Discussion

Week 5

Questions:

•  (Language Myth 8) Is it true that young people are liable to misuse the language?  why not? (hints  lack of literacy? teaching methods?)
  

• (Myth 12) What is "Bad Grammar". Give some examples. What is "grammar"?
  

"What bothers you"?

Give at least two examples for each question:

•  Examples of Pronunciations (Sounds)
  

• Word Structure (endings, suffixes etc)

• Sentence Structure
  

Videos

Finding Foster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA4Vj-Q3HX4

Sherlock Holmes and a murderer (BBC)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnlhKWeDWMA

Joke

 "It was dinnertime in Russia, so ve ét"
'It was dinnertime in Russia, Soviét [Russia]'
'It was dinnertime in Russia, so we ate'

POint 1:

(1) "Correcting" other people using a pre-
scriptive approach to language is obnoxious
-- as in the "Sherlock" clip [from "The Great
Game" episode, written by Mark Gatiss]; Sher-
lock elsewhere describes himself as "a high-
functioning sociopath"! 

POint 2

 (2) Those who know well the prescriptive
"rules" often feel as if they are protected by
steel armor and can "correct" with impunity
-- so even a student who knows such "rules"
is shown as not afraid to "correct" a teacher,
who has no defense -- as in the "Finding
Forrester" clip.

Homework

• Utterance - a sentence that has been produced (with voice or signs)

Types:

Declarative: I want a taco, please.

Interrogative: Could I get a taco, please?

Imperative: Let me have a taco, please!

Speech Act:

Direct Act - Imperative only

Indirect Act - nominal, declarative, interrogative

Write Your Hypothesis