Task

Henry Hitchings on language change and the key arguments

Henry Hitchings tells us that:  “It seems as if no day passes without an argument over the English language and its ‘proper’ use.”

We’ve all seen that many people get very worked up about how the language is used (or abused), and the concerns range from spelling and punctuation in writing, to abbreviations in text messages, right up to some of the most common features of spoken language, such as fillers and tag questions 

Key: one person’s LOL is often another person’s WTF?. 

If you’re an A2 English Language student you’ll no doubt have come across what are termed prescriptive and descriptive views of language: arguments on one side that tell us how we should use language, and, on the other, arguments that focus instead on linguistic description. This isn’t a recent debate either. As Hitchings tells us, language has been a battleground for centuries. 

Prescriptivists complaining of particular uses: Tag questions e.g. ‘innit’

Ongoing complaints of: New words, accents, foreign influence on English, way punctuation  is used.

Identifies 2 types of prescriptivism:

 - One is motivated by desire for use of language effectively and consistently.

- Second is a group with anxiety about larger social issues; link to ‘broken window’ thesis where if you don’t mend the straightforward things, bigger problems will emerge.

If the users battle of standard English, larger problems will occur as a secondary cause.  

Dan Clayton is a Senior Examiner for AQA A English Language and a research fellow at The Survey of English Usage at UCL.

Novel task

Frankenstein    1818

Mary Shelley

Chapter 5

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It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs. 

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful!--Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. 

The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep.

Leniation

PEE

‘I want a cat’

In the children’s book, the second sentence starts on a separate line below the first sentence, even though there was space for approximately the first two words ‘when’ and ‘the’. This could be explained as possibly separating them due to sentence being a new subject, with the new line allowing the child to flow more fluently. As the first sentence can be defined as a simple sentence, the second is a complex sentence, resulting in it being longer, and considerably harder to read. The breakdown from the simple sentence may allow the text visually easier to read, as it’s less congested.

Harry

Evie trasncript

Evie Transcript Essay plan

In the transcript, it is clear Evie is in a known environment, with the interaction between Grandmother and Evie suggesting they are familiar being in eachother’s company. Being at the age of 26 months, it suggests Evie would be at the telegraphic stage, taking risks within the interaction with Grandmother to improve her language.

6 Points

·         Powerful participant

Grandma can be seen as the powerful participant in the transcript and equally Evie.                          Agenda setting- G “How many? Count them”, using imperatives as a poss. Way of testing Evie’s lang.

·         Scaffolding

Grandma uses`

·         Stage of Development

Illustrates evie may be at the telegraphic stage, based on her age and language features

Lack of determiners: “In square” instead of “in the square” 

Use of content words instead of function words as they develop in the post-telegraphic stage

·         Repairs

Evie: “who else” Grandma “who else is going in the castle?”

Uses a repair to clarify what Evie is meaning when she says the elliptical sentence

·         CDS yes/no questioning

·         Skinner operant conditioning

Skinners theory with the use of positive reinforcement, with Grandma praising evie’s use of language.

Evie: “A ball” G: “A ball very good”.

Media Text

Media Text- Synthesising skills 

Magazine: Mother and baby article; Advice on how to support the development of language

As a parent, we all wish for our babies to be able to develop great language skills in a healthy amount of time. By using a range of techniques and methods, you can improve your baby’s language in a fun way for both of you!

Firstly, a very important factor of the development of your baby’s language is by speaking lots to and around your baby, loud and clearly so they can absorb the language correctly. Although they may not understand the meaning of the language you use, if they are surrounded by language continuously, they gain familiarly and then use it in the correct context. This is one of the reasons why children love repetitiveness. The theorists Bowen suggests that at the age 1-2 years old, toddlers are at the “stage in which they will want the same story, rhyme or game repeated many times.” As the repetition of these activities give children the context simple language is used in, you can put this into practice by giving them simple commands (e.g. Push the bus!), and simple questions (where’s doggy gone?) to put it into their spoken language.

Although it’s important to speak directly to your child for the improvement of their language, your child wants to be like you and do everything you do! As you’re their best friend and role model, whatever language you use, they will try to imitate. You can see this through the popular first words of “Mummy” and “Daddy”, due to the baby trying to imitate what you say. As they aim to learn language and imitate you, they enter the one word stage, using one word as forms of questions and statements. This can be understood through your baby’s tone, for example, a high pitch at the end may indicate a question, allowing your baby to express their feelings with little communication.

Furthermore, rhyme is an extremely good and fun way for both of you to develop their language. This can involve books, poems, and general songs, giving your baby the development of remembering words and the context they can be put in. The famous poet Oden Nash once quoted in his poem, “Their pronunciation is awful/ And their grammar is flawful” when talking about young children. It’s key to remember that your child is learning, and supporting them is their best tool to becoming great at the English Language. Although they may keep making mistakes, always help and give positive feedback.

Improvements

Use a less formal voice to engage the reader