blog post 8

Why do we say ‘sorry’ so much?

I have recently read a article on the conversation about 'why do we say sorry so much? The article brings up the idea that apologizing far often than needed, may be a sign of weakness. It also zooms in on apologetic language and which gender is most prone to use it.

The word sorry has been used since the earliest stages of English language and is Anglo-Saxon, it is used to express remorse, sorrow and regret for an inconvenience. The phrase 'I am sorry' has shifted to a simple 'sorry' this makes it less personal, this is now passive as we don't know who the apology is too or from, creating much more distance and little meaning. The article also states that sorry could be used in a context like 'i was sorry to hear about your loss', but nowadays we tend to use with an intensifying adverb for example 'extremely sorry' or 'truly sorry'. I think this is because we over use sorry so much, on its own there is no impact as the word holds relatively no power or empathy to whom you're talking to. Normally people will say sorry when they don't  mean it, just because its what the other person wants to hear or they feel like they have to.

Other than an apology sorry can be used as a positive politeness strategy, for example if someone is walking slowly and you bump into them. It could be approached quite rudely, for example 'move out of my way' or it can be said politely which makes people more inclined to do what you are asking them 'sorry,excuse me'. It can also be used to'soften the blow', in a situation where someone gets sacked from their job, sorry will soon follow after which makes you feel like it couldn't of been avoided.

There is a claim that women are more likely to say sorry compared to men. This is related to myths that women are more chatty and co-operative than men. Although this information is based on gender stereotypes and no scientific evidence although research shows that there are many similarities in the way in which men and women apologise. 

 The article says that women imitate men to gain equality in the workplace. And in my personal opinion I agree with statement that women apologise more than men because I feel like females are more understanding than males. I would like to know why the exact reason men don't apologise as much as women. it may be because they feel like they already have a lot of power and don't feel the need to because they're dominant.

blog post 7

The f word

The article I found most interesting was about taboo language. I found this article on the conversation.com and it was written by Annabelle Lukin. The article is focusing on 'the f word' and in what context people use it.
This article interested me because I feel 'the f word' has become a part of our everyday vocab, hearing it, if not saying it far more frequently than needed. I feel as though in today's society we no longer see 'the f word' as a swear word.
In my opinion I think we over use these words and use them when we don't actually need to. For example, when we use it for emphasis, when there are plenty of other words to use for that which aren't swear words. I feel like I have a relaxed use of language and taboo isn't offensive to me and it doesn't bother me the way people speak around me, but I know not everyone feels the same as me about this topic.The article shows statistics of how often 'the f word' is used. They show 'the f word' is used more commonly by the younger generation compared to the elderly. This suggests people of a more mature age get offended by the use of this word or taboo language in general.
 As the article states, men use 'the f word' more often than women.But after researching how often both genders used other swear words there was virtually no difference.'The f word' features more frequent in natural conversation than in forms of institutional talk or in genres of writing. I think this is because when we talk it is spontaneous and we use taboo instead of a filler like 'um' under pressure. 'The f word' is used mostly as an emphatic intensifier rather than the use of taboo e.g 'for fucks sake'.
We have learnt about taboo language in class and why people use it. Knowing some of the terminology used in the article i found it an easier read and it made it much easier to understand.
I don't think there is a resolution to this problem because so many people use the word 'fuck' on a daily basis. Therefore, it would be impossible to eliminate it out of peoples language. But i do think if everyone used this word frequently people would get used to it and it would loose its meaning and people wouldn't find it so offensive. I think the only other think I want to know about this article is why men use the f word more often than women and why any other swear word is used just as frequent by both genders.

Are emoticons and emojis destroying our language?

Are emoticons and emojis destroying our language?

In this day in age we are constantly getting the latest model and updates for our phone, but is it destroying the English language? People are saying hat this making us less sociable especially with the use of emoticons and emojis.

Emojis are little pictures or symbol that express peoples emotions and they are constantly getting updated on our smartphones with constant additions. There are over 700 emojis on iphones, are there too many or is there still more to be added?!

