VCE Units 1 & 2 English Language Notes

Introduction

  • Focus: The study of how language functions and evolves over time, particularly in the context of VCE English language units.

  • Key Skills Required: Understanding the nature of language, exploring linguistic theories, engaging in fieldwork, and following the requirement of the VCE study design for English.

Unit 1: Language and Communication

Area of Study 1: The Nature and Functions of Language

  • Language as a meaning-making system that is arbitrary and governed by conventions.

  • Exploration of functions of language in context including:

    • Referential (sharing information)

    • Emotive (expressing emotions)

    • Conative (commanding or asking)

    • Poetic (focus on form)

    • Phatic (social connection)

    • Metalinguistic (discussing language itself)

  • The influence of register, tenor, and audience on language choice.

  • Cultural and situational contexts impact language use, including field, language mode, setting, and text type.

Key Theory Aspects

Metalanguage

  • Language: A structured system for communication (spoken, written, or signed).

  • Functions of Language:

    • Six main functions as per Jakobson: context, message, addresser, addressee, contact, and code.

  • Language Functions detailed:

    • Referential: factual information.

    • Emotive: expression of desires.

    • Conative: influencing addressee actions.

    • Poetic: language's aesthetic qualities.

    • Phatic: maintaining social interaction.

    • Metalinguistic: discussing the language itself.

Chapter 1: Language and its Functions

  • Language serves to communicate meaning and is unique to humans.

    • Key Concepts from Ferdinand de Saussure:

    • Signifier: the form of the word.

    • Signified: the concept associated with the word.

  • The uniqueness of human communication includes:

    • Ability to convey abstract ideas.

    • Influence of context and intent on communication.

Chapter 2: Constructing Texts

  • Elements that help shape text construction include:

    • Register (Use related variation)

      • Eg. Medical register

      • Includes:

        • Semantic Domain (Group of words with related meaning)

        • Formality

    • Tenor (participant relationships)

      • Professional role of participants

      • Status between speakers (equal or not equal)

      • Relationship (Eg. strangers or friends)

      • Social distance (level of intimacy)

        • Eg. Close social distance far social distance

      • Status (Prestige)

    • Audience (target listeners or readers)

      • Audience is considered when

    • Understanding of cultural contexts and authorial intent in shaping language use.

    • Elements of construction include field, language mode, setting, and text type.

    • Field (Subject matter)

Chapter 3: Subsystems and Metalanguage

  • Language is divided into subsystems, with focus on:

    • Morphology: structure of words.

    • Lexicology: study of words and their uses.

    • Semantics: meaning of words and phrases.

    • Syntax: arrangement of words.

    • Phonetics and Phonology: sound systems.

  • Practical strategies for understanding linguistic concepts include identifying features of language used in texts.

Unit 2: Language Change

Area of Study 1: English Across Time

  • Examination of historical development of English through:

    • Old English: linguistic mixture of Germanic origins.

    • Middle English: influence of French and Latin.

    • Early Modern English: standardization and changes due to technological advances.

    • Modern English: current forms shaped by global influences.

  • Understanding semantic changes, including broadening, narrowing, shift, elevation, and deterioration of words.

Changes Across Subsystems

  • Phonological changes: shifts in how phonemes are articulated over time.

  • Morphological changes: reduction of inflectional morphemes; implications on English syntax.

  • Lexicological changes: words lost or adopted through cultural shifts and innovations.

Attitudes Towards Language Change

  • Prescriptivism: focus on maintaining traditional forms of language; concerns over language evolution.

  • Descriptivism: acceptance of natural language change, reflecting lived experience and culture.

Practical Strategies for Linguistic Field Work

Conducting Research

  • Developing research questions tailored to linguistic topics.

  • Selecting appropriate participants and ensuring informed consent.

  • Data collection methods: observations, recordings, and analysis.

Presenting Research

  • Structuring research reports including introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and references.

  • Effective analysis includes use of relevant metalanguage and linking evidence to research questions.

Conclusion

  • The study of English Language includes not only understanding the structures and functions of language but also how language adapts to societal changes and influences, particularly in a global context. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of linguistic elements and essential skills in research and analysis to explore language further in both academic and real-world applications.