A Level English Language Eduqas

How does spoken language work?

Understanding Spoken Language

• Spoken language is immediate and often spontaneous. It includes face-to-face interactions or over-the-phone conversations.
• Spoken language frequently includes filler words such as 'um', 'uh', 'like', etc., which can act as a means of buying thinking time or maintaining conversational control.
• Turn-taking is a key component in spoken speech with participants usually conversing in direct reaction to others.
• Spoken language can be influenced by context and will differ significantly depending on the audience, the purpose, and the situation.

Features of Spoken Language

• Paralinguistic features such as body language, facial expression, and tone of voice are crucial in spoken language to communicate meaning beyond words.
• Use of prosody, alterations in pitch, volume and speed, which can influence the listener's understanding and interpretation.
• Spoken language often includes false starts, repairs, and repetitions which do not normally occur in written language.
• Ellipsis is more common in spoken language due to its more casual and efficient nature.
• Spoken language frequently includes discourse markers such as 'well', 'so', 'then', which guide the listener through the conversation.

Varying Registers in Spoken Language

• Informal language is often used in everyday, casual conversation and includes slang and colloquialisms.
• Formal language tends to be structured and adheres to the standard rules of English grammar. It is usually used in professional or academic settings.
• Standard and Non-Standard English - choices between these can be dictated by regional influences, formality, and context of conversation.

Language and Power

• Spoken language can unveil balance or imbalance of power in a conversation. Someone with a higher status or position may use more formal language, long complex sentences while someone with lower status may use shorter sentences and questions.
• Use of politeness strategies and deference language to show respect or maintain social harmony.
• Interruptions and Overlaps can be a sign of either rudeness, familiarity, or power play within the conversation.

Language Varieties

• Regional dialects impact spoken language significantly, varying vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
• Sociolects, or speech patterns based on social class or group, also influence features of spoken language.
• Idiolect, the personal way each person speaks, shaped by influences such as social background, personal experiences, and interactions.

Understanding Transcripts

• Familiarity with the Jefferson Transcription system, which notates aspects of speech like tone, volume, speed of delivery, and non-verbal communication.
• Reading transcripts requires focusing on details such as pauses, hesitations, interruptions, overlaps and recognising their meaning and effects.
• Ability to evaluate how transcription conventions can emphasise or hide aspects of spoken interaction.

This revision content should provide a strong understanding of how spoken language functions and the key components it encompasses.