Language Levels Flashcards
What is discourse?
A stretch of text (can be spoken, written or multi modal) considered in its context of use
Discourse structure
The way in which a narrative is expressed (dependent on form)
Discourses
Repeated ways of talking or writing about a subject
What are Labov’s narrative categories
Abstract, orientation, complicating action, resolution, coda
What is abstract
Indication that the speaker wants a listeners attention
What is orientation
The ‘who’ ‘where’ ‘what’ and ‘why’ - it sets the scene and provides background information that the speaker sees as important
What is complicating action
The main body of the narrative
What is resolution
The ending of the narrative that ties up loose ends and provides closure
What is coda
A signal that the narrative has ended
What does semantics mean
The study of meaning of words, phrases and sentences
What is hyponymy
The way of viewing the relationship between more general and specific words
Euphemism
A more socially acceptable word/phrase
Dysphemism
Using a blunt or direct word
Taboo
Something that is off limits or forbidden
What does Godwin’s story structure include?
Story preface, story solicit, preliminary to the story, story action, story climax, story appreciation
What is story preface
A signal that a speaker wants to listen
What is story solicit
A response from someone else that they want to listen to the story
What is preliminary to the story
Background information to the story, ‘who’ ‘what’ ‘where’ and ‘why’
What is story action
The main body of the narrative
What is story climax
The conclusion of the narrative
What is story appreciation
Signals from the audience that communicate their response to the narrative. This might be at points during the story or at the end and could be laughing, questions or agreements
What is an adjacency pair
A simple structure of two turns
What is preferred response
The second part of the pair that fits with the first
What is dispreferred response
Second part that doesn’t fit with the first or is not what the speaker wants to hear
What is insertion sequence
An additional sequence between the two parts of the adjacency pair
What is exchange sequence
Sequence of turns between speakers
What is transition relevance place
A point where it is relevant for a speaker to take a turn
What are constraints
The influence of a more powerful speaker who can have an influence on a less powerful one
What is phonology
An abstract sound system detailing how sounds are used within and across language
What are phonetics
How sounds are actually produced
What are prosodics
How sound can be used to influence meaning
What is Jargon
A set of words that are relative to something
What is slang
Informal words
What is taboo
Completely forbidden words
What’s an idiom
Something that is a metaphorical phrase and can’t be literally worked out, e.g. raining cats and dogs
What does Cliché mean
It’s an overused expression, e.g. love is blind
What’s an archaism
An outdated way of saying something
What are pragmatics
The study of language from the point of view of language users
What’s a schema
A body of knowledge in our brain
What is study of morphology
How words are put together/formation of words
What is study of syntax
The study of how words form larger structures and the deliberate arrangements
What’s a descriptivist approach
Taking an approach to language study that focuses on how language is actually used
What is a prescriptivist approach
Taking an approach to language study that focuses on rules and notions of correctness
What’s a compound sentence
Two simple sentences with a connective. They create coordination. They are good for personal writing, stories, information texts
What is a complex sentence
A subordinate clause and a main clause. It creates subordination. Good for personal writing, stories and information texts
What does a colon do
Introduces a list or it’s used in place of a connective in a compound sentence
What’s a noun phrase
A group of words that make up a noun
What does a verb phrase consist of
A subject, an object and a complement (attribute of a subject)
What does an adverbial do
It adds meaning to a clause by telling us when, where, why or how something happened
What does a primary auxiliary verb do
Shows tense
Modal auxiliary verb
Shows commitment or mood (must, should, will)
What’s a plosive
A consonant sound that is produced by blocking the airflow in the vocal tract and then realising it suddenly (p, b)
What’s a Fricative?
