ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English Language => Topic started by: Mao on September 15, 2008, 04:10:30 pm
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The chief assessor of EL, Tim Rayner, came to speak to our class today (as his wife is our career's advisor!)
Amongst the things he has talked about (which I plan to put on the Viki), a major point was using examples, quotations and IPA (I stand corrected in the other thread, these are preferred, but not essential, and do look "impressive", which is a huge bonus to the score an essay will be awarded).
We also got a list of themes which the exam essay topic draws from. There are many, and i highly doubt any single person would be able to come up with examples for all the themes.
Would anyone else care to join this exercise? Undoubtedly this will be a massive help for all doing this subject, present and future!
*under the process of typing it up on the Viki (which is STILL under construction)*
on that note, Viki require editors big time. please join us =]
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ill help if u need it lol
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Here's the link to the topics
http://vcenotes.com/viki/index.php/English_Language_Essay_Themes
will need to register to create an account (but not sure if you can... as it has not gone live yet)
in any case, if you can, just click "edit" and type away~
if not, please post here and I will add them to the page (until Viki goes live)
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I am fairly sure normal people can't access it atm no matter how hard they try
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I am fairly sure normal people can't access it atm no matter how hard they try
I can access it. Am I "normal"? (I have no privileges nor an account)
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The chief assessor of EL, Tim Rayner, came to speak to our class today (as his wife is our career's advisor!)
LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
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I think that guy is my teacher.
Lol! After all this time, you think you know your teacher's name?
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I think that guy is my teacher.
Lol! After all this time, you think you know your teacher's name?
Just making sure lol, there might be a few rayners out there
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yeah, it is :P
lucky bastard :P
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Fine I shall quote my collection of stuff I made myself
Note that I am quoting my own notes word for word (expect for additions in square brackets), you could go so far as to say there is an informal tone. :o
Aussie english in subsystems
Phonology
-HRT
-Assimilation - austraya, hambag
-Elesion - granstand, envirament, govment
- dropping final consonants eg d, t, g
- we sound nasaly (m, n, ng)
- dipthongs - loike, noice
- dont enunciate things eg ledder, poda gold (pot of)
- we talk in a monotone
- reductions/contractions
-non rhotic [no r at ends of things if I remember right, like sista]
- not many ls either
-speaking quick eg didja
Morphology/lexicon
-diminutives - add the morpheme -o/-ie -> friendliness, informal
- idiomatic speech (dont come the raw prawn with me)
Syntax
How sometimes sentences end with but
I am lazy I shall type up one page a day, I have about 8 :P
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LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
LOL I had him last year!
He's a champion... we gave him so much shit (in a nice way=) ) he was awesome.. then he left our school at the end of last year, haha.
We came to the conclusion that he was a cross between Christopher Ecclestein (the first Dr.Who of the new series) and Mr Bean.
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when he said quotations, did he mean quotes from linguists and stuff?
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yep
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Thanks to someone reminding me via PM, and the fact that my english language note book is being lent out indefinitely (probably until end of VCE) as of tomorrow, I shall finish off my list :P
Important note: These are, more or less, copied word for word from my personal notes. Ie, I invented them. Consequently, to entertain myself I write stupid things within it. The quantity of stupid things increases as time goes on. You have been warned.
Broad/general/cultivated
Broad - helpful, friendly, trustworthy, understands the 'real' world, can be perceived to be stupid
Cultivated - clever but up themselves
- People are generally shifting from both ends -> general (dont want the attitudes from either extreme). People of course move up and down it to fit in with where they live, occupation etc -> identity + group membership
- The shifts away from broader accents make some people reckon that AE as a variety is dying - less idiomatic speech etc. However there is still a lot out there, also some people will push it by using heaps
These are also linked to standards - people with cultivated will adhere stronger to SAE.
