Steven Pinker - what our language habits reveal 

In this link Steven Pinker talks about how language can vary with who you are talking to and the context you are talking to them in e.g If your in a busy place where people cant hear you it's acceptable to shout to your boss/ colleague/teacher whereas is you were in a quiet space and you started to raise your voice they could take it that you are being violent or aggressive tot he other person. Context helps the way that you and your speech is perceived by the recipient.

https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_on_language_and_thought

In this link Steven Pinker highlights that there are two different attitudes towards Language. There are Descriptive attitudes towards language and Prescriptive attitudes to language. Prescriptive ways of seeing language means that they think that there is only one correct way of speeking of writing English. Usually people have atleast a bench mark; how far they would go into correcting a sentence say over text. Like: R U comng out 2night.
Personally I wouldnt right any of that apart from the abrevation of you. So my sentence would look like this: Are u coming out tonight.
Peoples use of language is completely subjuctive to context and who they are tlking to. For example I would only send a text or E-mail like that to one of my friends and not to my boss or a teacher. If I were contacting someone like that I would say something like: Dear ..., Will you be teaching our lesson today as I feel my class are falling behind.
The sentence would not be in a social context and all language would be formal.
The Descriptive attitude to the English language means that that person would try to roll with the times and see language as just  way to communicate, aslong as everyone understands you when you speak then why does it matter. These are the people who are most likely to use the abreviations like LOL or IKR.
Steven Pinker communicates that language should progress as long as it can be understood but there must always be a basic level of standard English. This suggests that people can have both prescriptive and descriptive attitudes to language.

Recent changes of the English language, in particular, seeem to be unstoppable. These might include things like; Jargon, the technical language of a certain occupation, Slang, usually used within the youth of today, even though older adults attempt it it's notquite the same!

During communication wether it through technology or face to face speech always has the same communication model:

 Sender - Message - Reciever

(Pretty self explanatory)

Euphamisms are another part of language that seeems to be evolving and changing rapidly.
Euphamisms are used by a range of people for a range of different resaons.
Parents: Euphamisms are used by parents usually to hint at something rude or a swear word around their child.
Children: Usually used around parents or teachers to again hint at something like swear words, sex or drugs and alcohol.

Transcript of speech

 A conversation in a silent classroom between 3 people, Speaker A-17 from Barton Hill, Speaker B-16-from Stockwood and Speaker C-16 from Hanham

A: How has your day been so far?
B: Ah it’s been good thanks, um not much has happened, i'm extremely very tired though
A: Early morning?
B: Yeah, how was yours?
A: Just tired
C: I nearly went to hospital
B: (Nervous Laugh)
C: Cycling in, nearly crashed into a pillar
B: (Nervous Laugh)
A: What time have you been up since?
B: Half six
C: Half seven
B: How? How did you get up that late?
C: I leave the house at five past eight
B: (Laugh)
A: So do I actually, I leave the house at twenty past eight
C: So I have half an hour
B: I have to get up at half six, otherwise I'll be there till eight like aaa
A: Do you live far?
B: It's not really far
A: You?
C: Twenty minute cycle, not far
A: Half an hour bus drive
B: If I walk in it will take me like forty-five minutes, (sigh) and what are you two up to tonight?
A: Um house, tidying the house
B: I need to do that actually (laugh), its like a mess everywhere
A: My mums given me loads of jobs, so
B: Yeah
A: That’s me, you?
C: Playing FIFA probably
A: The new one?
B: (Laugh)
C: Yeah, I bought it last night, straight to ASDA to buy it
A: Was there a line?
C: What’s that? Oh yeah
A: Like a queue
C: Like five people or so, quite quick
A: That’s alright then



Transcript Conventions used:

Quantity: Speaker B talks in quantity whereas speakers A and C refrain from as much speech. The overall quantity of speech in the transcript shows a kind of awkwardness within the group of people and suggests they are refraining from sharing a lot about themselves.


Quality: The content of the transcript is truthful but the conversation is mundane this further shows how the speakers are being sheltered and reserved.


Relevance: Most of the conversation is relevant except when speaker C says something unusual to a question. This is a side sequence and not completely fitting with the conversation.


Manner: The manner of the conversation is clear communication and spoken.


Adjacency pairs: The conversation includes adjacency pairs all throughout.

Chaining: This is also used to create more conversation and gets it to flow easier.

Phatic Language: Phatic language is small talk within a conversation.This is used within this transcript as a general question to get the conversation started.

Non fluency features: These are a range of things that break up speech to make it sound segmented. These include: Fillers, Timed pauses, False starts, Repetition or Hesitation. This could be misinterpreted for people slowing down their speech to let their mind think about what they want to say next.  


Turn-taking: This is when a group of people take it in turns to speak and share information, this makes for a balanced and equal conversation. 

Ellipsis: This is the omission of a part of a word or words from a sentence, while still making sense. This is used to answer a question, the answer would usually sound lethargic anyway but the use of this emphasizes how tired the speaker is.

Prosodic features: The tone of what is said which means different things in different tones. In the transcript person B laughs after quite a serious topic is brought up. Had it mean maliciously meant it would have been a hard and cruel laugh however it was just a nervous laugh so it would have been quiet in volume and soft not harsh.

Utterances: Utterance is a term used to describe sentences in a transcript. The structure of the transcript depends on utterances, in this transcript it is obvious that utterances effect the equality of speech, turn-taking and Adjacency pairs.

Tact: These are usually used as polite features in a conversation. Usually found when women talk, tact is used to back up what another is saying and agree with them to show either that you understand what the other person/people are saying or that you are listening. A conversation without any of this could show a person to be rude, ignorant or even stupid. In this transcript it is used by speaker B to back up speaker A.