Looking toward 2017: ask your English Language questions here

[Ahmad_A_1999]

Hey guys, I am currently writing my first practice essay of the year, and I have not written an essay in so long  and I am absolutely terrible at this 

The prompt is 'Slang and swearing are essential in maintaining relationships. To what extent do you agree?'

I haven't yet addressed the 'what extent do you agree part' I'm currently planning my first body paragraph on how swearing maintains said relationships. I was just wondering if I am allowed to give 3 examples in the one paragraph, that is:

- Talk about Donald Trump and how his use of swearing maintains a relationship with the american population as it is relatable and studies show that it makes a person trustworthy etc. and go into depth there.
- Then I want to talk about swearing on a smaller scale between friends and how terms such as 'd***head' can be used as a term of endearment and build rapport. 
- Then perhaps talk about swearing promoting intimacy (not sure how this exactly maintains relationships other than sexual :/ )

Am I able to do this?

Also any other tips and comments are greatly appreciated!

[cookiedream]

Hey guys, I am currently writing my first practice essay of the year, and I have not written an essay in so long  and I am absolutely terrible at this 

The prompt is 'Slang and swearing are essential in maintaining relationships. To what extent do you agree?'

I haven't yet addressed the 'what extent do you agree part' I'm currently planning my first body paragraph on how swearing maintains said relationships. I was just wondering if I am allowed to give 3 examples in the one paragraph, that is:

- Talk about Donald Trump and how his use of swearing maintains a relationship with the american population as it is relatable and studies show that it makes a person trustworthy etc. and go into depth there.
- Then I want to talk about swearing on a smaller scale between friends and how terms such as 'd***head' can be used as a term of endearment and build rapport. 
- Then perhaps talk about swearing promoting intimacy (not sure how this exactly maintains relationships other than sexual :/ )

Am I able to do this?

Also any other tips and comments are greatly appreciated!

You have some good points! Just remember that because the question stem asked about slang as well as swearing, you should include an example about slang, particularly Australian slang.
I think the essays on the vcaa examination reports have around 3-4 examples per paragraph.
Just remember to link back to your topic sentence and/or contention when you're explaining your examples so you can have a solid paragraph

[Ahmad_A_1999]

You have some good points! Just remember that because the question stem asked about slang as well as swearing, you should include an example about slang, particularly Australian slang.
I think the essays on the vcaa examination reports have around 3-4 examples per paragraph.
Just remember to link back to your topic sentence and/or contention when you're explaining your examples so you can have a solid paragraph

Sweet, thanks man!

[Joseph41]

Hey guys, I am currently writing my first practice essay of the year, and I have not written an essay in so long  and I am absolutely terrible at this 

The prompt is 'Slang and swearing are essential in maintaining relationships. To what extent do you agree?'

I haven't yet addressed the 'what extent do you agree part' I'm currently planning my first body paragraph on how swearing maintains said relationships. I was just wondering if I am allowed to give 3 examples in the one paragraph, that is:

- Talk about Donald Trump and how his use of swearing maintains a relationship with the american population as it is relatable and studies show that it makes a person trustworthy etc. and go into depth there.
- Then I want to talk about swearing on a smaller scale between friends and how terms such as 'd***head' can be used as a term of endearment and build rapport. 
- Then perhaps talk about swearing promoting intimacy (not sure how this exactly maintains relationships other than sexual :/ )

Am I able to do this?

Also any other tips and comments are greatly appreciated!

Hey Ahmad!

What have you been focusing in class thus far, out of interest? Content? Other metalanguage? Analytical commentaries? Short-answer response?

IMO the first step to writing a good EngLang essay is believing that you can write a good EngLang essay. If you go in thinking, "well, this will probably be terrible," it may well be! Even from your posts on this board this year, I know you have a sound understanding of a lot of linguisticy things, so I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine.

Anyway, to address your actual points:

I think three examples in one paragraph is totally fine, on the assumption that they're somewhat related and addressing the same (or a similar) overall point/theme. So with your examples:

- When did Donald Trump swear, out of interest (I have no doubt that he did - just wondering which example(s) you're planning to use)? It's a good example, but if at all possible, I'd probably use an Australian example; has there been anything similar with Turnbull and/or Shorten? Or any other current political figure in Australia?
- I think your second point is very solid. Interesting that you censored dickhead, though!
- The third point seems to me to seep into the second one; if you're going for distinct points, I think these two need to be differentiated somehow. Maybe you could speak explicitly about how swearing can go some way to building in-group membership?

[Ahmad_A_1999]

Hey Ahmad!

What have you been focusing in class thus far, out of interest? Content? Other metalanguage? Analytical commentaries? Short-answer response?

IMO the first step to writing a good EngLang essay is believing that you can write a good EngLang essay. If you go in thinking, "well, this will probably be terrible," it may well be! Even from your posts on this board this year, I know you have a sound understanding of a lot of linguisticy things, so I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine.

Anyway, to address your actual points:

I think three examples in one paragraph is totally fine, on the assumption that they're somewhat related and addressing the same (or a similar) overall point/theme. So with your examples:

- When did Donald Trump swear, out of interest (I have no doubt that he did - just wondering which example(s) you're planning to use)? It's a good example, but if at all possible, I'd probably use an Australian example; has there been anything similar with Turnbull and/or Shorten? Or any other current political figure in Australia?
- I think your second point is very solid. Interesting that you censored dickhead, though!
- The third point seems to me to seep into the second one; if you're going for distinct points, I think these two need to be differentiated somehow. Maybe you could speak explicitly about how swearing can go some way to building in-group membership?

Hey Joseph, thanks for the reply! 

So far in class we have covered informal language, although I am a bit worried to be honest as I mainly have colloquialisms, slang and swearing forming the basis of my notes, is this normal?  We are starting formal language term 2.

As for Donald Trump the examples I have in my cuttings journal include:
"Bomb the shit out of ISIS"
"Listen, you motherf*****s we are going to tax you 25%" in regards to a trade with China of some sort.
"It's political bullshit"

I don't really know anything about Australian politics unfortunately, I'm going to make an effort to learn about it over the year though. (I didn't even know the current prime minister for a while  )

[exit]

Is a cataphoric reference a form of substitution?

[cookiedream]

Is a cataphoric reference a form of substitution?

Yep, in fact both cataphoric and anaphoric are forms of substitution

[peanut]

Would you say that sentence fragments reduce the formality of a text (both written and spoken)?

[Joseph41]

Would you say that sentence fragments reduce the formality of a text (both written and spoken)?

I most certainly would.

EDIT: Because sentence fragments deviate from Standard English.