Listen to your partner speak for 30 seconds (or record it). Write down any “features of speech”

that you notice.

Extension – List all the differences between spoken and written

language that you can think of

LO

To recognise the differences between written and spoken language

To understand some key features of a transcript

A transcript is spoken language written down, so it is easier to analyse the features and

make comments.

Written language

C: A can of coke please.S: Diet coke or regular coke?C: Regular please.S: That’s sixty five pence please.C: No, I want two can.S: That’s one pound thirty then.

Spoken language

C: Er (2) can of coke pleaseS: Diet or regular?C: (2) Regular pleaseS: Sixty five p then please (coughs)C: No, I want two cansS: (tut) (.) that’ll be one thirty then

Act out the transcript using the symbols to help you.

Extension

What do you learn from the spoken version that you wouldn’t from a standard written version?

Symbol What the symbol means

(.) A pause less than half a second long

(2) Pause of two seconds

Underlined word Extra emphasis on word

Sixty five p then please No, I want two cans

Overlapping – it shows words that are said at the same time

(coughs) Coughing sound

(tuts) Tutting sound

C, S Initials of speakers

No, I’m not going to London tomorrow

No (.) I’m not going to London tomorrow

(smiles) No I’m not going to London tomorrow

I’m not going to London I’m going somewhere else

No(.) I’m not going to London tomorrow

In pairs read the transcript checking what the symbols

mean using the table provided.

The class takes place in a secondary school, first lesson of the day on a Tuesday. It is a history lesson for Year 11 pupils, both male and female.T = Teacher; S1, S2, S3 = students in the class

T: right everyone, settle down (.) settle down (.) are we all here then? (.) ok (1) Ravi, where were you on Monday? (.) not like you to be off (.) nothing to do with the homework was it?S1: no sirT: (.) ok then (.) let’s see what you’ve remembered (1) why do most historians say we should study the D-Day landings?S2: sir, erm (.) because it was the biggest sea-borne invasion ever?T: yes, good Susan (1) and what reasons do other historians give? S3: was it cos Roosevelt wanted to get Europe back before winter sir?T: hmm (1) you’re all very sharp today, we must have had three shredded wheat. (1) ok (.) what was the code name for the landings (.) Jane?S3: Overlord sirT: very good Jane (.) and the code names of the beaches where the US Army landed? You might remember it from the film Saving Private RyanS2: Utah?T: excellent (.) yes Utah and Omaha beach as well

1 What effect does the situation or context have here? Classrooms have unwritten rules that everyone follows. Can you suggest some?

2 Who sets the topic? How does the teacher signal that the lesson is about to start, and get it going in the right direction?

3. Which words used here are specific to the subject? Specialist language is always a feature of language change. Examples from the transcript are: historians, sea-borne invasion, Roosevelt. Can you find any more?

4 Who uses questions? Who uses the most questions in the transcript? Why?

Total number of questions asked by the teacher =Total number of questions asked by the students =Who asks closed questions (ones that require a correct answer)? Who gives answers in the form of a question to show they are not sure? S3

does this, who else?

5 Who uses a command (an instruction) here?Teachers usually make their commands and their ways of saying ‘wrong’

polite, e.g. not quite. Why do you think that is?

6 Pauses are important – what do they say? Find examples of pauses. Why does the teacher pause?

7 How to be in charge politelyUse ‘we’. Find an example in the transcript.

8. Offer praise and encouragement. Find an example.Make a joke, even if it’s not very good, e.g. ‘must have had three shredded

wheat’

What is the difference between spoken language and written language???

Speech is…. Writing is…

spontaneous Static

Key features of speech Key features of writing

Intonation, volume…

Pages

105our mo waz ssstood at the livin’ room windar and she said ( 1 ) ooh look ( 2 ) wish whash wrong wid yer farther, oh my god what’s wrong widdun and this man waz comin up the road’n ’e had a job to put one foot in front of the uther (. ) so she says oh my god there’s summats wrong widdun (.) well when ’e come in ’e was a bath o’ sweat ( 2 ) and ’e says to our mum Nell for God’s sake give us a ’and (.) ’e took ’iz overcoat off (.) and wrapped round in (. ) waz curtain material (. )and our mo waz pullin az ’e was going round like a top (.) and near the end of all this ( . ) our mum ’ad enough er curtain material to make curtains for the front of the house(.) and for her three daughters all to have a dress

3 Plenary/Self-assessment Students self-assess and compare what was the most difficult part of using a transcript. Take feedback and discuss with the class. How much transcribing do they think will be necessary for a language change, choice or variation task?

Accent overlap Phatic (fatic) talk

slang Spoken Standard English

Turn taking

accent dialect Emphasis/stress

Minimal response

interruption

Non-standard spoken English

fillers jargon context

accent

dialect

Emphasis/stress

Interruption

Minimal response

Non-Standard Spoken Englis

Overlap

pause

Phatic (fatic) talk

fillers

Jargon

Slang

Spoken Standard English

Turn Taking

Context

A type of language consisting of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal (colloquial), are more common in speech that in writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.

Slang – describes informal language

- uses non standard words and phrases

- typical of SPOKEN language

e

Purposes

-subversive and therefore reflects the desire to rebel against society’s norms and values

-entertain + create humour

-Express membership of a group, can exclude non members

-Secret language which expresses solidarity

What slang words do you use & when??