New Zealand English.
Phonology-
- Vowels are similar to those of non-rhotic dialects (e.g. RP), however there are some variations.
- The difference between /w/ (e.g. witch) and /hw/ (e.g. which) has disappeared.
- Some New Zealand people pronounce past participles with two syllables.
- Most of the New Zealand English in non-rhotic.
Lexis-
New Zealand English
Jersey Jumper
Judder bar Speed bump
Cellphone Mobile phone
Jandals Flip-flops
Vivid Highlighter
Tramping Hiking
Grammatical-
- presence of got is linked to properties of the simple present tense, for example 'She’s got two brothers'
Prescriptivism and Descriptivism:-
Prescriptivism: the idea that one type of language is more superior than others and that it should be imposed on a particular speech community.
Well known prescriptivists:-
- Lynne Truss
- Robert Lowth
- Henry Fowler
Lynne Truss' view on non-standard English- she believes "that she has a sixth sense for bad punctuation, and feels she should revolt against the masses of illiterate people. It irritates her when bad punctuation is used, or non at all." She thinks that it is right to correct those who use grammatical, punctuality and spelling errors. Lynne Truss has a zero tolerance policy towards these errors and non-standard English as a whole.
Descriptivism: it is a non-judgmental view to language and focuses on how it is actually spoken or written.
Well known descriptivist's:-
- David Crystal
- Joseph Priestly
- Samuel Johnson
David Crystal's view on non-standard English- he believes that texting has not been a disaster for language. It is a new variety of language. Texters use deviant spellings, yet some of these already appeared in the Oxford dictionary. The use of non-standard English by texters was to overcome technology issues, and the abbreviations came as a natural response, and is therefore acceptable. Using non-standard English and abbreviations allows people to be linguistically creative in order to create new words that they are able to use, and it is language evolving, but it will not lead to a generation who grow up to be linguistically challenged.
http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/67662/Rastamouse-Most-Controversial-Childrens-Programme-Of-2011
Rastamouse Controversy
1. How is the language issue represented?
This issue is represented as something that is significant, as Rastamouse was named as the most controversial children's TV programme. The article states that the Jamaican patois has encouraged their young children to copy and impersonate what the characters are saying. It also states that it is creating a stereotype among the black society, which therefore led to a numerous amount of complaints from the children's parents.
2. How does the authors represent him/herself and others?
The author uses others opinions within this article to show how people feel about this issue. A BBC spokeswoman said that there had been positive feedback after the showings of Rastamouse, which contrasts what parents, especially mothers, have said on Mumsnet. The author of the article does not give his own opinion regarding this controversy.
3. How does the author shape the readers response? (audience positioning)
The author shapes the readers response by showing two sides of the argument- the positivity of comments that the BBC had received, and the negative comments parents have placed on Mumsnet. The author says that Rastamouse 'spreds love and respect', which shows that she believes that the show is acceptable for children to watch. However, the author describes the number of complaints received as 'inundated', which suggests that they have been overwhelmed by the vast number. This article can give the audience a mixed view of the Rastamouse controversy as she shows both the positive and negative sides.
BBC Voices Poll 2004
Aim:-
The purpose of this was to find out about the attitudes people have towards accents and languages in Britain.
Methodology:-
The survey took place in November 2004 where 5000 people took part in an online poll which was conducted by Greenfield Online. Overall, there were 49% male and 51% females that took part in the survey, with the most popular age group being between 25-64 years old. 67% of those who took part in the survey spoke English as their first language, and around 26% spoke another language other than English, such as French, German and Spanish. The participants were asked to rate celebrities voices on how pleasant they sounded.
Findings:-
The survey found that people often liked accents similar to their own. For example, the Scottish who enjoyed listening the voice of Ewan McGregor, and the Welsh enjoyed listening to Huw Edwards voice as they all sounded similar to their own accents.
Also, the survey found that many people wish that they have a different accent, with the most popular accent to want being a Standard English accent. The Standard English accent, also known as the Queen's English, clearly showed that it was the most prestigious regional accent. "An accent identical to your own" was popular in terms of being someone's favourite accent. It was found that many people change their accents on various occasions, including when they meet people for the first time as it creates a better impression of themselves.
Analysis and conclusion:-
From the data found from this survey, there is clear regional bias amongst accents as many people favour accents that are similar to their own. The Scottish accent was the most pleasurable to listen to, which is supported by the Aziz Corporation, who found that this was a successful accent to have whilst in business. Also, people may change their accent to a more preferable one in certain circumstances to create a good impression. The Queen's English accent was found to be the most prestigious, but in conclusion accents similar to that of your own was more favoured.
