GCE A level 396/01 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Elang 6: Analysing and Evaluating Language P.M. TUESDAY, 19 January 2010 2 2 hours
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ADDITIONAL MATERIALS In addition to this examination paper, you will need a 12 page answer book.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Answer both questions.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES Both questions carry equal marks. In this unit you will be assessed on your ability to: communicate clearly the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate to the study of language, using appropriate terminology and accurate and coherent written expression; apply and explore frameworks for the systematic study of language at different levels, commenting on the usefulness of the approaches taken; understand, discuss and explore concepts and issues relating to language in use; analyse and evaluate variation in the meanings and forms of spoken and written language from different times according to context.

Remember that marking will take into account the quality of written communication used in your answers.
LH*(W10-396-01)

2 Answer both Question 1 and Question 2. 1. The two texts which follow are both transcriptions of speech between adults and children. Text A is from a conversation between Joanne, an adult, and Sian, aged three. Text B is from a conversation between a mother and her two children, Jenna, aged six, and Carl, aged five, recorded while they were playing Monopoly. Using some of the key features of the language frameworks you have studied, explore and analyse the spoken language of the texts. You should include in your answer some discussion of the following: features that indicate that these are examples of genuine spontaneous speech; comparisons and contrasts in the use of spoken English; how the language used indicates the roles and status of the speakers; how far, and by what methods, the adults control the conversation; the ability of the children to take part in conversation; the childrens degree of fluency and accuracy in using language; the turn-taking between the speakers. (50%)

KEY TO TRANSCRIPTIONS (.) (.h) (2.0) // // b. = three (free) {laughs} [?......] micropause pause with audible intake of breath pause for time shown in seconds overlaps in speech of participants word unfinished (e.g. fath. = father, b. = ?but) latch-on non-standard pronunciation is represented in brackets using conventional spelling paralinguistic features unclear speech

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3 TEXT A J: S: J: S: J: S: J: S: J: S: J: S: J: S: J: S: J: J: S: J: S: J: S: h J: S: J: Joanne, an adult Sian, aged three talk about you being bridesmaid ah I (.) I was putting my dress on yeah and then Miles was putting his (2.0) and (1.0.h) I was a flower girl and he was a soldier was he (1.0.h) did he have a nice outfit (2.0) did you have to walk up behind the bride (2.0) were there any other bridesmaids mmhm just you (2.0) just you and the little boy and all the ladies (.) like big ones big ladies (.) did they have nice dresses on they had pink dresses on (1.0) and then (.) Auntie Kathy (.h) and then she had a (2.0) a white dress on oh (.) did you go to the party afterwards mmhm yeah did Erin go and we had cake cake was it nice [EDIT] come down here and talk about Garfield um (.) Garfield was like (.) a cat // and //then // yeah // his dad (.) he was giving him some sweets yeah and then (.h) he was a Fath. Father Christmas (1.0) and then (1.0) Garfield (2.0) then e (.) he had some jewels and necklaces (.) and he (5.0) and then (.) Garfield went (.) to the toy shop yeah and then (.) he went to Father Christmas (1.0) hes a funny cat hes funny isnt he

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4 TEXT B C: Carl, aged five M: Mother J: Jenna, aged six C: I know what three and three (free and free) makes M: what C: six = M: =yeah //good boy// J: // is this mine// is this mine = M: = yeah (1.0) one two three four five Im gonna buy Whitehall its a hundred and forty (2.0) can you get me sixty pound out please Jenna J: sixty [rising intonation] M: yeah (2.0) C: I know // what six and six //make M: // fifty get the sixty // (2.0) J: uh M: ten C: I know what six and six make M: thank you C: mum (1.0) M: what C: sixteen (sixtin) = M: = twelve = C: = twelve (3.0) I did say twelve {laughs} but I said it wrong M: wheres my card (.) // [? theres a card] // C: // sixtwelve (siktwelve)// (1.0) M: right come on then Carl now its your go see what you can buy (3.0) J: come on Carl C: huh J: its your go (4.0) M: go on then (.) if youre going to be stupid you can go away and not play throw the dice (3.0) gently theyll go all over the place (2.0) ten C: ten M: move it ten J: shall I do it for him = C: = I wanna do it = M: = let him do it (.) gently // one (.) two // C: // one (.) two // three (free) four five (.h) six seven eight nine ten = M: = right buy that one then (1.0) two hundred and twenty (.) pound = C: = two hundred (.h) and // twenty // M: // and dont // sit on your money Carl look come here theres two hundred get me a twenty two and a nought

