English language-spoken language

What is an abbreviation and give an example?

Shortening a word-e.g. ’cause’ instead of ‘because’

What is accommodation?

The ways that individuals adjust their speech patters to match others.

What is adjacency pairs?

Parallel expressions used across the boundaries of individual speaking turns. They are usually ritualistic and formulaic socially.

What is back-channelling and give an example?

Words,phrases and non-verbal utterances used b y a listener to give feedback to a speaker that the message is being followed and understood. e.g. ‘i see’ and ‘mmm’

What is a conjunction and give examples?

A word which joins together the different parts of a sentence e.g.’and’, ‘or’, ‘but’'

What is a contraction?

A reduced form often marked by an apostrophe in writing.

What is deixis/deictics?

Words such as ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘here’ which refer backwards or forwards or outside a text-verbal pointing

What is deletion?

Something is left out. Deletions refer to words which are left out. Ellipsis normally refers to more than one missing word.

What is dialect?

Distinctive grammar and vocab associated with a regional or social use of language.

What is a discourse marker and give an example?

Words and phrases which are used to signal the relationship and connections between utterances and to sign post that what is said can be followed by the listener. e.g. first, on the other hand

What is a disjunct and give an example?

Comments upon the truth about what has just been said e.g.honestly, confidentiality

What is elision and give an example?

The omission or slurring of one or more sounds or syllables e.g.gonna

What is a false start?

When the beginning of an utterance is begun, stopped, reformulated,repeated or trails off.

What is a filler and give an example?

A word or expression of little meaning commonly inserted into speech e.g. ‘like’ or ‘um’

What are hedges and give an example?

Ways of playing down a statement e.g.’well’, ‘kind of’

What is an idiolect?

An individual, distinct, style of speaking

What is an idiom?

A group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words e.g. ‘he was caught red-handed.’

What is in-slang or in-jokes?

These will only make sense among insiders

What is informal/colloquial language?

Vocabulary of a lower formality

What are interrupted constructions?

Sentences that are dropped half way through in favour of another.

What is irony?

Using language to signal an attitude other than what has been literally expressed.

What is jargon?

The language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession or group.

What are latch-ons?

When a speaker takes their turn immediately after the preceding speaker has finished leaving no, or little pause

What is a micropause?

Pauses in speech of less than a second

What is non-standard usage and give an example?

Grammatically incorrect statements e.g. the boy done good.

What is an omission?

The leaving out of part of the sentence construction.

What is an overlap?

When one speaker speaks over another.

What is phatic talk and give an example?

Conversational utterances that have no concrete purpose other than to establish or maintain personal relationships. Its related to small talk and follows traditional patterns, with stock responses and formulaic expressions- ‘how are you?’, ‘fine:cold isn’t it?’, ‘freezing’

What is politeness?

The awareness of others’ needs to be approved of and liked(positive politeness) and/or given freedom to express their own identity and choices(negative politeness)

What is running repair?

The process of socially organising a conversation if two people find that they have been talking simultaneously.

What are self-related comments?

Comments that the speaker uses to focus on him or herself.

What is a semantic field?

Groups of words connected by a shared field of reference.

What is a syllable?

A sound unit with a vowel at its centre.

What is a tag question and give an example?

A question attached to the end of a statement e.g.’its cold, isn’t it?’

What is a topic marker?

An utterance that establishes the topic of conversation.

What is a topic shifter?

An utterance that moves a conversation on to another.

What is an unfinished utterance?

Incomplete statements.

What is a vocative and give an example?

A direct reference to another speaker in discourse (Ben, can you…)