Applied Linguistics 4 th & 5 th Topics

1. Applied Linguistics 4th & 5th Topics Prescribing and describing : popular and academic views of ‘correctness’ In an attempt to relate theory to practice in linguistics and applied linguistics fields, there is a constant tension between language as viewed by the expert and language as everyone/user’s experience. This is very clear in the beliefs concerning the language education of children and the problematicissues with which applied linguistic enquiry engages

2. Children’s language at home and school As parents know, young children speak idiosyncratically. for example A child growing up in an English-speaking family might say ‘I brang it’, And although those who around him/her/them say ‘I brought it’, but they may still be unable to pronounce the words as adults do. They might, for example, say ‘I bwort it’. Nevertheless, parents are usually indulgent of such deviations. These idiosyncrasies disappear without forcing children or asking them to do so.

3. At school, the situation is very different. Here the child is expected, and taught, to use language ‘correctly’. The English-speaking children are not expected to say the words ‘I brought it’ clearly and properly pronounced, but also to write them correctly spelt and punctuated. Accordingly, all ‘ I brang it’, ‘I brort it’, and ‘I brought, it’ are wrong. In many people’s views, teaching children their own national language is synonymous with eliminating such deviations.

4. However, in school the issue of what considered to be correct or incorrect is much more complex. 1.What of the child who, through some speech impediment, never does make the transition from ‘bwort’ to ‘brought’ ? 2.What of the child who pronounces ‘I brought it’ in a regional accent with an ah sound as ‘I brart it’ or a child who says ‘I seen it’ instead of ‘I saw it’ not for specific reason(s), but because this what their family and friends actually say. 3.What of the child who has recently moved to Britain from the USA and says, as their parents do, ‘I’ve gotten it’ instead of ‘I’ve got it’, and

5. and writes ‘color’ instead of ‘colour’. The question is : should the teacher eliminate these dialectal and regional variations, seeming to correct parents as well ? The matter is also complicated when we look into peer groups and one can see they speak louder and use ‘RU’ instead of ‘are you’ in text messages; They give words different fashionable senses, invent new ones, and include slang or swear words. These questions lead to the controversial issue of involvement of Standard and Dialects.

6. We know that Standard language is used in written communication, taught in schools, and codified in dictionaries and grammar books. Dialects are regional and social-class varieties of the language. They differ from Standard in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The teaching of the Standard can be viewed in two quite contradictory ways : 1.On one hand, it offers an unfair advantage upon those children who already speak a variety close to it.

7. This means it denies what other dialects deserve, and damages the heritage of those children who speak them. 2.On the other hand, having prestige and power and provide a gateway to written knowledge, teaching it helps to give an equal opportunity to all. This debate has been further aggravated and complicated by educational sociologist, Bernstein’ s view, who claims that social class variations indicate not only differences but deficits and that the language used in some sections of society is a restricted code lacks resources of the standard.

8. Whatsoever the case, schools are a good barometer of both language use and social values, and their approach to teaching the national language(s) arises from two interesting facts : 1.A language is subject to enormous variation, i.e. there are differences between individuals, social groups, generations, and nations. Also, language is used differently in spoken and written modes. 2.Many people are intolerant of this variation. Hence, struggling for standard form to be achieved. Although there is a general agreement over the need for standard, but there is disagreement over the details. (see examples on pages 14-15)

9. In conclusion, there seems to be debates on differences, on the acceptable forms of language(s) to be used in such contexts and applied linguistics needs to approach such debates with both caution and respect. Description versus prescription Where in such cases of disagreement over usage can people appeal for authority? An answer may be to linguistics, where they can find decisive and satisfying judgments.

10. However, the response to this matter of correctness has only added fuel to the fire. For example when judging “all right” & “alright”, they argue that all variants are equally valid since they both occur and that no one form is any more or less correct than another. So linguists tend to favour description (saying what does happen over prescription (saying whatought to happen). They further argue that the standard is neither superior nor more stable than any other variety. To justify their linguistic viewpoints, they point to

11. they point to such facts as the following : 1.If there was any deviation from the norm then languages would never change. We would all still be saying ‘wherefore art thou? Instead of why are you? 2.If a single standard was absolute and unassailable then regional standards would never gain independence. (color) they point to such facts as the following : 1.If there was any deviation from the norm then languages would never change. We would all still be saying ‘wherefore art thou? Instead of why are you?

12. 2.If a single standard was absolute and unassailable then regional standards would never gain independence. (color) 3.Some dialectal grammatical rules(e.g. double negative form) are used consistently in standard languages (Italian). 4.Standard forms are dominant because of political rather than linguistic reasons on the basis of balance of power. Consequently when this balance of power changes, So does the notion of standard(AmericanEnglish).

13. 5.The grammar of written language differs considerably from that of speech and writing is more prestigious and authoritarian than speech. 6.Some supposedly correct forms invented and imposed by grammarians through analogy with another language. For example, in Latin one says: “This is I” instead of “This is me”. Applied Linguists have a responsibility to investigate the reasons the reasons behind the impasse between descriptivists and prescriptivists.

14. They have the very difficult task of trying to find points of contact in the contrary views so that necessary decisions can be made. In such cases like Speech Therapy and Foreign language teaching there must be some yardstick to see how the activity works. It is the task of Applied linguistics to bring out these criteria of correctness that are useful to professionals such as teachers and speech therapists. Assignment I

15. Assignment I Choose Arabic or English language and 1.Provide some idiosyncratic examples of words (sounds)/ expressions expected from an Arab /or English child at home. 2.Provide some idiosyncratic examples of sentences/phrases expected from an Arab /or English child at home. 3.Provide some example words that can be found in peer group-speakers.