SLAT6827 Second Language Literacy

1. SLAT6827 Second Language Literacy

Lecture slides and notes Week 5 Writing & the Written Language

2. How does written language differ from spoken language? (1)

Writing: � is specific to groups, speaking is universal. � � was invented, speaking developed. � � is a technology, speaking is a human attribute. � � is only 5-6000 years old; Humans have been speaking for hundreds of thousands of years. �

3. How does written language differ from spoken language? (2)

� is typically done in different settings, and for different purposes than speaking. � � cannot rely on immediate physical context. � � is usually planned.

4. �What advantages does written language have over spoken language?

Writing has an advantage over speaking in that it is ~�� more permanent�� more transportable (historically)�� more confidential �� allows data storage and retrieval (commercial and government uses)�Can you think of disadvantages?

5. Can you think of disadvantages?

6. Origins in pictures

Writing developed from pictures Pictures >>> graphic representation of objects Writing >>> system of visual symbols representing audible symbols A drawing initially stands for the sun, latter associated with the sound of the word sun, later extended to the word �son� or the first part of Sunday.

7. From primary to secondary symbolisation

The movement is from primary to secondary symbolisation: a written symbol is used to represent an oral symbol of the object. Example from vanity number plates (GR8FUL, UBYUT)

8. History of writing

Developed in Mesopotamia between 3500-2600 BC Spread south to Egypt in 3000BC - west to the Indus valley (India & Pakistan)2500BC - and China (2000 BC) By 1500BC the technologically advanced civilizations had rudimentary writing systems.

9. Three types of writing: syllabic, logographic, alphabetic

Syllabic writing systems are based on relationship between graphic symbols (graphs) and spoken syllables. Earliest form of writing, developed by the Sumerians in cuneiform writing and Egyptians in the hieroglyphic system. Syllabic systems can be very regular, and are best adapted for languages with a limited number of syllables. Example: Japanese kana or Tamil syllabary

10. Japanese syllabary

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? i ki si ti ni hi mi -- ri wo ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? u ku su tsu nu hu mu yu ru n ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? e ke se te ne he me -- re ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? o ko so to no ho mo yo ro

11. Three types of writing: syllabic, logographic, alphabetic

Logographic writing systems are based on relationship between graphic symbols (graphs) and spoken words (morphemes). Developed from ideograms and used from an early time (Bronze Age 1700-500 BC) to represent abstract ideas. Useful for languages where there is much homophony. Example: Chinese characters used in Chinese and Japanese

12. All the underlined characters read �sensei� ?? teacher ?? despotism � ?? head start ?? oath � ??? latent force ??? astrology

13. Many characters consist of a radical that suggests meaning and a phonetic element that can give pronunciation. 

hachi EIGHT kuchi MOUTH ? ? ? fune BOAT ? gunkan WARSHIP ?? shin MINISTER ? ?? ?? kan SUPERVISE ? ?? ?? SARA dish kantoku DIRECTOR

14. Character scripts

In Chinese a knowledge of 5000 characters is needed to read a daily newspaper, up to 30,000 to read literature. Japanese uses a more restricted set (about 2000 �daily use� characters). Highly productive compounding makes task easier. ??? �zi xing che� self moving vehicle = bicycle Provided a uniform written language in China.

15. Three types of writing: syllabic, logographic, alphabetic

Alphabetic writing systems are based on relationship between graphic symbols (graphs) and individual sounds (phonemes). Developed by Greeks and Romans (600 BC). Close relationship between sound and spelling (orthography).

16. Alphabet languages

Greek, Spanish, English (26 letters) Spanish has a nearly one-to-one mapping between symbol and sound (grapheme-phoneme): La ortographia es bastante uniforme. �The orthography is very uniform.� English is much less regular e.g., knight versus bite, or the ough sound in tough, through, thorough, hiccough.

17. The rules that govern writing the Latin alphabet are:

The direction of writing is from left to right. There are conventional points of entry and direction of the strokes that make up the letters. This determines the movement or ductus of the letters. Letters are of different heights and these heights are constant in relation to each other. There are two sets of letters: capital letters and small letters. Letters and words are spaced adequately. Are there similar rules for Chinese characters?

18. The rules that govern writing the Latin alphabet are:

Letters are of different heights and these heights are constant in relation to each other. There are two sets of letters: capital letters and small letters. Letters and words are spaced adequately.

19. Writing Latin script

1. Good writing is based on a pattern of ovals and parallel lines. 2. All small letters start at the top. 3. All the downstrokes are parallel. 4. All similar letters are the same height. 5. All downstrokes are equidistant

20. Latin script (cont.) http://users.argonet.co.uk/users/quilljar/rules.html

6. The space between wordsis the width of the small letter o. 7. Ascenders and descenders are no morethan twice the height of small letters, preferably less. 8. Capital letters are no higherthan the ascenders, preferably less. 9. Lines of writing are far enough apart for ascenders and descenders not to touch.

21. Elements of writing

What does a writer need to know? How to generate script (handwriting, keyboarding) Mastery of sentence level lexis and grammar Mastery of discourse structure Understanding of register Understanding of genre How does the act of writing differ from the act of reading?

22. Approaches to writing

Text analytic Writing Composing process Social construction

23. Discussion question

What would happen if word processing completed replaced handwriting?

24. SLAT6827 Week 5 last slide