However I didn't actually write any examples here, I just left a space for it :P
SAE
-it needs to exist otherwise we can't understand each other/deviate from it
-it is in written language (books, legal things) as it is prestigious, can be understood by all people etc -> it is necessary to be able to use it, hence we learn it.
- most changes to it happen in spoken language, once change is accepted it enters standard
- people feel that it is being destroyed etc by young people, ie: [fill in examples here] non standard spelling/grammar, changes in meaning, new words
-when people whinge about this they tend to forget that language is constantly changing and the average person needs english from 1000 years ago 'translated' so we can understand it - people sometimes prefer what they know over change (it seems threatening etc)
- use of SAE is linked to power etc
- changes in SAE atm [things becoming acceptable in the standard] include ending sentences with prepositions, starting with conjunctions, use of pronouns eg 'they'
-also on pronouns, some people when making an effort to use SAE get it wrong eg using I instead of me when being the object in the sentence eg 'so and so visited my friend and I' is wrong.
- also there are some times where SAE isn't appropriate, eg in greetings, if someone said how are you, you say you're good as opposed to the gramatically correct 'I am well', you would get funny looks if you did this
Influences on AE
- the world amazingly is changing so we need words to label the computer etc
-more importantly is our good mate america like killing our like language - influences like telly, movies, music ("American culture"), how to spell colour, -re/-er, -ise/-ize, zed or zee, some american words we shy away from if they sound too american eg sweater, candy, cookie, trailer park (on the flipside, we also avoid some words if they sound too british, it really just varies from word to word)
-'multiculturalism', immigrants [multicultralism is surrounded by " " as when you break down the word it can suggest australia is composed entirely of subgroups and there is no overall aussie culture. Be careful how you use the word and understand what it means]
Ethnolects
-can sound 'wrong' due to stresses on wrong syllable
- can apply syntax of first language
- cannot say some of our phonemes, try to find substitutes for them
- do other things to mimic first language eg put vowel sounds at end of words
- can use regular rules for irregular word formation (gooder, but obviously examples should not be as extreme as this, people tend to know that one)
Regional variation
Not many as Australia is a relatively new country, also we spread out quickly (think vs overseas countries where you can identify where in the country they came from with ease eg north vs south usa)
There are a few though, mainly in the domain of food, stuff like slide vs slippery dip as well
Overall attitudes etc
1. SAE > all - it has power and prestige, however it isnt actually 'better' than any other variety in terms of how it's put together (phonology, morphology, syntax, based on these factors you cannot argue it is a superior variety)
2. language and identity - people will both consciously and unconsciously choose language to assert who they are. in terms of only AE, people are proud of it and will fight to protect it
Language variation according to use
Main influence on this is obviously context - function, participants, social distance
Also consider formal/informal, politeness (=> hedging, euphemisms, more adherence to social protocols)
Slang -informality, reduce social distance etc
Examples from Aussie english (hey look I even wrote it in alphabetical order for you) - aggro, ankle biter, battler, bludge, chook, crikey, digger, drongo, (take a) squiz, snag, tucker, tinny, ute, your shout
Also you are teenagers, include young people slang (I left this space blank as I hate it lolz :P)
Jargon => group membership
domain specific, includes specialist language - precise to speaker, rest of us have very little idea.
For here pick examples you are familiar with
Also you can be really lazy and use VCE jargon as an example (sacs and outcomes, the gat)
Doublespeak are euphemisms with intention of manipulating the truth
Incredibly original examples: friendly fire, pre-emptive strike, collateral damage (also this can be linked how 'we' are brave and 'they' are cowardly and go off and do sneak attacks, while *we* pre-emptive strike)
From shops - downsizing vs using firing, sacking, retrenching
Politics - can dodge questions, don't claim responsibility for things, euphemisms make it sound positive
Also these guys play with passives/nominalisation so they can hide the agent (thing doing the action) eg I hit him -> he was hit by me -> he was hit (agent dropped). We can now go further and alter the sentence to 'he got hit', this now sounds like he had it coming for him
Euphemisms and Dysphemisms
I actually wrote this heading with nothing under it, I think I had boring examples like carked it etc anyway.
