Year 12 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

“The language that we use is a reflection of the society we live in. Language expresses the underlying cultural values and social understandings that we share with the community around us.” Heinemann English Language, VCE Units 3 &4

“When we communicate information or ideas, we communicate more than just the sum of our words. Our choice of words or our use of intonation and stress, for example, can reveal attitudes and prejudices.” Heinemann English Language, VCE Units 3 &4

FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE?

“Language not only enables us to communicate, it also helps us to establish who belongs and who does not, it facilitates the structuring of reality into particular categories, and is an instrument of action.” Living Lingo: VCE English Language Units 3 &4

What are the circumstances of the conversation? Language in the school yard vs The language in a job interview What is the purpose of the conversation? Organising a party with friends vs Politely trying to convince an employer to hire you

Interlocutors The person(s) with whom you are communicating. This factor includes the age of the person(s) you are communicating with

Domain The context of the communication, such as religion or sport

Locale Where the interaction is taking place, such as at home, in the street, at a school or in a place of worship

Type of interaction For instance, are you telling a joke or an anecdote, conducting a formal meeting, or giving a wedding speech? Are you writing a personal letter or a business letter?

The role relationship (or social distance) between the interlocuters Do you have a close, even intimate relationship with the person, or is it someone you hardly know and thus interact with in a more formal way?

Mode Is it spoken language, written language, or electronic communication such as or text message

“A multiplicity of excellent runs was made by Gilchrist” Do you think that this statement would be a likely part of casual conversation between two cricket fans? Lexical item Passive grammatical construction Formal register

“Gilchrist played really well, making so many runs, didn’t he?”

“A multiplicity of important discoveries by Einstein led to new insights into quantum mechanics”

WRITTEN DISCOURSE vs ORAL DISCOURSE Which is more formal? “Looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience, Yours faithfully” “Please write again soon. Bye for now” “The offender was apprehended and taken to police headquarters where he is now assisting police with their inquiries.”

THE AGE vs THE HERALD-SUN Which is more formal? Lexical items Length of sentences Number of paragraphs Sentence structures (simple vs complex) Complexity of clauses