linguists have researched into politeness including Brown and Levinson who developed their face theory in 1987, based on our desire to be liked.

Brown and Levinson’s theory is called the ‘face theory’ this is because of our public image which is important during everyday interaction. There are two aspect of ‘face’, these are positive and negative. Positive is the desire to be appreciated and liked whereas the negative face is the desire to be free and therefore not be imposed upon. Brown and Levinson also come up with the face threatening act (FTA) this is where an act is put on purposely threatens the face needs of others.

Politeness is defined as ‘using communicative ways to create and maintain social harmony.’ Brown and Levinson’s face theory relates to this is various ways:

·         Being appropriate
·         Following social and cultural normality
·         Being socially positive

People use politeness strategies in order to ‘save face’ by using FTA’s:

·         Not attempting to minimise face threat
·         Positive politeness, showing you value someone
·         Negative politeness, not impending on someone
·         Avoiding responsibility for the FTA by being indirect

Politeness strategies are also determined by contextual factors:

·         Power of relationship between listener and speaker
·         Social distance between listener and speaker
·         How great the threat of the FTA is

The aim of conversation is usually cooperative, therefore the more dangerous our FTA is, the higher number strategy we use.

 

 

Grice’s Maxim’s

Maxim of Quantity- A person attempts to be as informative as they can and gives as much information as needed and no more.

Maxim of Quality- A person attempts to be truthful and therefore doesn’t pass on false information or say anything that cannot be supported by evidence.

Maxim of Relevance- A person tries to be relevant and only says things relevant to the topic of conversation.

Maxim of Manor- A person attempts to be as clear, as brief and as orderly as they can avoiding obscurity and ambiguity.

Style Model Analysis

Travel Writing
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/sep/06/mount-everest-base-camp-trekking-himalayas-trekking
I am taking my ideas for my travel writing from my style model: Trekking to Everest Base Camp by Alex Vink. Alex's travel writing includes lots of techniques and is written in the same style I would like to. The topic of his travel writing is a trek he goes on to Everest. This is very similar to the type of thing I am planning to write for my course work. I personally want to write about an experience I went on to Norway where I ran in the Kjeringi Open. Therefore Alex Vink's writing gives me lots of inspiration and structure for my writing.

The writer, Alex Vink uses lots of graphology in his travel writing including headings, sub headings and lots of pictures. This gives the reader plenty of imagery and helps them figure out the topic of the lexical field. To do this Alex also uses lexical sets as well as subject specific lexis which interests a certain audience of people who enjoy travelling or want to read about peoples experiences, the purpose of this test being to inform and entertain. Sibilance is used lots in the text to speed up the reader, "stone slabs" and "shy, sweet-toothed" this could represent the business and excitement of everything going on around the people trekking to Everest Base Camp. Lastly, the writer uses two complex sentences in one paragraph symbolising the hectic and chaotic atmosphere and helps the reader to engage with the text through imagery.

Article
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/18/south-africa-racism-rugby
Although both my style models are from The Guardian, this article on Racism in Sport helps me to understand how articles are written in the third person and how they're set out. Looking at this article allowed me to be able to decide how I would like to set my article out and also to include dialogue to include other peoples opinions bedsides the writer as they can be bias depending on the topic of the writing.

This article by The Guardian similarly to the travel writing style model contains plenty of graphology which attracts the reader when seeing the heading, subheading and pictures. It distinctively tells the audience what the text is about and the picture gives out plenty of imagery so the reader can put their selves in the situation. The article also uses speech to put across other peoples views and opinions which can help the reader sympathise with the situation e.g. racism in sport. People may describe how it feels to be discriminated against for the colour of their skin and people can explain how it is extremely hurtful. Therefore this article has a purpose to inform and persuade people to do what they can to prevent racism.

A Monologue From The Perspective of Geoffrey

Geoffrey is a vicar. He is intelligent, friendly and helps the village community. He stands at the front of the church. It is early on a Sunday morning.