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C: two and a nought J: //b. he hasnt got one // he hasnt got // one M: // move off // C: // theyre mine = M: = yes but youre paying for it (1.0) get off your money J: wh. that was you on that one mum M: no (1.0) J: uh M: theres a twenty can you give it to me C: // twenty // J: // Ill // put it in the bank

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6 2. The three texts printed on pages 7 - 9 are all letters or extracts from letters. Text A is from the last ever letter of Sir Thomas More, Henry VIIIs Lord Chancellor, to his eldest daughter, Margaret, written the day before his execution in 1535. Text B is a letter from Jane Austen the novelist to her elder sister Cassandra, written in 1813. Text C is a letter from Wilfred Owen, the First World War poet, written to his mother in 1905, when he was aged 12. When a child, he spent occasional holidays with relatives in Wales, and this letter was written on one of those occasions. Analyse the use of language in the three texts. You should apply relevant frameworks that you have studied, including lexis, grammar, syntax, and semantics. Your answer should include some consideration of the following: comparisons and/or contrasts between the texts; uses of language that differ from present day Standard English; their use of the letter form to communicate; views, opinions, attitudes, etc. that are expressed; any other points that you find interesting in the use of language in the extracts. (50%)

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7 TEXT A (from the last letter of Sir Thomas More to his daughter Margaret)

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Oure Lorde blesse you, good doughter, and youre good housbande, and youre lyttle boye, and all yours, and all my chyldren, and alle my Goddechyldren and all oure frendes. My 1 good doughter Daunce hathe the picture in parchemente, that you delyuered me from my ladye Coniers, her name is on the backeside. Shewe her that I hartelye praye her, that you may sende it in my name to her agayne, for a token from me to praye for me. I lyke 2 speciall wel Dorothe Coly , I pray you be good unto her. I woulde wytte* whether thys be she that you wrote me of. If not yet I praye you bee good to the tother*, as you maye in her affliccion, and to my good doughter Joone Aleyn too. Geve her I praye you some kynde aunswere, for she sued hither to me this day to pray you be good to her. I comber* you good Margaret much, but I would be sory, if it should be any lenger than tomorow. For it is saint Thomas euen, and the utas* of saint Peter: & therfore tomorow long I to go to God: it were a day verye mete* and conuenient for me. I never liked your maner toward me better, than when you kissed me laste: for I loue when doughterly loue and deere charitye hath no laysure to loke to wordlye curtesy. Fare well my dere chylde, and pray for me, and I shall for you and all youre frendes, that we may merelye* mete in heauen. I 3 thanke you for youre gret cost. I sende now to my good doughter Clement her algorisme stone*, and I send her and my godsonne and all hers, Gods blessing and myne. I praye you at time conuenient recommende me to my good sonne John More. I liked wel his naturall fashion. Our Lord blesse hym & his good wyfe my louyng doughter, to whom I praye him be good as he hathe greate cause: and that yf the lande of myne come to his hande, he breake not my wyll concernynge hys sister Daunce. And oure Lord blisse Thomas and Austen and all that they shal haue.