Political correctness
-Purpose to not cause offence, exclude people, remove stereotypes/connotations
-It was so successful, that no one likes PC as it is killing freedom of speech, people rely on being non-PC for most jokes to be funny
-It also sometimes further highlights what you were trying to 'fix' than if you had just used the normal word
Examples - dwarf/vertically challenged, blind person/person with blindness, gay/same sex attracted
Gendered language
Today we are all equal. [I wrote that sentence with irony/sarcasm behind it :P] This language reflects an older society. Many of the changes people were originally against but now consider them as normal
Egs he -> they or he/she or s/he, manhole -> access hole, chairman -> chairperson, police officer, firefighter, flight attendant, postie (this one is good as it links into Aussie English, it was one of my favourites for linking things :P)
There are still many words out there eg wo/man, history, to master something, connotations of words similar in meaning eg master vs mistress. Also you get masters/bachelors degrees. I guess I got over excited about one word there, sorry :P
Miscellaneous other points
Internet/sms language - closely related to spoken mode with reductions, incomplete sentences, 'no grammar'. acronyms that are now words like lol. odd morphology eg 2, 4, thx, l8, @
Things you can do with pronouns eg include/exclude, us vs them, you can also exploit semantics by talking to a group of people and referring to them as 'you' but specifically looking at one person when you are doing this
Things people stuff up eg verses vs versus
Written language influences how words are said, creates shifts in pronunciation, possibly as we are taught to learn new words by trying to sound them out etc
People try to adhere to SAE with punctuation etc but stuff it up (rogue apostrophes that shouldn't be there etc). How we really don't need some of it in the first place because we seem to do alright in spoken language without them.
Also if something is missing we will add it in to make it coherent (eg if I gave you 200 words without full stops or capital letters to indicate where the sentences start and end, you would be trying to add it in there), we also force rhymes and rhythm etc to make it fit
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I love you forever.
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wow thanks for that caramel :)
do you mind my asking what scores you got for your subjects (raw)?
just trying to get a realistic idea of my enter, as i am doing many of the same subjects as you did last year (i'm doing chem, methods, spec and EL this year, and i got 42 for bio and 41 for chinese last year) it's okay if you don't want to reveal your scores!
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Yeah, i've posted them in other places on this site I don't mind :P
English language - 46
Physics - 49
Chem - 50
Specialist maths - 43
Chinese - 34
Methods (2006) - 43
Information systems (2006) - 48
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the point where you start crying is when you realise a scaled 40+ isn't even good enough to be counted in the top 6
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btw. how do we write an A+ english language essay. im always criticised for not making some sort of judgment...? good examples and alright grammar are only getting me so far...does anyone have an example of an A+ eng lang essay?
and...
LOOK WHAT I FOUNDD!!! youve probably all seen it but STILL
Study boost: Ploise explainArticle from: Font size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment January 16, 2007 12:00am
VCE students get some tongue-in-cheek material in the serious study of linguistics, writes Blanche Clark.
FIFTEENTH-CENTURY writer Geoffrey Chaucer and 1997 comedy The Castle are an unlikely pairing, but both are rich fodder for VCE English Language students.
Kath & Kim also gets a look in, as does Shakespeare and religious texts, in this little-known alternative to VCE English.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College English co-ordinator David Van Es says VCE English Language students study grammar, sentence structure and how words are created and used in spoken and written texts, old and modern.
They study everyday texts, from the language of law and politics to SMS and advertising.
"We often use The Castle as a strong snapshot of Australian English,'' he says.
"It deals with how people are identified by the language they use.''
He says Kath & Kim plays with language.
"We might also look at the difference of the language of, say, a news presenter on Channel 9 or SBS, and . . . the language of Darryl from The Castle.
"The link between language and identity is a very powerful one.''
