THIS PAPER IS NOT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE EXAMINATION HALLS

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1 THIS PAPER IS NOT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE EXAMINATION HALLS EN3055 EN2001 UNIVERSITY OF LONDON BA EXAMINATION 2014 (Old Regulations) BA/DIPLOMA OF HE EXAMINATION 2014 (New Regulations) COMBINED DEGREE SCHEME ENGLISH Group B Advanced Unit/Level 5 Course: Varieties of Language in Conversation and Literature/Varieties of English Thursday, 8 May 2014: THREE HOURS AND FIFTEEN MINUTES [Including 15 minutes reading time, during which students may write notes in the answer book but not on the question paper. Any notes in the answer book(s) should be crossed out] Answer THREE questions (all three questions carry equal marks). Candidates may NOT reproduce the same material in more than one answer, in this examination or in any other Advanced Level Unit/Level 5/Level 6 examination. There are three attachments at the back of this examination paper. Appendix A is on page 4, Appendix B is on page 5, Appendix C is on page 6. A transcription key is on page 7. University of London 2014 TURN OVER Page 1 of 7

2 1. Critically discuss the method of the sociolinguistic interview. Explain how and why sociolinguists use the sociolinguistic interview but also consider its limitations and suggest possible alternative methods for sociolinguistic research. Refer to sociolinguistic theory and research in your answer. 2. The standard forms are standard because they are used by people with sufficient power and control over major institutions to make their way of using language and looking at the world seem the norm (ROGER ANDERSEN). Critically examine this quotation, demonstrating your understanding of the concept, status and role of standard English. 3. Discuss the phenomenon of style-shifting, explaining the concept of speaker s style and examining different explanations for style-shifting. Give some examples from sociolinguistic research and from your own observations. 4. Consider the relationship between language and social class or between language and ethnicity on the basis of at least two sociolinguistic studies. 5. Explain the strengths and limitations of social network theory. Your answer must refer to sociolinguistic research and theory. 6. A London secondary school recently made headline news for what the media described as the banning of slang words. Drawing on your (socio)linguistic understanding of language (use), evaluate the media interest in this news and the decision of the school to ban the following: coz, ain t, like, bare, extra, you woz, we woz ; beginning sentences with basically and ending sentences with yeah. 7. On the basis of one or more specific examples, explain reasons for language change and ways in which language change spreads, and discuss methods for studying language change. 8. We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to organize it in this way an agreement that holds throughout our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language. The agreement is, of course, an implicit and unstated one, but its terms are absolutely obligatory: we cannot talk at all except by subscribing to the organization and classification of data which the agreement decrees (BENJAMIN LEE WHORF, his italics). Critically discuss this quotation, providing examples from English and/or other languages. 9. Why are the concepts of women s language and men s language considered to be problematic by many sociolinguists? Your answer must refer to language and gender research and theory. QUESTIONS CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE Page 2 of 7

3 10. Providing specific examples discuss the emergence and characteristics of Creoles. Also consider attitudes towards Creoles and Creole speakers. 11. What are some of the different ways in which linguists define and analyse discourse? Your answer must refer to linguistic/discourse analytic research and/or methodology. 12. The kind of verbal hygiene characterised as PC rejects the simple Orwellian opposition between neutral terms and loaded ones, drawing attention to the fact that all words come with values attached, and moreover that these are variable depending on who is speaking, in what context and within what structure of power. (For example, nigger and queer obviously have a different value used by an East End skinhead and by the performers Niggas With Attitude, or the activists of Queer Nation) (DEBORAH CAMERON). Critically discuss this quotation, with consideration to Political Correctness (PC) campaigns. 13. The joke Truths about men and women (see Appendix A) is taken from a website called Do you consider this joke to be sexist? Why (not)? Present a critical analysis of the joke, drawing on either linguistic scholarship on sexist language use or gendered discourses. 14. Analyse the text entitled Joint statement on Syria (Appendix B), taken from a website called Your analysis must demonstrate your understanding of a range of analytic tools of written discourse analysis, for example, certain rhetorical strategies, grammatical and lexical choices, semantic and pragmatic devices such as presuppositions or implicatures. 15. Carry out a linguistic discourse analysis of the two examples of talk in institutional contexts (Appendix C). The first extract is taken from a telephone call to an emergency service, the second is taken from a service encounter in a post office. You can draw on a combination of discourse analytic tools and/or approaches as long as your discussion is both coherent and focused. END OF PAPER APPENDIX A IS ON PAGE 4 APPENDIX B IS ON PAGE 5 APPENDIX C IS ON PAGE 6 TRANSCRIPTION KEY IS ON PAGE 7 Page 3 of 7

