Language and Technology How does technology augment, constrain and simulate person to person communication?

How does technology affect the way you communicate? Draw a series of symbols to represent all the different means of communication you have used in the last two days. Now annotate each symbol with thoughts about why you chose this means of communication. What advantages did it offer over other means of communication? What drawbacks are there to each choice of medium? What was distinctive about the way you used language? – Lexis- pragmatics – Grammar- graphology – Discourse- phonology

Language and Technology 1.Telephone conversations inc answer-phones 2.Text-speak 3.Radio / television phone ins 4.Television / radio commentaries 5. language 6.Message boards / chat rooms 7.Web pages 8.Blogs

Exam Data could be… Transcript of interaction via landline or mobile Examples of text messages Transcript of a radio or television phone in Transcript of a radio or television commentary on a live event Examples of s, message boards, web- pages, web logs.

8 topics – 3 weeks = lots of learning For each new sub-topic there will be an information hand-out which you will get at the end of the previous lesson. You need to read through this info prior to the lesson, learning as much of it as you can and identifying any areas of confusion. This way in lessons we can focus on reinforcing knowledge, applying new info to data and developing the skills you need for the exam.

In pairs role-play these conversation openings Phoning a friend to discuss the English Language coursework deadline. Phoning the personnel manager of a company to ask about the possibility of work experience Phoning an older family member to thank them for the kind present they sent you for your birthday. The third person in each group should note down the similarities and differences between each conversation

Same / Different As a group make a list of the key similarities and differences in the three conversations. As always, think in terms of key frameworks Discourse – structure, order, patterns. Register – levels of formality, how are these created Lexis Grammar

Schegloff The sequence or pattern of the openings of telephone conversations 1. Summons / answer 2.Identification / recognition 3. A greeting sequence 4.How are you sequence Using the three conversations you have had, write down an example of each of Scheglof’s stages.

Scheglof – What do you think? Scheglof’s work was 26 years ago. Going by your own knowledge of phone conversations, does his pattern hold true? Is there anything you think doesn’t apply to phone conversations you have?

John: hello Steve: John, it’s Steve John: oh hi, hi, how are you doing Steve: good thanks, you? John: yeah not bad just recovering from this cold think you know Steve: it’s all around John: yeah we’re all sniffing at the mo Steve: (laughs) yeah John: so what’s happening next week? To what extent does Schegloff’s model apply to this conversation? Annotate the stages that fit and any elements which appear not to.

The Long Goodbye Have you ever been stuck on the end of a phone desperately trying to end the conversation? – What strategies did you use? – Why didn’t they work? What face issues are involved in wrapping up a phone conversation? Why are these more pronounced than in a face to face conversation? How do participants collaborate to eliminate loss of face?

Pre-closing and Closings Remember it’s collaborative – both parties know the signals and respond to them Pre-closing sequences – indicate that one speakers wishes to discontinue conversation Meta-talk – talking about talk, we’ve been talking for ages Phatic speech acts – well, it’s been great talking to you Discourse markers – well, anyway, on that note Positive or negative politeness – it’s been great talking to you, I mustn’t keep you.. Valedictions - goodbyes

Exam Practice – 10 minute written task Back to John and Steve – analyse the language features used and what they show. Schegloff Phatic talk Informal constructions Elliptical constructions Shared knowledge Collaborative enterprise

Answerphones What features do answerphone messages share with face to face conversation? (how is it like talking to someone) What features do they share with written communication (how is it like writing a letter)

Leave a message after the beep… Work in pairs – take it in turns to dictate and transcribe the answer phone message you would leave me to tell me: – the three most interesting things you’ve learnt this lesson? – Which point have you found hardest to get to grips with? At the sound of the tone please leave a message.. Unless you’re trying to sell me something