English Language Texts

[jashaan]

Hi!

My teacher said that they'll give a list of the books/texts we need to read for english language, e.g. david crystal, but I am not sure what the purpose of these books are? Don't we need quotes from only the past year or so? Can we use the quotes found in these books on our exam?
Thanks!

[Seamus Wong]

You can use quotes from as far back as you want. Quotes are a very good way to introduce a new idea in ur essays. I usually used linguist quotes in my introduction paragraphs, and at the start of each body paragraph.
It's only your examples that need to be contemporary.

[PolySquared]

You don't necessarily need to use quotes in your essays but you can use them to add interest if you want to. Contemporary examples of language use are far more important in your essays as they are a specific criteria in the VCAA EL rubric.

[SanchaTheSeeker]

I mainly used Kate Burridge quotes. Literally use ANYTHING if it's relevant to what you're discussing
We weren't given a list of texts to read (like in mainstream eng and lit) but we watched Kate Burridge vids during class so I mainly used her

[jashaan]

You can use quotes from as far back as you want. Quotes are a very good way to introduce a new idea in ur essays. I usually used linguist quotes in my introduction paragraphs, and at the start of each body paragraph.
It's only your examples that need to be contemporary.

Umm what's the difference between the quotes and contemporary examples? So the contemporary examples need to be from within the past year or so?

Thanks xx

[jashaan]

You don't necessarily need to use quotes in your essays but you can use them to add interest if you want to. Contemporary examples of language use are far more important in your essays as they are a specific criteria in the VCAA EL rubric.

So for the contemporary examples, do you need to kind of describe the example and then explain how it links to the topic?

thanks xx

[Seamus Wong]

Umm what's the difference between the quotes and contemporary examples? So the contemporary examples need to be from within the past year or so?

Thanks xx

Quotes refer to statements that are made by linguists about language in general, and you don't necessarily create any sort of focused discussion around the quote - it's just there to support the main idea of ur essay/paragraph.
E.g.
Bruce more asserts that "of all the markers of identity, language is by far the most powerful"...

Contemporary Examples of language, however, are clearly focused examples of notable uses of English Language by specific people or groups, and these examples are what you will be creating nuanced discussion around within your paragraphs. They are the meat of ur essays
E.g.
During January 2019, McDonalds ran an advertisement campaign whereby the names of menu items were written phonetically, such as the noun phrase 'Quarter Pounder' spelt as 'Kworda Pownda' on an advertisement board, mimicking the vowel reduction and flap associated with the broad accent. This may have been done to playfully celebrate the uniqueness of the broad Australian accent, blah blah blah.

[SanchaTheSeeker]

Are you planning to use the books as quotes or contemporary examples btw?

[jashaan]

Are you planning to use the books as quotes or contemporary examples btw?

For the quotes because there won't be any modern examples in the books i believe??

[Seamus Wong]

For the quotes because there won't be any modern examples in the books i believe??

yeah ur right, you don't get examples from books.

[Jimmmy]

For the quotes because there won't be any modern examples in the books i believe??

This is true, however I'd suggest getting your hands on as many Linguistics books as you can and skimming through them, as well as reading through 'Living Lingo' (which was our main textbook) in a detailed manner. I got some great quotes from there (albeit I realised later than I would've liked) from not only linguists Crystal, Moore & Burridge, but literary figure Nathaniel Hawthorne. Adds a bit of uniqueness to your writing if you weren't as eloquent of a writer! (like me)