Spoken Language Features Flashcards

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1
Q

Accent

A

The ways in which words are pronounced - can vary according to the region or social class of a speaker

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2
Q

Adjacency pairs

A

Parallel expressions used across the boundaries of individual speaking turns. They are usually ritualistic and formulaic socially. For example “How are you?” / “Fine thanks”

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3
Q

Back-channel

A

Words, phrases and non-verbal utterances used by a listener to give feedback to a speaker that the message is being followed and understood

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4
Q

Contraction

A

A reduced form often marked by an apostrophe in writing e.g cannot -> can’t

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5
Q

Deixis / deictics

A

Words such as ‘this’, ‘that’,’ here’, ‘there’ which refer backwards or forwards or outside a text - a sort of verbal pointing. Very much a context dependant feature of talk.

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6
Q

Dialect

A

The distinctive grammar and vocabulary which is associated with a regional or a social use of language

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7
Q

Elision

A

The omission or slurring of one or more sounds or syllables e.g. going to = gonna, want to be = wannabe, what is up = wassup

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8
Q

Ellipsis

A

The omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context

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9
Q

False Start

A

This is when the speaker begins an utterance, then stops and either repeats or reformulates it. Sometimes called self-correction

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10
Q

Filler

A

Items which do not carry conventional meaning but which are inserted in speech to allow time to think, to create a pause or to hold a turn in conversation. Examples are ‘er’, ‘um’, ‘ah’. Also called voiced pause

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11
Q

Pragmatics

A

An approach to language which focuses on the contexts and purposes of people talking to each other

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12
Q

Interactional talk

A

Language in conversation used for interpersonal reasons and/or socialising

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13
Q

Non-fluency features

A

Typical and normal characteristics of spoken language that interrupt the ‘flow’ of talk. Some examples: hesitations, false starts, fillers, repetitions, overlaps and interruptions

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14
Q

Paralinguistic features

A

Related to body language - it is the use of gestures, facial expressions + other non-verbal elements to add meaning to the speakers message beyond the words spoken

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15
Q

Phatic talk

A

Conversational utterances that have no concrete purpose other than to establish or maintain personal relationships. It’s related to small talk - and follows traditional patterns, with stock responses and formulaic expressions: ‘How are you?’ / ‘Fine’; ‘Cold isn’t it?’ / ‘Freezing’

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16
Q

Prosodic Features

A

Includes features such as stress, rhythm, pitch, tempo and intonation - which are used by speakers to mark out key meanings in a message. Essentially how something is said.

17
Q

Repairs

A

An alliteration that is suggested or made by a speaker, the addressee, or an audience in order to correct or clarify a previous conversational contribution

18
Q

Sociolect

A

A social dialect or variety of speech used by a particular group, such as working-class or upper-class speech

19
Q

Tag Questions

A

String of words normally added to a declarative sentence to turn the statement into a question e.g. “It’s a bit expensive round here, isn’t it?”

20
Q

Transactional talk

A

Language to get things done or to transmit content or information [used when the participants are exchanging good and/or services]

21
Q

Turn-taking

A

A time during which a single participant speaks, within a typical, orderly arrangement with minimal overlap and gap between them. The principal unit of description in conversational structure

22
Q

Utterance

A

A complete unit of talk, bounded by the speaker’s silence.

23
Q

Vague Language

A

Statements that sound imprecise and unassertive e.g ‘and so on’, ‘or whatever’, ‘whastit’