The Analytical Piece

1. The Analytical Piece

2. Keep In Mind • As you write your second Reflective piece…You are deliberately putting in the FOUR elements which you are required to analyse in the Analytical piece.

3. The Four Elements • Dialectal Variation • Language Registers • Communicative Behaviours • Attitude to Language

4. Language Register • Languages have five (5) language registers—five language styles. registers/styles … the appropriate use of language is a matter of situation. The use of the …appropriate register depends on the audience, the topic, and the purpose for the communication Frozen Register: Pledge of Allegiance, Lord’s Prayer, Preamble to Constitution. Unchanging, fixed form (language that remains fixed/unchanged) Formal/Academic Register:Interviews, academic language in classroom (lectures, instruction—mini-lessons), public speaking Consultative Register: Talking to a boss/supervisor/teacher, lawyer, doctor, Counselor (asking for assistance) Casual (Informal) Register: Talking with friends, slang (writing drafts should allow casual before the formal draft because it “gets the information out” on the paper) Intimate Register: Language of lovers, sexual harassment (not for public information)

5. Register • Two Major Registers • Formal – Standard English • Informal - Creole Various levels of Creole

6. Registers • Also to be included in your discussion • The impact of the various registers, how they operate to influence the following • Tone, mood • Class/Social distinction • Cultural distinction • Distinguishing relationship

7. Language RegistersExamples • Formal – Ex. 1 – Handout • Ex.. 2 “Gloria! What does this mean?” Mr. King thundered. He whipped the sheet from the bed and flung it at the hapless girl, who cowered in the doorway. “I sorry, sir, ” she stammered. “ De mistress did tell meh to bring de breakfast come hurry, so ah did leave off de beds fuh afterwards.” Her trembling hands re-arranged her ornhi so that it partly hid her face. “How you get hired to work in this house, I will never know! You coolies can’t even talk English.” “Martin, leave the poor child be,” his wife remonstrated, pulling the girl almost caressingly toward her.” And please don’t refer to the servants in derogatory terms. It’s so demeaning, not only to them, but to us as well. There, child, he means no harm” As Gloria hurried from the house in tears, Old Vava muttered under her breath, “ de jumbie goin tek he one a dese days, ah fos he weeckeed, oui”

8. Language Registers • Formal – Mr. King and wife. Use Standard English. Establishes social/class distinction • Informal – Gloria- uses a basilectal Indian creole. “bring .. Come hurry”. Separates her from Upper class. Distinguish ethnic difference, peculiarity. • Informal- Mr. King’s language is not strictly SE. He uses an acrolectal Creole, so that we can also identify Dialectal Variation in the piece • A mesolect is a register whose character falls somewhere between the prestige of the acrolect and the informality of the basilect

9. Try to include when you write your second piece… • In situations where a creole remains in contact with the dominant language, a creole continuum can arise whereby greater contact with the dominant language will cause decreolisation and the creole will come to resemble the standard language more. • The Mesolect is a register whose character falls somewhere between the prestige of the acrolect and the informality of the basilect . The term refers to any of the varieties that fall in the intermediate ranges • The Acrolect is the variety of the creole which is closest to the standard • The Basilect is the most distinct variety, furthest from the standard

10. Jamaican Creole Examples • Where is it? SEA wier i de?MesolectA we i de? Basilect • I didn’t eat anyA in nyam nonMu na bin nyam non

11. SE to Basilect- The Range • I told him_ SE • I tol’ him –Acrolect • I tol ‘im- Mesolect • I tell him- Mesolect • I tell ‘im – Mesolect • Ah tel ‘im – Mesolect • Me tel he - Basilect • Me tel e - Basilect • Me tel am - Basilect

12. Communicative Behaviours • Slap • Laugh • Smile • He flung it at the hapless girl • Trembling hands arranged the ornhi so that it partly hid her face • Pulling the girl caressingly toward her

13. Attitudes to Language • Shows intent of the speaker- to insult, to coax, to denote particular relationship • Shows how the speaker views different registers, and what impression he hopes to create by his choice of register in any given context • May reveal the speaker’s bias/prejudice in terms of class/age/religion and other cultural practices etc • Is very specifically related to the use of Language • Is not one character’s attitude toward another

14. Attitudes to Language • Example 1- Handout • Amélie uses the words “White Cockroach” to insult Antoinette.The word “white’, though it would normally, in this context, be used to identify the upper echelon, tales on here a pejorative meaning. When linked to the cockroach, it clearly defines Antoinette as a less than acceptable person.

15. Attitudes to Language • The narrator uses the term “child” in reference to Amélie Attitudes to Language ie, perhaps to signify age and position in the household, but Antoinette does not accept this and see nothing child-like in Amélie’s behaviour.

16. Attitudes to Language • Is present when a word that has a particular accepted meaning is used in to mean something else. • E.g. “Yeah right, I believe you!” This would be used to mean the exact opposite. Even with the first two words alone, there is heavy sarcasm which tell the reader that the speaker does not believe a word that he is hearing.