What do we think about the English language today.

1. WEEK 1
ENGLISH TODAY

2.  What do you understand by ‘the English
Language’?
 Is English just one language? Explain your
answer.
 In what ways can English be different?
 Do you always use the English language in the
same way? Give some examples.

3.  What do you understand by the terms ‘dialect’ and ‘accent’?
 Is there any difference between accent and dialect and if so
what?
 Do you have or use either of them and why is this? Are there
any issues around having or using an accent or dialect?
Give examples from your personal experience.

4. Look at this:
“Deke’s you gadji oweryonder wid t’dukal an
t’baary mort gaan t’beck.’
Any idea what this means or where it might be
from?

5. ‘Look at that man over there with the dog and the
pretty girl going down to the river.’
Cumbria, NW England 1950s.
See Bragg pp15-29 The Adventure of English

6. Activity 2
Look at the extracts on your handout and put
them in order according to how easily you cn
understand them.
Would you describe any of them as good or bad
English?

7. 1. Before striking a little nail you should hold the
shaft of the hammer close to the head and hit it
gently.
3. Would you repeat the order waiter? Brown
ales for all my friends landlord/ waiter.
Could you bring a cloth, the table is awash with
beer.

8.  What do understand by the term ‘Standard
English’?
 Are there advantages to knowing and being able
to use Standard English, and if so what are they?
 In what circumstances is a knowledge of Standard
English important?

9. Read the extract by Quirk. What are his views
on standard English? Do you agree or disagree
with him?
How would you feel if you were taught a language
by a teacher like the one mentioned here?

10.  Which language is spoken by the most people
today?
 What is the most important language in the world
today? Why?

11. What do we mean by ‘English speaker’?
Complete this sentence – what words come into
your mind first?
‘She speaks very good English so she must
be………..’

12.  As English has become such a widely used global
language, would it be a good thing if one day it
became the only language in the world?
 What would be the advantages and
disadvantages?