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Context

Context. Refers to the many different aspects of the situation in which the communication occurs. Domain. This refers to the topic or subject that you are writing or talking about This will have a strong influence on the vocabulary used It is sometimes referred to as the field.

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Context

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  1. Context Refers to the many different aspects of the situation in which the communication occurs

  2. Domain • This refers to the topic or subject that you are writing or talking about • This will have a strong influence on the vocabulary used • It is sometimes referred to as the field

  3. Social Purpose (10) • To include and exclude, as a marker of groups • As an instrument of action • To communicate information, ideas, attitudes, prejudices, ideological stance • To maintain social relationships,(e.g. ‘phatic’ communication, small talk) and to signal power structures • To promote linguistic innovation and for language play

  4. Social purpose continued • To promote social harmony and negotiate taboo • To promote cognitive and conceptual development • To entertain • For ceremony • To persuade

  5. Mode • There are three modes of language • Spoken • Written • Signed

  6. Setting • The situation where the communication (spoken/written/signed) takes place • If the setting is a television or radio studio, certain conventions need to be followed. • How informal or formal the setting is will affect the language being used.

  7. The semantic fields used • Field-specific lexis is vocabulary associated with a particular field/domain • For example a piece on politics might have the words’ left-wing’, election, MP’s

  8. The audience • The person or people that the speaker/writer/signer is addressing. • Primary audience is the intended audience • Secondary audience is the unintended audience, for example people who eavesdrop on a conversation

  9. ‘Manner’ -the relationship between participants • The person being addressed and the speakers/writers relationship with them is often considered the most important influence on how language is used. • This results in different levels of formality being used • There may be a difference in status between the speakers. One speaker may be more dominant than the other, and this can influence the terms of address used. • The relationship of the speakers may result in convergence (speech styles move closer together) and divergence (speech styles of two people move away from each other.

  10. How to determine the ‘manner’ • Look at educational, social or economic status, (sometimes clues are given at the beginning of the transcript or text) • If this information is not given look at turn-taking – is it cooperative or is one speaker more dominant? • Look at if the purpose of the discourse changes halfway through making a different speaker the ‘expert’.

  11. Values, attitudes and beliefs • Standards agreed on by the wider community influence context. • For example TV/ radio ratings and codes of practice • Established forms of greeting, and forms of address • Politeness

  12. Register • How informal or formal is the text? • Where does it fit on the continuum? • Lexis, grammar ,phonology and syntax will help you distinguish between different registers • See Powerpoint on register for more info.

  13. summary • Once a writer/speaker understands the context, they can then choose a register that is appropriate

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