Link for AQA English language assessment resources.

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-language-7701-7702/assessment-resources

This is a link for summary exam papers, and answers underneath with examiners notes.

"Femvertising"

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/12/femvertising-branded-feminism

Context affecting dialect/formality/informality

Here are two reviews of 'R U Mine' by Arctic Monkeys. I've chosen these two links in particular because I think they are good examples of how the platform/context differ due to dialect/formality/informality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tOiG6H34nI
This link is taken from a music video in which user one particular states how he feels about this song. This comment, among others that are not relevant in the slightest, caught my eye as he states a negative and positive opinion on the band/singer/song. This is a valid review as a review is a statment of opinion on a topic/product/piece. Although it doesn't go into great detail, it is still a review of the song. The reason the user doesn't go into great detail, would be because people don't often go into the comment section of a YouTube video, to find an in-depth, long winded piece of writing with correct musical terminology, which also references past performances, other songs in the same album, and the singers/players abilities. People comment, most of the time, to just express how they feel about the song, its purpose is not to sell the performance or song to a particular audience. It is not written to be taken into consideration and to be read by a mass audience. This suggests why the writing style is so informal and relaxed.

http://www.nme.com/reviews/arctic-monkeys/14752
This link however is taken from a legitimate website which its sole purpose, among other things that relate to media, is to review music. This review is very long winded. It also references other songs by Arctic Monkeys, this suggests that the writer assumes the reader/audience would be familiar with other songs by the band. This portrays that the website may be read by a lot of fans, or people who are very familiar with the music being reviewed.It also is very in depth as the writer is able to state all the influences in the music that have been obtained from other bands/musicians, for example the writer says how Destiny's Child influenced part of 'Knee Socks'. Although it is clear to see that these reviews are aimed at, possibly, youth, as the writer uses this statement to describe how the drummer plays; "Helders’ drums have never sounded so hip-hop as they beat out the rhythm to Alex’s pissed-up booty call." The dialect here seems to relate to slang used by youth nowadays, 'booty call' for example. And although it is almost on a formal platform as its read by many as a legitimate review, it still reads very relaxed, although as it is a different context, it is very different on a general basis, when looking at content and language, as despite the relaxed tone, it is full of terminology and deep analysis.

English derivatives from Latin

Latin is now seen as a dead language, and English as one of the most widely spoken ones. But the amount of English language derived from Latin, would make me reconsider as to whether Latin is actually a dead language, or whether it just became outdated, thus found its way into the modern worlds most known language.

Some example of English language that have been derived from Latin are;

• Villa, which the defintion has stayed the same throughout time.
• Pirata, which means pirate is still used and its definition has stayed the same.
• Schola, which has changed to school, has kept the same definition.
• Figura, which has changed to figure, has once again, kept the same definition.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3287163?seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents

This link explains the theory behind why Latin is a dead language, but also explains a lot of English derivatives. Its not an article, more a statement of findings, so it has a lot of content, although it does clearly state the derivatives.  

Transcript and analysis

Job conversation transcript 

The speakers in this transcript are anonymous, by making the speakers anonymous, it takes away the identity, making it easier to focus on the dialect instead of the person. The speakers are A,B,C,D. 

A: Have you got a job? 

B: (Laughs)No I don’t but I've applied for lots of places-The laugh before talking shows that the speaker feels awkward as nothing funny has been said but yet they continue to laugh, this portrays a sense of uncertainty. An example of paralinguistic features   

A: Where have you applied for?

B: Um Argos, House of Fraser (Debenhams)-The filler 'um' fills the awkward space where the speaker would be thinking.  

A: (Did you not have any replies)-The overlapping shows uncertainty as speaker A wasn't sure if speaker B had finished speaking, so she interrupted to avoid an awkward pause. 

B: No (.) well the people either ignore me or tell me that I don’t (.) have the right thing for the job (2) that didn’t make sense but yeah (laughs) -The utterance here portray either the awkwardness between the speakers, or because they don’t know what to say/are thinking about what to say. The utterence, (2) is a longer pause, as the speaker had finished speaking, but added extra to clarify what they'd said, also an example of non-standard grammar.

