English language spoken discourse term 2 notes
one-speaker discourse
labov's oral narrative structure
Abstract = indicates the start of a narrative
Orientation = provides context
Complicating action = main events
Resolution = what finally happened
Coda = narrative is complete
Evaluation = remarks that arent essential
Structure
Turn-taking >> the way in which speakers organise a conversation by speaking and listening
to other participants
Adjacency pairs >> a two-turn turn-taking structure in which 2 utterances are linked
Initiation-response-feedback >> a 3-turn structure between 2 speakers- 1 st and 3rd are the
same speaker – in which the 3rd turn comments on the second (seen in education)
Overlapping >> where one speaker begins to speak before the previous has finished
Topic management >> control of the subject matter of the conversation
Discourse marker >> indicates to listeners a change, return or different opinion of the topic
Back-channelling >> verbal and non-verbal signals which indicate active listening
Ellipses >> omission of words
Tag question >> a question formed by attaching an interrogative tag to a declarative
Comparing contrasting texts
Written and spoken texts
Written theories
Linguistic features – ideas and theories e.g gender, power, technology
AO4 – using appropriate linguistic concepts and methods, analyse the ways in which language is
used in these 2 texts
Utterance – we tend to speak in short stretches known as utterance
When answering the question
Don’t list
Find a similarity and zoom closer to see the fine differences – evaluate the differences in the
light if contextual factors
, Non-fluency features
Unfilled pauses
Filled pauses
Repetition/ spontaneous rephrasing
Hesitation
False starts when a speaker begins to speak, stops then starts again
Features of speech
Ellipses – the emission of words in an understanding manner, grammatically and lexically
correct and purposeful
Elision – the emission or slurring of one or more words together e.g gonna wassup
Deixis – words that only make sense in a specific context in which the conversation is taking
place
Skip connector – a word/phrase that returns conversation to a previous topic
Back channelling – signs listeners use to make the speaker know their message is being
understood
Hedging – words which soften/weaken the force of speech or avoid directness to appear
non-threatening
Repair – resolves problem or correction
Prosody – main prosodic features:
>> intonation – rising and falling
>> rhythm – depends stresses
>>pitch – frequency and volume
>>pace – tempo and speed
Discourse markers – pragmatic function (help listener follow conversation and to mark and
signal turn-taking)
Contraction – the shortening/running together of words, usually with an apostrophe
Phatic language – utterances for purely social function
Vague language – words without precise meaning
Dialect – words and grammar associated with a region
Taboo language – forbidden/inappropriate
Paralinguistic features – non-verbal communication, gestures, posture, facial expression
Prosodic features – the way a speaker communicates through tone, pace, stress, volume
Synchronous conversation – live communication
Achromous communication – communication does not occur live
Language levels
Lexis and semantics
Grammar and syntax
Discourse
Phonology
Graphology (never in spoken)
one-speaker discourse
labov's oral narrative structure
Abstract = indicates the start of a narrative
Orientation = provides context
Complicating action = main events
Resolution = what finally happened
Coda = narrative is complete
Evaluation = remarks that arent essential
Structure
Turn-taking >> the way in which speakers organise a conversation by speaking and listening
to other participants
Adjacency pairs >> a two-turn turn-taking structure in which 2 utterances are linked
Initiation-response-feedback >> a 3-turn structure between 2 speakers- 1 st and 3rd are the
same speaker – in which the 3rd turn comments on the second (seen in education)
Overlapping >> where one speaker begins to speak before the previous has finished
Topic management >> control of the subject matter of the conversation
Discourse marker >> indicates to listeners a change, return or different opinion of the topic
Back-channelling >> verbal and non-verbal signals which indicate active listening
Ellipses >> omission of words
Tag question >> a question formed by attaching an interrogative tag to a declarative
Comparing contrasting texts
Written and spoken texts
Written theories
Linguistic features – ideas and theories e.g gender, power, technology
AO4 – using appropriate linguistic concepts and methods, analyse the ways in which language is
used in these 2 texts
Utterance – we tend to speak in short stretches known as utterance
When answering the question
Don’t list
Find a similarity and zoom closer to see the fine differences – evaluate the differences in the
light if contextual factors
, Non-fluency features
Unfilled pauses
Filled pauses
Repetition/ spontaneous rephrasing
Hesitation
False starts when a speaker begins to speak, stops then starts again
Features of speech
Ellipses – the emission of words in an understanding manner, grammatically and lexically
correct and purposeful
Elision – the emission or slurring of one or more words together e.g gonna wassup
Deixis – words that only make sense in a specific context in which the conversation is taking
place
Skip connector – a word/phrase that returns conversation to a previous topic
Back channelling – signs listeners use to make the speaker know their message is being
understood
Hedging – words which soften/weaken the force of speech or avoid directness to appear
non-threatening
Repair – resolves problem or correction
Prosody – main prosodic features:
>> intonation – rising and falling
>> rhythm – depends stresses
>>pitch – frequency and volume
>>pace – tempo and speed
Discourse markers – pragmatic function (help listener follow conversation and to mark and
signal turn-taking)
Contraction – the shortening/running together of words, usually with an apostrophe
Phatic language – utterances for purely social function
Vague language – words without precise meaning
Dialect – words and grammar associated with a region
Taboo language – forbidden/inappropriate
Paralinguistic features – non-verbal communication, gestures, posture, facial expression
Prosodic features – the way a speaker communicates through tone, pace, stress, volume
Synchronous conversation – live communication
Achromous communication – communication does not occur live
Language levels
Lexis and semantics
Grammar and syntax
Discourse
Phonology
Graphology (never in spoken)