*wytte: know *tother: the other of two *comber: cumber, burden *utas: octave *mete: suitable, fitting *merelye: merrily *algorisme stone: algorism (arithmetic) stones were counters used in calculations
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Elizabeth Dauncey, Mores second daughter Dorothy Colly, Margarets maid 3 Margaret Clement, Mores adopted daughter

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8 TEXT B (from a letter from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra) Background information: Godmersham Park was a great country house in Kent. Jane Austen spent two months there in the autumn of 1813. Charles (married to Fanny) and Edward (owner of Godmersham Park) were two of Janes brothers. The other Fanny was her niece. Mr. Lushington was Member of Parliament for Canterbury. GODMERSHAM PARK THURSDAY OCT.14 [1813] My dearest Cassandra, Now I will prepare for Mr. Lushington, and as it will be wisest also to prepare for his not coming or my not getting a frank I shall write very close from the first and even leave room for the seal in the proper place... A letter from Wrotham yesterday, offering an early visit here; and Mr. and Mrs. Moore and one child are to come on Monday for 10 days. I hope Charles and Fanny may not fix the same time but if they come at all in October they must. What is the use of hoping? The two parties of children is the chief evil. To be sure, here we are, the very thing has happened, or rather worse, a letter from Charles this very morng. which gives us reason to suppose they may come here today... By her own desire Mrs. Fanny is to be put in the room next the nursery, her baby in a little bed by her; and as Cassy is to have the closet within and Betsey Williams little hole they will be all very snug together. I shall be most happy to see dear Charles, and he will be as happy as he can with a cross child, or some such care pressing on him at the time... The comfort of the billiard table here is very great. It draws all the gentlemen to it whenever they are within, especially after dinner, so that my Br., Fanny and I have the library to ourselves in delightful quiet... Friday. They came last night at about 7. We had given them up, but I still expected them to come... They had a very rough passage, he wd. not have ventured if he had known how bad it wd. be. However, here they are safe and well, just like their own nice selves, Fanny looking as neat and white this morng. as possible, and dear Charles all affectionate, placid, quiet, cheerful good humour. They are both looking very well, but poor little Cassy is grown extremely thin and looks poorly. I hope a weeks country air and exercise may do her good... It was quite an eveng. of confusion as you may suppose at first we were all walking about from one part of the house to the other then came a fresh dinner in the breakfast room for Charles and his wife, which Fanny and I attended then we moved into the library, were joined by the dining room people, were introduced and so forth and then we had tea and coffee which was not over till past 10. Billiards again drew all the odd ones away, and Edwd., Charles, the two Fannys and I sat snugly talking. I shall be glad to have our numbers a little reduced, and by the time you receive this we shall be only a family, tho a large family party. Mr. Lushington goes tomorrow. Now I must speak of him and I like him very much. I am sure he is clever and a man of taste. He got a vol. of Milton last night and spoke of it with warmth. He is quite an M.P. very smiling, with an exceeding good address, and readiness of language. I am rather in love with him. I dare say he is ambitious and insincere... Yours very affecly, J.Austen

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[3 dots () are used to indicate omissions]

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9 TEXT C (a letter from the young Wilfred Owen to his mother)

27 August, 1905. Rhewl, near Ruthin. Dear Mother, I hope you are all quite well, I am eating tremendously. We went gathering nuts this morning I have got altogether, 113. I am going to bring them home for the children you must not tell them please. Mr. Jones has bought 120 sheep today. They are so tired after walking 3 days that some will let me stroke them. I can count up to 10 in Welsh, and have learnt a few expressions. It will soon be time to milk the cows now. I can milk a bit. I drink buttermilk for dinner, and have cream on the stewed fruit. Indeed I fare very sumptuously, & wish Mary was here to eat the plums we get off the tree every day. There are nine little piggies. You would be amused if you saw them. Their heads are too large for their bodies & their tails are like curly bits of string. [Drawing of pigs] We are having fine weather now. I am very glad of the boots, because in the morning the grass is wet. I have not been to Ruthin yet. When I go I mean to buy a little tiny boat to sail down the Clwyd. It is nearly time for the post now. With love and kisses always from Wilfred.

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