ENGB3 June 2010 Question 4

Language Change

Text I, having been published three days after the FA cup final, reflects the time it would have taken to write, edit and print the souvenir edition.  Whereas, Text J appears almost synchronous as the information is literally updated minute by minute. With this in mind, it is clear how language has changed dramatically over time.

In terms of graphology, it is immediately apparent that Text I seems busy and cluttered. The font would not necessarily be used today as it is difficult to read.  However, as white-space was a premium, having such a font would mean more words could be included on the page.  Moreover, the separation of columns through vertical lines aids clarity and ensures minimal wastage.  This is in stark contrast to Text J where, because of changes in technology and the ease of communication, white-space is no longer an issue, ensuring clarity and ease when reading the article.  However, as Text I is a souvenir edition, many people would buy the paper for reasons of nostalgia with the intention of keeping it for years to come. On the other hand, it would be unlikely that people would keep the information recorded in Text J, suggesting the latter text is ephemeral and, following the aftermath of the day’s celebrations, may not be looked at again. This difference highlights how attitudes towards the printed page have changed.

The discourse structure of each text reveals clear changes which have been prompted by technology.  The latter text shows how each update is placed at the top of the page ensuring the reader is able to gain the most up-to-date information without scrolling down the page. The timings reflect how technology has enabled information to reach the reader almost instantly.  This may be contrasted to Text I which was published three days later.  However, whilst Text I obviously underwent a process of editing, we cannot dismiss that a similar, albeit quicker, editing process is at work in Text J. Being for the BBC website, it is unlikely that they would allow errors in orthography and grammar to hinder their reputation and, therefore, we may assume that the posts were edited before being submitted onto the webpage.

In terms of grammar, Text I’s sentence structure reveals greater complexity and subordination whereas Text J’s use of shorter sentences and elliptical structures lends itself to a chatty, informal register: ‘no hanging about is there?’; this colloquial expression and use of idioms ensures the relationship between text producer and reader is one of.  Alternatively, Text I reveals a distinctly formal tone that speaks of the class structures alive in Britain during the 1930s.  It has been suggested that with the Second World War, many class boundaries were blurred and today we have a relationship based on influential power rather than the power associated with rank and position.  This is highlighted through the use of proper nouns in each text. Whilst the Cardiff boss is ‘Dave Jones’, the dignitaries within Text I are referred with clear formality, for example, the Portsmouth chairman is ‘Mr Robert Blyth’.  In addition, we can note the informality of the term ‘boss’ in contrast to ‘chairman of directors’; through technology in the form of the media, the public are able to recognise those in positions of authority which has, in part, led to an increased sense of informality and familiarity.  In addition, the naming of the players is one thing which seems consistent across both texts. However, whilst in Text I, Manchester’s ‘Tilson’ is referred to using his surname, this speaks of the public school system where surnames were used as a matter of course. In contrast, the use of surnames in Text J is part of football’s jargon and is often a matter of economy when commentating. Moreover, the use of names, such as ‘Kanu’ and ‘Diarra’, show football is now a multi-national sport with players of foreign dissent playing for British teams; this reflects changes in demographics as the people move with ease from country to country. Moreover, whilst football has been a game notoriously associated with men, Text J’s Caroline Cheese reveals how the game of football has developed to include women.  The fact that women are now able to report on an FA cup final indicates how gender attitudes have changed over time. Moreover, Caroline Cheese’s speech style mirrors that of the male contributors: ‘Great stuff’ and ‘still plenty of time to vote’; whilst theorists have, in the past, recognised women as have convoluted expression and empty adjectives, Cheese’s elliptical sentence structure and assertive delivery is more reminiscent of the language of men.  It seems that to be accepted in, what may be deemed as a typically masculine environment, Cheese uses language that is align to her male peers.

In terms of lexis, Text I reflects the bygone years through the reference to ‘Empire’ and places the article firmly within a particular historical context as does ‘telegram’, a form of communication now obsolete through technological advances. In addition, the exclamatory ‘Bravo’ is a term which we would now use ironically as it has increasingly archaic in its usage. Furthermore, aspects of punctuation are now obsolete as ‘to-night’ is no longer hyphenated, revealing how the word has been blended to form the single word. Text J’s use of ‘en-masse’ shows how a term borrowed from the Latin has now become an integral part of the English language; as people travel abroad, more and more words enter our language, revealing how language is able to change through the influences from other languages. In addition, the use of the word ‘pesky’ as in ‘the pesky technology breakdown’ reveals how words may be ameliorated; ‘pesky’ may once have meant naughty or mischievous but now it is mildly irritating.  The reference to breakdown in technology as being ‘pesky’ shows an element of confidence that the technology would be easily restored, revealing how technology has become an integral part of our lives. However, a noticeable difference between both texts is the attitude towards football.  Text I seems ‘gentlemanly’ as Mr Robert Blyth is keen to ‘congratulate the winners’ and the dignitaries are ‘very proud’ as they recognise ‘a great achievement’.  The language is tame in contrast to Text J’s emotive and highly charged language that draws on the semantic field of a battle-ground: ‘we couldn’t see it through to the death for them’; as football has become increasingly more commercialised, there is more pending on a win which may have contributed towards the evocative football jargon which we have today, showing how attitudes towards football have caused language to change.

In conclusion, through technological advancements, the influence from other cultures and changing social and cultural attitudes, a sustained contrast of both texts reveal how language has changed over time.