1. Title: The Multi-Modal Merge
Create questions to analyse attitudes to digital
communication
S4L: Reflection
2. The aim of this study...
Understand variations in spoken language,
explaining why language changes in relation
to contexts.
Evaluate the impact of spoken language
choices in their own and others’ use.
5. Explore different social attitudes to the ways
digital communications are affecting language.
How can you find out what people think?
6. Design a questionnaire/ interview to explore attitudes
Skilled will... Have clear questions that will probe some
attitudes to how digital communication
may be affecting language
Identify some people to ask that may have
different attitudes
Excellent
will...
Have precise questions that explore a range
of key issues arising from the use of
digital communication
Identify and full range of interview
candidates that will have alternative
views
10. Spoken Language Study
Controlled Assessment Criteria
Understand variations in spoken language, explaining why language changes in relation to
contexts.
Evaluate the impact of spoken language choices in their own and others’ use.
Band 5 17–20 marks Candidates demonstrate
‘Sophisticated, perceptive analysis and evaluation of aspects of how they and others use and adapt
spoken language for specific purposes
Impressive’ sustained and sophisticated interpretations of key features found in spoken language data
sophisticated analysis and evaluation of key issues arising from public attitudes to spoken language
varieties.
Band 4 13–16 marks Candidates demonstrate
‘Confident explanation and analysis of how they and others use and adapt spoken language for specific
purposes
confident analysis and reflection on features found in some spoken language data
confident analysis of some issues arising from public attitudes to spoken language varieties.
Band 3 9–12 marks Candidates demonstrate
‘Clear, Consistent’ explanation of how they and others use and adapt spoken language for specific
purposes
exploration of features found in some spoken language data
exploration of some issues arising from public attitudes to spoken language varieties.
Band 2 5–8 marks Candidates demonstrate
‘Some’ some awareness of how they and others use and adapt spoken language for specific purposes
some understanding of significant features found in some spoken language data
some awareness of public attitudes to spoken language varieties.
12. Where does this do well? Where can it improve?
Over the internet, people try to save time typing, so words are
abbreviated. E.g. Ex 3 ‘Sat. Night’ (Saturday night) and
longer phrases are made into initialisms e.g FB (Facebook).
If said aloud, many acronyms used in messaging are just as
long as the actual words, so this usually only occurs on the
web or occasionally in written words. The need to shorten
one’s typing time has lead to the need for other ways to
shorten words, like with letter of number homophones such
as ‘gr8’ or ‘L8r’, ‘c u 2moro’. Although, again, this is
informal English so one wouldn’t use it in an important
email to your boss, or possibly to someone who is older as
this technique is used more frequently by young people.
13. Your essay should have...
Skilled
will...
• Confident explanation and analysis of how they and
others use and adapt spoken language for specific purposes
• confident analysis and reflection on features found in
some spoken language data
• confident analysis of some issues arising from public
attitudes to spoken language varieties.
Excellent
will...
• Sophisticated, perceptive analysis and evaluation of
aspects of how they and others use and adapt spoken
language for specific purposes
• Impressive’ sustained and sophisticated
interpretations of key features found in spoken language
data
• Sophisticated analysis and evaluation of key issues
arising from public attitudes to spoken language varieties
14. Now go back to the paragraph you wrote for HW
Use the same skills to evaluate your own writing.
Write a
www
Ebi
Now re-write it.
16. Example analysis
There are many arguments surrounding the use of abbreviated and non-standard English and
spelling used in the multi-modal communication. In Data set 2 B replies to A’s question “hows u?”
with the response “gud thanx, u?” Firstly, B uses a non-standard feature, not using a capital letter.
This is slightly quicker and easier than using a capital letter as she doesn’t need to press the shift key.
It is also very informal. Whilst internet communication is often less formal than other forms of
writing, this is so informal that it suggests A and B are good friends with each other. Secondly, both
“gud” and “thanx” are spelt phonetically, which could be seen as something done for brevity, as both
words have one less letter than usual and again, it suggests informality. However, this kind of
phonetic representation is fashionable among teenagers and this may be an example of B adapting
her language because of her age and fashion, probably unconsciously. Additionally, phonetic features
such as this can be interpreted as an attempt to represent the sounds of natural speech in order to
make the conversation seem more like a real conversation. As a multi modal text, the conversation
shares features with both written and spoken texts, and this phonological feature may be an attempt,
probably unconscious again, to make the conversation seem closer to speech. Furthermore, the non
Standard spelling is mildly subversive: this type of language may be used so heavily by teenagers
because it is almost a form of rebellion against the conformity of adults. It rejects Standard English. A
and B and many teenagers might see the use of such features as fun and a way of expressing
themselves. However, other people see it as a threat to the language and literacy. They believe a
generation is growing up unable to spell correctly because of SMS messages and the internet.
Alternatively they may think that as with speech, Non Standard forms suggest that a person is
uneducated or of a low class. In fact, there are other people, such as David Crystal, who believe that...