In my opinion i think that these emojis are making us all lazy, for example instead of replying to someones message with 'yes please, sounds good' its replaced with a single thumbs up, which may be taken sarcastically or rude or maybe not even as the intended meaning. This leads to all kinds of confusion. Which leads me to my next point, emojis are vague, and in some situations may be taken in the wrong way. Wouldn't it just be easier to take the time to write what you mean, rather than clear up any unnecessary confusion or offence after?

Emoji use can also make some people come across as more confident. People are always talking online now before they meet and using emojis could make you seem like a bit of a catfish... There's nothing worse than struggling to make a conversation face to face.

By using pictures instead of words it limits people on what they actually want to say and express their true feelings. They act like a shortcut which may give the receiver the impression that you are pushing them away or you want to end the conversation.

On the other hand for people who are quiet and shy it gives them an opportunity to show what they are feeling without specifically saying it. You don't necessarily need confidence to show feelings/emotions through a picture. Research shows that 50% of people would rater tell their crush their feelings through emojis. People are now avoiding situations in which develop communication skills,yet instead we are using an animated picture to do this,makes no sense.

Overall I think that not everyone will understand the importance of emojis to certain people who are  using them every day. To think that people are avoiding social situations when text SHOULD be used, but replacing them with an emoji is ludicrous. Emojis are making us less sociable and they are destroying the language we use.

Language scrapbook 2

I picked this text as i think it is very descriptive and useful. The text is very informative and i would class it as a form of advertisement. The leaflet is trying to persuade people to visit wales.
The audience of this text would be someone who is a young adult or older who can make decisions and have an opinion on a text. This text would attract someone who is looking to go on holiday or just try something new. The leaflet is making wales seem like a desirable place to visit. By also giving ideas of what to do when you get there it makes people feel intrigued by the many options there are for people to do.
The reason this text is written is to entice and attract people to visit the peninsula surf school. The advertisement answers all the questions people may have and their use of persuasive techniques show the writers enthusiasm.
The person who had written the text would have had a personal experience living in the area and we can see that through their promotion. The text would ave been written before people might start thinking about going on holiday. The reason this is the case is because in the surfing industry they want to ensure they are fully booked before the season starts so they can make as much profit as possible. we can also see the text is over a picture showing a mixed range of people who clearly differ in age carrying surfboards. this shows the reader it is great for  families and it truly shows the exact experience you will get if you visit wales.
The layout and way this information is presented is most important as it is written. Also the content of the text is very important as sometimes when a text or advert is written it can come across as vague, boring and not eye catching. People are going to read this leaflet if they are waiting for something which means they will be concentrating and therefore can appreciate the persuasive techniques. Also if the leaflet is placed in waiting rooms people will be bored meaning they may be more susceptible to thinking spontaneously after reading the enthusiastic article.this may make them want to try something new!
The writer has used many persuasive techniques and opens the text with a rule of 3, question and assonance. 'sneezy, breezy, freezy in autumn?' This starts the text off in a positive way and instantly grabs the readers attention. When describing the surf school it is said to be  'four star' and one of 'only seven surf schools in the UK'which makes the reader see it is rare and they should take the opportunity. The use of rhetorical question makes the reader question their interests 'or maybe beach combing is more your thing?'
The writer uses quite bossy language for example 'actually'. This makes them sound like they know what they're talking about and proves the readers thoughts wrong. The word 'discover' tells the reader they NEED to see more and make the most of their surroundings.

Should Slang Be Banned?

Should Slang Be Banned?