VCE English Language was introduced in 2000 and this year 1592 students are enrolled, compared with 44,415 in VCE English.
"One of the great strengths of the course is that the students step out of the classroom and start applying what they have learned.''
"You will often hear them say 'I can't be in a conversation any more without analysing it', '' Van Es says.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority proposed incorporating more of these analytical elements into VCE English last year. It planned to reduce the number of literary texts studied to one and introduce the study of media texts such as newspapers, websites and text messages instead.
There was an outcry from parents and educators, saying novels and poetry were integral to the study of English and literacy.
Are there the same concerns about VCE English Language?
Van Es says if students and parents value literature, the student should choose to do VCE English or Literature. But he says the rigour of grammar in the course is impressive.
When Van Es talks to Year 10 students at BSSC's four feeder schools about their VCE program, he uses this analogy.
"If English is a bit of every aspect of language usage and communication, and literature is the art of language, then English Language is probably the science.''
Van Es says students also gain a deeper appreciation of themselves.
"At the start of the course we play them some examples of people speaking, only audio, and we ask them to make judgments about their intelligence and their likability.
"The kids do that and we make the point: 'What does that say about your own values and the way you think about the world?'
"They become quite aware of it and they are conscious of going to a job interview and using their very best English.
"The study of English Language makes them overtly aware of the unspoken rules that are in operation in our society.''
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) says VCE English Language is useful for students interested in communications, journalism, speech and reading therapy and teaching. These skills are also applicable to psychology, cognitive science, computer science and philosophy. More about VCE English Language at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/englishlanguage/05englangsum.doc
Expert tips by David Van Es
Learn your glossary -- make a set of flip cards as you do the course.
Create mind-maps that show how concepts can be linked.
Practise essay writing with specific time restrictions.
Learn to use FEE (Feature, Example, Effect) in your discussion of texts -- disciplined analysis is what is required.
hope that helps...?lol
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btw. how do we write an A+ english language essay. im always criticised for not making some sort of judgment...? good examples and alright grammar are only getting me so far...does anyone have an example of an A+ eng lang essay?
appropriate metalanguage too :)
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how stringent do you think they are about recent (i.e. in the past year) examples? cause on last year's examiners' report, the 'excellent examples' listed for that topic about language having the power to shock etc. seem a bit stretched. also one of the examples called bill heffernan 'hugh heffernan' hahaha
main point: best to be prepared/time to dig up some very recent examples, or shouldn't bother given that it's 3 weeks until the exam?
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The chief assessor of EL, Tim Rayner, came to speak to our class today (as his wife is our career's advisor!)
LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
does he have somewhat of a lisp? if so, I heard him in VATE in 2006, he was really edifying, made me want to study the subject after school
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The chief assessor of EL, Tim Rayner, came to speak to our class today (as his wife is our career's advisor!)
LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
does he have somewhat of a lisp? if so, I heard him in VATE in 2006, he was really edifying, made me want to study the subject after school
somewhat, yeah.
he is our careers counsellor's husband, haha
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The chief assessor of EL, Tim Rayner, came to speak to our class today (as his wife is our career's advisor!)
LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
does he have somewhat of a lisp? if so, I heard him in VATE in 2006, he was really edifying, made me want to study the subject after school
somewhat, yeah.
he is our careers counsellor's husband, haha
Lol... I still haven't asked him if he is cuz then he'll wonder how I got that "insider" information. He's never said nything about it o.O
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LOL are you serious? I think that guy is my teacher. Did he have a distinct english accent?
LOL I had him last year!
He's a champion... we gave him so much shit (in a nice way=) ) he was awesome.. then he left our school at the end of last year, haha.
We came to the conclusion that he was a cross between Christopher Ecclestein (the first Dr.Who of the new series) and Mr Bean.
rofl and he came to our school and i think we've given him even more shit that you guys, class is always so great ahahhahahahaha. Hail to The Chief! x]