WEEK 1ENGLISH TODAY

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.

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.

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?

‘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

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?

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.

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?

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?

Which language is spoken by the most people today?

What is the most important language in the world today? Why?

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………..’

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?