The Analytical Piece

Keep In Mind

As you write your second Reflective piece…You are deliberately putting in the FOUR elements which you are required to analyse in the Analytical piece.

The Four Elements

Dialectal Variation Language Registers Communicative Behaviours Attitude to Language

Language Register Languages have five (5) language registers—five language styles. registers/styles … the appropriate use of language is a matter of situation. The use of the …

appropriate register depends on the audience, the topic, and the purpose for the communication

Frozen Register: Pledge of Allegiance, Lord’s Prayer, Preamble toConstitution. Unchanging, fixed form(language that remains fixed/unchanged)

Formal/Academic Register: Interviews, academic language in classroom (lectures,instruction—mini-lessons), public speaking

Consultative Register: Talking to a boss/supervisor/teacher, lawyer, doctor,Counselor (asking for assistance)

Casual (Informal) Register: Talking with friends, slang (writing drafts shouldallow casual before the formal draft because it “getsthe information out” on the paper)

Intimate Register: Language of lovers, sexual harassment (not for publicinformation)

Register

Two Major Registers Formal – Standard English Informal - Creole

Various levels of Creole

Registers

Also to be included in your discussion The impact of the various registers,

how they operate to influence the following Tone, mood Class/Social distinction Cultural distinction Distinguishing relationship

Language RegistersExamples

Formal – Ex. 1 – Handout Ex.. 2 “Gloria! What does this mean?” Mr. King thundered. He

whipped the sheet from the bed and flung it at the hapless girl, who cowered in the doorway.

“I sorry, sir, ” she stammered. “ De mistress did tell meh to bring de breakfast come hurry, so ah did leave off de beds fuh afterwards.” Her trembling hands re-arranged her ornhi so that it partly hid her face.

“How you get hired to work in this house, I will never know! You coolies can’t even talk English.”

“Martin, leave the poor child be,” his wife remonstrated, pulling the girl almost caressingly toward her.” And please don’t refer to the servants in derogatory terms. It’s so demeaning, not only to them, but to us as well. There, child, he means no harm”

As Gloria hurried from the house in tears, Old Vava muttered under her breath, “ de jumbie goin tek he one a dese days, ah fos he weeckeed, oui”

Language Registers Formal – Mr. King and wife. Use Standard English.

Establishes social/class distinction Informal – Gloria- uses a basilectal Indian creole.

“bring .. Come hurry”. Separates her from Upper class. Distinguish ethnic difference, peculiarity.

Informal- Mr. King’s language is not strictly SE. He uses an acrolectal Creole, so that we can also identify Dialectal Variation in the piece

A mesolect is a register whose character falls somewhere between the prestige of the acrolect and the informality of the basilect

Try to include when you write your second piece… In situations where a creole remains in contact with

the dominant language, a creole continuum can arise whereby greater contact with the dominant language will cause decreolisation and the creole will come to resemble the standard language more.

The Mesolect is a register whose character falls somewhere between the prestige of the acrolect and the informality of the basilect . The term refers to any of the varieties that fall in the intermediate ranges

The Acrolect is the variety of the creole which is closest to the standard

The Basilect is the most distinct variety, furthest from the standard

Jamaican Creole Examples

Where is it? SEA wier i de?MesolectA we i de? Basilect

I didn’t eat anyA in nyam nonMu na bin nyam non

SE to Basilect- The Range I told him_ SE I tol’ him –Acrolect I tol ‘im- Mesolect I tell him- Mesolect I tell ‘im – Mesolect Ah tel ‘im – Mesolect Me tel he - Basilect Me tel e - Basilect Me tel am - Basilect

Communicative Behaviours

Slap Laugh Smile He flung it at the hapless girl Trembling hands arranged the ornhi

so that it partly hid her face Pulling the girl caressingly toward her

Attitudes to Language Shows intent of the speaker- to insult, to coax, to

denote particular relationship

Shows how the speaker views different registers, and what impression he hopes to create by his choice of register in any given context

May reveal the speaker’s bias/prejudice in terms of class/age/religion and other cultural practices etc

Is very specifically related to the use of Language Is not one character’s attitude toward another

Attitudes to Language Example 1- Handout Amélie uses the words “White Cockroach”

to insult Antoinette.The word “white’, though it would normally, in this context, be used to identify the upper echelon, tales on here a pejorative meaning. When linked to the cockroach, it clearly defines Antoinette as a less than acceptable person.

Attitudes to Language

The narrator uses the term “child” in reference to Amélie Attitudes to Language ie, perhaps to signify age and position in the household, but Antoinette does not accept this and see nothing child-like in Amélie’s behaviour.

Attitudes to Language Is present when a word that has a particular

accepted meaning is used in to mean something else.

E.g. “Yeah right, I believe you!” This would be used to mean the exact opposite. Even with the first two words alone, there is heavy sarcasm which tell the reader that the speaker does not believe a word that he is hearing.