4 Appendix A: Truths about men and women A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn t need A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend A successful woman is one who can find such a man To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all Married men live longer than single men, but married men are a lot more willing to die A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn t A man marries a woman expecting that she won t change but she does accessed 09/12/2013. APPENDIX B IS ON NEXT PAGE Page 4 of 7

5 Appendix B Joint statement on Syria from the Prime Minister, President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy, 18/08/2011 Category: Statements The Syrian authorities have ignored the urgent appeals made over recent days by the United Nations Security Council, by numerous States in the region, the Gulf Cooperation Council and by the Secretaries-General of the League of Arab States and of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. They continue to cruelly and violently repress their people and flatly refuse to fulfil their legitimate aspirations. They have ignored the voices of the Syrian people and continuously misled them and the international community with empty promises. France, Germany and the United Kingdom reiterate their utter condemnation of this bloody repression of peaceful and courageous demonstrators and the massive violations of human rights which President Assad and his authorities have been committing for months. We are actively supporting further strong EU sanctions against the regime of President Assad. We urge the Syrian regime to stop all violence immediately, to release all prisoners of conscience and to allow free access to the United Nations for an independent assessment of the situation. Our three countries believe that President Assad, who is resorting to brutal military force against his own people and who is responsible for the situation, has lost all legitimacy and can no longer claim to lead the country. We call on him to face the reality of the complete rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to step aside in the best interests of Syria and the unity of its people. Violence in Syria must stop now. Like other Arab peoples during recent months, the Syrians demand that their rights to liberty, dignity and to choose freely their leaders be recognised. We will continue to work with the Syrian people, countries in the region and our international partners, with a central role for the United Nations, to support their demands and achieve a peaceful and democratic transition. ( accessed 09/12/2013) APPENDIX C IS ON NEXT PAGE Page 5 of 7

6 Appendix C Extract 1 This extract is taken from a telephone call to an emergency service. C is the caller, 911 is the emergency services call handler : Midcity Emergency:: 2 (.) 3 C: U::m yeah (.) 4 somebody just vandalized my car 5 (0.3) 6 911: What s your address. 7 C: Three oh one six Maple 8 911: Is this a house or an apartment. 9 C: I::t s a house : (Uh-) your last name. 11 C: Minsky : How do you spell it? 13 C: M I N S K Y : We ll send someone out to see you. 15 C: Thank you.= : =Mhm= : =bye= 18 C: =Bye. Extract 2 This extract is taken from a service encounter in a post office. P is the post office worker at the counter, C is the customer. 1 C Can I have a second class stamp please Les? 2 P You can (2) there we are 3 C [Thank you 4 P [And one penny thank you 5 C That s for me to spend is it? 6 P That s right 7 C I bought a new book of ten first class when I was in town today 8 and I ve left them at home in me shopping bag 9 P Have you? 10 C And I ve got one left 11 P Oh dear (laughs) 12 C Bye 13 P Bye TRANSCRIPTION KEY IS ON NEXT PAGE Page 6 of 7

7 Transcription key: :::: lengthening (.) micro-pause (0.3) timed pause = latching (no micro-pauses in between turns) [ simultaneous speech. falling intonation? rising intonation END OF PAPER Page 7 of 7

Situation in Egypt and Syria, in particular of Christian communities

P7_TA-PROV(2011)0471 Situation in Egypt and Syria, in particular of Christian communities European Parliament resolution of 27 October 2011 on the situation in Egypt and Syria, in particular of Christian