A: Have you got a job C? 

C: I don’t have a job but I’ve applied for many places (.) like B I’ve applied for (.) House of Fraser (.) my recent one I got (.) told I can’t work at Lush because I pat my thighs -Here the speaker goes off topic slightly, as they ellaborate on their answer, the speaker asking the question didn’t not ask them why she didn’t get the job, yet she explains anyway. 

All: (Laughs)-The laughing is a form of body language that portrays that the speakers are comfortable in each others presence. 

C: That’s a bad (.) thing to have apparently (2)  

A: Oh (.) fair enough  

C: I know its great  

B: (Laughs)-Example of a paralinguistic feature, shows ease and comfort between speakers.

A: D have you got a job? 

D: No I don’t have a job because (.) nowhere gets back to me so I’m still looking-Another example of non-standard grammar.  

A: Oh-Here speaker A barely says anything, this is because they have done all the questioning and is unsure of what to say, example of conversation quantity.

D: Mm (.) what about you? Have you got a job?-preferred response, the conversation follows an expected pattern 

A: Yeah I got a job I work at Costa (2)  

All: (Laughs)-  

C: (We’ve had this conversation before)-The overlapping here may show dominance, the speakers are speaking over each other to try and get their say across. but it also make show unsureness or awkwardness as none of the speakers know when to speak, on the other hand, it may portray a sense of comfort and friendliness. 

D: (How many hours do you do?) -Adjacancy pairs, this conversation is following an expected pattern, e,g, question then answer. 

A: 15 hours a week  

D: Is that good or bad?-An example of chaining, links to topic of conversation, keeps conversation flowing. 

A: That’s good (.) but then it takes up all my social time so I got no friends anymore-This was a dispreffered response, the speaker asking the question does not ask about how it effects speaker A's social life. "So I got no friends anymore", another example of non-standard grammar.

C: (Mm that’s sad) 

B: (Aw that’s sad) -Here its hard to tell whether there is a level of sarcasm, or genuine sympathy, but because of all the laughing, we can see it may be friendly sarcasm, as a joke/banter. 

A: Yeah I know  

B&D: (Laughs)  

C: What Costa do you work at? 

A: The one in Avonmeads- Another example of chaining. 

C: Oh yeah (the new one?) 

D: (Do you get discounts on stuff?) 

A: I get it free if I go into that shop (.) and then if I go into other shops (I get like 45% off)  
C: (Okay I’m gonna go work at Costa) -The overlapping here also shows friendliness as they are all contributing to the conversation and are eager to have their say. An example of ellision.

A: (Laughs)(But um yeah)-Fillers

C: (Yeah)-Fillers, back channeling. 

A: I’ve only worked there for like (2) I’ve only had two pay packets now so like two months (2) -The longer pause here suggests there is an awkward silence as everyone has answered the question, and there isn't much else to say. Examples of hedges.

C: I need a job-Phatic talk-small talk. Keeps conversation flowing and polite.  

B: So do I (.) I need money  

C: It’s so sad  

A: (This is just turning into like a) 

All: (Laughs)-More overlapping here, this is starting to give off the impression the speakers are very comfortable around each other, as no apologising follows. 

A: (Like a sad conversation) 

D: Are we done?-Quantity, speaker D doesn’t seem to say a lot. 

A: (.) Yeah  

B: How do I stop it?-Tag questions 

D: (Laughs) 

C: How do you stop that?-Tag questions 

A: We haven’t even been talking for a minute 

D: That’s alright -Speaker D seems to be eager for the conversation to end. Another example of conversation quantity. 

Colour coding;

Tag questions;                

Fillers(pause in once certain case);                

Paralingiustic features;              

Overlapping;              

Non-standard grammar;              

Conversation quantity;               

Chaining(back channeling, preferred, dis-preferred responses);              

Phatic talk;             

Side sequencing;               

Hedges;