ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND – 1860s

Synchronic language change 

Original text:

 are ferrets! Where can I have dropped them, I wonder?" Alice guessed in a moment that it was looking for the nosegay and the pair of white kid gloves, and she began hunting for them, but they were now nowhere to be seen— everything seemed to be have changed since her swim in the pool, and her walk along the river-bank with its fringe of rushes and forget-me-nots, and the glass table and the little door had vanished.

    Soon the rabbit noticed Alice, as she stood looking curiously about her; and at once said in a quick angry tone, "why, Mary Ann! what are you doing out here? Go home this moment, and look on my dressing table for my gloves and nosegay, and fetch them here, as quick as you can run, do you hear?" and Alice was so much frightened that she ran off at once

Analysis:Alice's Adventures Underground was written in 1860 and has undergone synchronic language change. Investigating the lexical choice of the term 'nosegay' became unfamiliar to me. The dictionary definition is 'small bunch of flowers' which most likely obsolete to most people in the present day. A bunch of flowers have connotations of pretty, colourful and extravagant and flowers are known to have exotic smells which could be why the word has 'nose' in it. Gay is also known as 'happy' and the bunch of flowers are often given as a gift to make someone happy. Nosegay may also mean 'nose happy' or perhaps a happy scent for the nose. 

"and she began hunting for them" the term 'hunting' is used as opposed to 'searching' or 'looking'. This could be because hunting animals was a very common in the 1800s as opposed to how common it is now. Although the term is still used, it could be suggested that 'hunting' has undergone pejoration as hunting is seen to be cruel and not nice to some nowadays. 

Additional points:
"Alice was so much frightened that she ran off at once" - hypercorrectness (to be over-correct by fitting in additional words that would be un-needed in present day.

 

LANGUAGE IN WAR TIMES

27/01/2015

 

‘Cracks me up’ – We would think that this phrase has become apparent in the 21^st century, commonly used by the younger generation. However, this slang phrase was used in the 1940s war time, therefore, the meaning remains the same.

Cheesy – This is yet another word that has managed to stay in contemporary vernacular. Back in the 1940s it meant cheap. However, now it means embarrassing, too affectionate and considered over-exaggerated so there has been a semantic shift. ‘Cheesy’ has undergone amelioration in the way that the term ‘cheap’ seems slightly harsher in comparison to the meaning that I am familiar with now.

Dope – back in the 1940s it meant information, however today it is another word for drugs and some American rappers have used it to describe something as being ‘good’. This has undergone synchronous language change as it meant something completely different in the 1940s war period in comparison to now. However, the word has also undergone diachronic language change due to the technology (radios, the media, magazines and iPods accessing us to music) we are disclosed to language used by Americans e.g. ‘dope’ which allows us to adapt to using this language. The word ‘dope’ has been broadened and acquires additional meanings but has also undergone pejoration as it is used to be another term for drugs whereas before it was used as another term for information which is seen as a positive source.

The language used during the late 1800s and early 1900s categorized individuals based on their presumed degree of disability. Many of the terms commonly used came from the eugenics movement, a scientific and moral ideology that was prevalent throughout the world at that time.

"Feeble-minded" was sometimes used as a general term to describe a person with a developmental disability. Most of the time, however, "feeble-minded" meant a person with a very mild intellectual impairment - individuals who today would not be considered to have a developmental disability.

People with increasingly severe developmental disabilities were classified as "morons", "imbeciles", and "idiots". The word "idiot" referred to people with the most severe intellectual impairments.

Other terms commonly used at the time were "mentally defective" and "subnormals". "High grades" and "low grades" were used to denote a person's ability.

Paragraph of Analysis

The dominance and manly image of K

K goes on to say “Mosquitos are plentiful” but then adds that he hung a dirty sick by the window to keep them at bay. This portrays a very manly image to allow his mother to understand that he is able to look after himself and transforms a negative issue into a positive one. The mosquitos are a nuisance, however, he does not want to bother and worry his mother by making her feel as though he is in discomfort.

K also uses the term ‘Pal’ as opposed to ‘friend’. This is a form of colloquialism and informality which could suggest a sense of similarity to his family, to let them know that he is still the same boy and has not changed.

When annotating the Ap10 letter, I overcame dialect levelling towards the end of the letter. K goes back to normal, informal self and speaks with less authority. “I have not received the letters yet.” this declarative may suggest that he is running out of what else to say towards the end of the letter, also taking in to consideration the fact that the communication is poor therefore he has not received hardly any letters back. Alternatively, it may imply a blunt attitude and that in fact he is feeling quite disappointed by this.

“I hope you are all in the pink and best of spirits” this is another way of saying ‘I hope you are well’ which is another phrase which is uncommon to us today but may have been used more in the time of the Second World War. “Mrs Cox whom I mentioned in my previous letter…” archaic lexis is used here, this is less likely to be used in modern day communication.