This mornings lesson was the business in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and his disciples and Susan has disappeared once again. It's the traditional Holy Communion in the middle of winter, around this time I seem to be constantly apologising for my failure to de-frost the church. I love Sunday mornings, a day for the village to prey to Jesus and the holy spirit. The church wrapped in their thick coats due to the sub-zero temperature in the chapel. Unfortunately Mr Medlicott was unable to attend as he had shingles. He always plays the organ so Mrs Bee had to take over instead, she was very good and we sang songs it was so very peaceful and the village love the holy communions.   

Susan, my wife is probably at home. Sat upright on the chair in the kitchen as usual. Most probably smoking a cigarette ... and she doesn't think I know.  I also expect she's muttering under her breath about me being a vicar and believing in Christianity as she usually does.  She's been acting rather strange at the moment ...- although I trust she relies on me if she needs me. I ask what's wrong and I usually get back a grunt or some kind of noise that will usually mean leave me alone.

In the afternoon I usually have to wait for Susan to make an appearance, she tells me she often parks in the lay-by on the ring road asking herself what happened to her life ... she never wants to talk to me about her problems and she never wants to come to Evensong. I usually have to pretend she has a headache.. I no longer think its believable, she's had a headache for the past three months now. Susan doesn't understand why the vicar's wife is expected to go to church ... it's a mark of respect towards me - something she doesn't seem to have. I'm so loving towards that women but I'm beginning to wonder if she even feels the same.

Actually I'm beginning to wonder if she has any respect for me at all, she's constantly going to that shop around the corner and she thinks I don't know what she buys...-well, I'm not that stupid. She buys sherry, and she's in debt. I mean, how is it even possible to become in debt to a corner shop? The whole place is only worth a couple of hundred pounds. So anyway, she's started going to another shop she's found, run by an Indian family, they seem nice. However when I walk in they give me a funny look, almost like I've got ... three heads or something, they've probably never seen a vicar in public before.

Dramatic Monolouge Analysis- Bed Amongst the Lentils

1. Which techniques has Bennett employed to make this sound like spontaneous speech?

Throughout the monologue Bennett employs techniques to make his speech very spontaneous and to sound as though he is writing as he thinks. For example on page 32 Bennett talks about Susan's daily routine. "I top off a thrill-packed morning by taking round Meals on Wheels... somehow-'and this to me is the miracle', says Geoffrey." In my opinion this is very spontaneous speech as Bennett uses ellipses to make it seem as through he pauses implying he is writing spontaneously. Alan Bennett also includes lots of hesitation where he writes ... and fillers such as 'well'. He also includes long pauses or a rapid change in subject as the writer thinks of something else to include in the monologue. For example Susan talks about Ramesh Ramesh and then she would suddenly change the subject and go back to talk about him a couple of paragraphs later.

2. Read the opening stage directions. What key information do we learn about Susan?

The opening stage direction simply states 'Susan is a vicar's wife' this gives the reader a picture of how this women is presented. The first thing that came to my head personally was that she is very well mannered and very well dressed lady. Who has a respectful attitude and is someone younger people can look up to. However following the opening stage direction, Alan Bennett continues to describe her appearance 'she is thin and nervous and probably smokes.' This portrays a completely different image of Susan, that she is the opposite of everything a vicars wife should be. The reader now has an image of little old lady who doesn't look after herself very well and smokes. It may make the reader assume she is quite timid and that she has had something go wrong in her life.
'She sits on an upright chair in the kitchen. It is evening.' Overall the opening stage directions imply Susan is quite a shy old women who can also be extremely stubborn. She may have had something go drastically wrong is her life which could be why she smokes and is thin and nervous.

3. What does Susan's language reveal about her age, social class and attitude?

Susan uses more middle class sort of language, with complex words and with quite a stubborn attitude. She acts as though she is better than everybody else especially her husband Geoffrey who is a vicar. She is extremely discriminatory towards the Christian beliefs, which makes her social class very low and shows she has a childlike attitude. 'Geoffrey's bad enough but I'm glad I wasn't married to Jesus.' From initial thoughts Susan seems like an older women however her frame of mind and how she talks to her husband gives her a very young age mentally. In my opinion she likes to think she is an upper class, older lady however Alan Bennett presents her as quite immature with a lower social class.