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Language registers

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Exercises

Exercise 1: Language variation in text genres

Look at the following texts and answer the questions below.

  1. Conversation Analysis (CA) was originally developed as a ‘pure’ science, motivated by the wish to discover basic and general aspects of sociality. Later, it has also been ‘applied’, in the sense that interactions with an institutional purpose have been studied in order to discover how those interactions are organized as institutional interactions. The expression ‘applied CA’ can also be used to denote the implicit or even explicit use of CA-inspired studies to support efforts to make social life ‘better’ in some way, to provide data-based analytic suggestions for, or critiques of, the ways in which social life can be organized.

    (from Paul Ten Have, Doing Conversation Analysis, London: Sage, 1999)
  2. There are many juices you can choose for your baby, but they’re not all the same. Studies have found that white grape juice is easier to digest than pear or apple juice. .... For information on the benefits of white grape juice, ask your pediatrician. Then consult your own little expert.

    (from an ad for Welch’s White Grape Juice)
  3. According to the papers, Harry drank alcohol with pals at the Rattlebone Inn, ... and smoked dope in the Rattlebone’s backyard shed; he also reportedly enjoyed ‘lock-ins’, the common practice in which a pub owner locks the door at closing time but continues to serve drinks inside.

    (People Weekly, January 28, 2002)
  4. Fox ‘Ludes Sunday

    GOVERNOR SMIRK SPENDS 45 MINUTES LOOKING STUPID

    Tony Snow is freezing his butt off in Manchester New Hampshire – a hapless burg in a hapless state

    Fox News began with some dumb poll which said that McCain and Bush are neck-and-neck. Snow insulted Bush . . . and called him a ‘mushy moderate’.
    (adapted from http://www.americanpolitics.com/20000130PunditPapBush.html)

Questions:

  1. What is the communicative purpose of these texts?
  2. Who are these texts addressed to?
  3. How does the intended reader influence the language in the texts?
    • Which text is more formal?
    • Which text(s) has/ve more words of Latin origin?
    • Which text(s) has/ve more complex syntax and sentence structure?
  4. Is the first text an example of expert-to-expert communication or of expert-to-non expert communication? Give at least one reason for your answer.
  5. In texts 3 and 4 some vocabulary items are taken from ‘slang’ or ‘familiar’ language. Is there a reason for that? Are these two texts equally hard/easy to understand? Why?

Exercise 2: Types of texts

Match the following texts with the genre and sub-genre definitions below. 1

  1. Any evolutionary change that adds to the communicative function of signaling behavior has been called ‘semanticization’ by Wickler (1967). The majority of known cases of semantic alteration involves ritualization, the evolutionary process by which a behavior pattern changes to become increasingly effective as a signal (E.O. Wilson, 1975; Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1979).
  2. George Washington University officials decided to announce the coming of an on-campus smoking ban during the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout on Nov. 15. Before they could do so, dozens of students and staff members were lighting up in protest.
  3. Offcpring22: Wazup?
    Allsmilz: n2m
    Offcpring22: well, g/g c ya
    (Loose translation: not too much is up with Allsmilz, and Offcpring22 has got to go and will see Allsmilz later)
  4. Newly designed and loaded with fresh features. On the Web at time.com. Get round-the-clock updates; search Time’s valuable archives on CompuServe at GoTime.
  5. Depression can make you feel all alone in the world. Especially when you’re around people who think depression is all in your head. Well, it’s not. Depression is a real illness with real causes. It can appear suddenly, for no apparent reason.
  6. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice President, delegates to this convention, fellow citizens: In 75 days I hope we enjoy a victory that is the size of the heart of Texas. Nancy and I extend our deep thanks to the Lone Star State and the ‘Big D’, the city of Dallas, for al their warmth and hospitality.
  7. The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of the Securities Act ... .

Genre and sub-genre definitions:

  • Agreement (legal document)
  • Chat Room talk
  • Newspaper article
  • Academic paper
  • Presidential Nomination Talk
  • Advertisement for service
  • Advertisement for medication

Sources:

  1. Johan M.G. van der Dennen, ‘Ritualized “primitive” warfare and rituals in war: phenocopy, homology, or ... ?’, found at http://rechten.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/Algemeen/overigepublicaties/2005enouder/RITUAL/RITUAL.pdf.
  2. Article from http://www.washingtonpost.com/, Jenna Johnson, ‘Smoking bans pick up momentum on college campuses, despite protests’ published November 25, 2012.
  3. No sources
  4. From a CompuServe advertisement.
  5. From a Prozac advertisement.
  6. President Reagan accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas, 1984: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1984/82384f.htm.
  7. From http://www.nasdaq.com/markets/ipos/filing.ashx?filingid=8152954.

Exercise 3: Identifying formal and informal English

A.   In each sentence below underline the word or words in parentheses that are informal English. Find a more formal word corresponding to it.

  1. The statue is inside a temple, so don’t (act up).
  2. Those people speak a (lingo) that I don’t understand.
  3. Our sergeant did not want to (hear) any lip.
  4. I’ve been feeling (run-down) since this cough began.
  5. On weekends, I like to (hang out) with my friends.

B.   Rewrite each of the sentences below using formal English.

  1. When Ali learned he had won, he was on top of the world.
  2. Don’t bug me about my homework, because it’s done.
  3. I guess you can kiss that money goodbye.
  4. We haven’t won a single game, so let’s call it quits.
  5. Gloria and Margaret raced neck and neck for the finish line.

C.   In these sentences, some words are informal; find them and transform them into more formal English.

  1. I am sorry to tell you that our prices have gone up.
  2. I’m disappointed that your job was rubbish.
  3. I’m the ideal candidate for the job, because I’ve done this kind of job before and I was pretty good at it.
  4. I look forward to having a chat with you about this soon.
  5. Hi Mr Greenberg, thank you for your letter.

D.   What do the following phrasal verbs mean?

  1. Come by when you’re in the neighbourhood.
  2. Ever since John broke up with Mary, he doesn’t come round any more.
  3. Nathan comes across as rude, but he’s really just shy.
  4. It was a great job offer, but I had to turn it down because it was too much work.
  5. Wow, so many people turned out for your party!