Debate:
http://eastnorfolklanguage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/should-slang-be-banned.html

Manchester school slang ban:
http://eastnorfolklanguage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/mind-your-slanguage.html

In my opinion I think that slang should be banned from the classroom, mainly because over using words that are not correct English could mean that you slowly incorporate it into more professional work, for example school work. What is gained by abbreviating words? NOTHING! There is a time and place to use slang and its not at school! School is the time where you can show off your potential and intelligence, and most importantly be the best you can be.
Although some people may argue Shakespeare used forms of slang in his plays, but don't you think we are taking it too far? The amount of stupid slang words that are getting added to the oxford dictionary is ludicrous. why is slang so important to us? People feel the need to shorten words for example 'bruv' instead of 'brother'. Personally I feel like slang is an easy way for people to come across as lazy, uneducated and quite rude if spoken in the wrong scenario. This makes it defiantly not suitable for a learning environment.
There have been people in the past who incorporate slang into documents like a job application! this is only going to show the employer your lack of basic English. examples like that show how easy it is to add slang to your vocabulary making it easier to make mistakes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11420737 - Actress Emma Thompson expresses her thoughts on slang.

Language Scrapbook 1

The text i have found most interesting over the weekend is an advert for hair shampoo.text like this one can be found in a magazine, tv or round towns on posters, it is short and concise using persuasive methods to attract the reader.
The reader/ audience of this text would usually be aimed at females hence the model.Although this could be aimed at anyone who is looking for a low cost shampoo thats better than the one they are currently using.
The purpose of the text is for people to buy the produce being advertised. By the use of rhetorical questions it makes the audience question themselves 'who says you can't have it all?'. This makes the reader think that they CAN have it all. '#1 awarded hair brand', this information makes the audience trust the brand as the rest of the population must love it!
When the text was first written there would of been a lot of thought that had gone into it to make it the best it could be. for example the image used is what firstly grabs the audiences attention, the rhetorical question is in a bold font which stands out. Also the '#1' in a star represents the success of the company and product which also ties in with the sparkling background.
The way in which the text is written rather than spoken makes it stay in peoples mind as there is a difference between listening and hearing which means they remember it and the way in which it is advertised.The font and size of the writing is very important as if you are viewing it from a distance it is still readable.

You Should Always Use English Correctly

‘You should always use correct English’

 

I completely agree with this statement how do you expect to get a job interview if your speech doesn’t make sense? In my opinion using correct English makes you come across as a polite, well educated and interesting person. I find when I speak to or have a conversation with someone who uses English correctly the conversation flows better, there’s nothing worse than a misunderstanding or an awkward pause within a conversation.

 

Some people may argue correct English isn’t appropriate in every situation. For example talking to a small child as their speech doesn’t range to a high level yet. But seriously how will they ever learn if they haven’t been in a conversation/heard people use complex words. If a child never gets introduced and encouraged using the correct English, in certain situations they may come across as rude.

 

 

On the other hand I do understand how it would be difficult to continue to speak English correctly to someone who doesn’t speak the language. I think in this situation you shouldn’t use the correct English as you need to be concise and as simple as possible to get your point across. When speaking to someone foreign we tend to miss out connectives and don’t include words that would string the sentence together. I also find that we talk louder as if it would help...Speaking like this isn’t correct or polite but it is understandable for those with no knowledge of the English language.

 

When providing information for a person or group of people it is SO important to be correct in which the way you speak so people receive the needed information. By doing this it makes you look prepared and organised, it also is more interesting for the listener, making them feel your information is a reliable resource. If you know what you’re talking about, you will feel less inclined to say ‘filler words’, for example; like, erm and um. This will make the person delivering the information feel more confident and at ease.

 

There is nothing worse than speaking incorrectly when trying to win an argument, so why would you risk not knowing? It makes you look weak and gives you opponent an advantage over you. For example in a debate are you really going to seem powerful if you aren’t sure on your English language? People of the opposition won’t take you seriously at all and the powerfulness people are looking for won’t be there.

 

It’s not as if by using the correct English you are going to instantly sound like the queen or come across as snobby by others. It will make you easier to understand and you will have an advantage to all of those who aren’t completely correct in their speech.

 

Using correct English is so important in every situation. Get into the habit of being correct it will make you look and feel so much more intelligent. Once you have mastered the skill you can help others to improve theirs.

 

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