Research sources - Language in War times - 27/01/2015

• http://public.oed.com/the-oed-today/recent-updates-to-the-oed/june-2014-update/release-notes-the-language-of-world-war-i/
• http://public.oed.com/the-oed-today/recent-updates-to-the-oed/june-2014-update/wwi-revised-words-list/
• 1940s slang - http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/1940s-slang.html
• https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/vocabulaire-vocabulary/mots1940-words1940-eng.html

How Children Read

Children begin to understand and establish reading skills during their early school years (from approx age 4). PUSH and PULL signs are simple ways in which children familiarise themselves with new words connected to the meanings. In addition to this, children then grasp company logos such as McDonald's or LEGO, could this relate to the colour used in the name?

Baby and toddler books contain a lot more colours and pictures to label objects particularly based around themes or topics known to them, e.g. animals, clothes, weather. Early story books are designed to be read to children as opposed to being read by the children themselves. They tend to consist of complicated words to them and grammatical structures that children are able to understand, even though they are unable to read them or use them in everyday speech.

Jerome Bruner - LASS theory (Language Acquisition Support System) in children's reading:
Parent- child interactions with books as four-phrased:
1) Gaining the attention of the child - on a picture
2) Query - asking the child what the object in the picture is
3) Label - telling the child what the picture is
4) Feedback - (positive or negative reinforcement) responding to the child's utterance

As children grow older, they seem to become more aware of written texts and learn to be able to reflect on relationships between different symbols and have cohesion with different parts interconnecting. Children begin to understand how story books are structured with page numbers, chapter titles and a contents/introduction. The ways in which children's books are set out are particularly interesting and are done in such a way that is effective from a child's perspective to make them want to read it over-and-over again. The characters tend to be very significant (e.g. a mouse and a fox) which are usually local topics to do with animals etc. The use of direct speech is more apparent, along with the types of pictures and phonological devices. There always seems to be a typical hero, prey and predator which are stereotypical characteristics. 

The Biff and Chip books all consist of the same characters, animals and setting which creates a relationship with the children and makes them interested when they understand what they are reading. The two key strategies used in British learning to teach children to read are 'Look and say' and the phonics which seem to be most effective.

Bibliography

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-do-children-learn-read
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20944072
CGP A2 English Language revision guide

Extract from HR Magazine with commentary:

 

PRAGMATIC ASPECTS OF HUMOUR AND GENDER IN THE WORKPLACE

 

People are very creative in their use of language. This observation was made convincingly by Chomsky in the 1950s. One of the key ways to form a relationship and bond with fellow workers is to have humour in your choice of language towards other colleauges. The way people use a variety of pragmatics to portray sequences of humour and construct collegial relations differs depending on the gender of that person. To begin with, the pragmatic force of contributions and attitudes is relevant: a distinction between supportive humour as opposed to contestive humour sequences proved apparent. Work is an important source of an individual's identity, and workplace interaction is a crucial means of securing that identity. As one component of workplace discourse, humour can provide insights into the distinctive culture which develops in different workplaces. Wodak and Benke, 1996 and Holmes 1996 determined theoretical development between genders in feminist linguistics. Eckert and McConnell-Ginet stated that studies of gender-specific language appears contradictory in the way that people in the workplace view the opposite sex, what are their attitudes towards the opposite sex? Could this relate to their upbringing or social identity?

 

Research shows that having the 'manager' status is socioculturally associated with a particular opposite sex. This position comes with ways to speak to other collegue's from a 'head's' perspective which creates gender-related expectations in the workplace. Gender ideologies are then created in how men and women should then speak and behave towards that person, is there a difference between the language used by men and women towards someone holding that status in the workplace? This could then relate to instrumental power, holding authority in speech may come across as patronising or intimidating to others. Lakoff questions whether that 'mythic golden mean' between aggression and deference is possible for women or whether 'too often, assertive behaviour is misidentified as aggression'? If someone in the workplace was holding the title of 'manager' and speaking to their fellow colleagues with authority, women may consider this as a personal attitude towards women in general, as an instruction to do something because they are simply female. The male sex on the other hand may just accept this as a simple instruction to do something and respond in a friendly manner. There is a lack of humour when communicating with someone of a higher level and formality in the workplace simply because you feel the need to impress and hold a professional role.

 

 

 

Commentary

 

The extract above shows how and when humour may be used in the workplace and how it is less common when interacting with someone of a higher level. The responses towards instructions given by a manager my differ depending on the gender. Below is a conversation between colleagues showing how language is different:

 

 

 

This relates to the article extract and shows the use of 'small talk' in the office between several women. The compliment ritual is used by Tina who is the office manager, with the higher status. The object of complimenting someone on their clothing (June) relates to the language used by females, the manager may be using these language types to maintain a friendly bond and relationship between the women in that workplace.

 

 

 

 

A2 Language Investigation ideas

I am considering studying language change for my coursework, here are some ideas that I have come up with so let me know what you think! 

IDEAS:

- How language changes before and after the influence of alcohol?

- Language change in textbooks taught at different levels of education, e.g. primary science textbooks, GCSE and A Level?

- The language has been portrayed by prime ministers over the years. For example, Winston Churchill, Thatcher, Blair and Cameron?
- How has black english changed over time?

My mum's cousin may also have a selection of letters that his dad sent to his mum back home when he was in the war so I will have a look at those and consider them when thinking of a topic for my investigation :)