Gender article from the Financial Times on chatting at work

Difference theory is alive and well in this article:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d903ca80-94a4-11e3-9146-00144feab7de.html#axzz2wz1FVPf5

You could even use this as a practice essay text.

Language and Power - the cult of wacky writing

A great article I have just posted for A2 Language Change which is actually just as good for Power - it is also useful to see how a specialist talks about Language for non-specialists, which is what you have to do for your A2 Media text (coursework creative piece to go with your investigation).

http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2011/10/10/wackywriting-cult-of-innocent

Language Change article - 'wackaging'

The art of creating a relationsip with the reader of your product packaging with a wacky approach e.g. eat me/keep me bananas (the use of first-person is suitably cutesy or zany). Some people don't like it. They created a tumblr account and dubbed the phenomenon 'wackaging'.

Here's an article from The Guardian by someone who agrees:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/mar/25/wackaging-trend-food-packaging-innocent-language

Here's a copywriter talking about a larger field of writing than just packaging that employs similar devices with some useful examples for the exam:

http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2011/10/10/wackywriting-cult-of-innocent

AS lesson 21/03/14

Wisdomfulls!

Show your deeper understanding of theory today by creating a post to inform readers (your peers) about either Dominance, Difference or Deficit and/or another gender theory of your choice that allows you to do the analytical task described in the bullet points below.

You should include (not necessarily in this order):

• an accessible (straightforward? funny? colloquial?) description of the theory
• the techniques associated with these ways of speaking
• examples of these techniques in spoken texts (made up or quotes/transcript excerpts)
• show how these techniques could be applied to real written texts (represented speech but also written texts that 'speak' to the reader e.g. adverts, advice colums, comment articles etc. - this is the most important part as it will likely not be a transcript on the paper this year and you should analyse several examples from different forms)
• Don't forget to include a bibliography and don't ever cut and paste theory into these blogs - transform it so you show you understand it (good practice for A2 coursework too)

This could be finished today if you work really hard and efficiently but must be finished by next Friday so I can look at them after moderation week (bear in mind how much work there is for moderation week!). The key to finishing on time is to find texts quickly and really focus.

A2 lesson 18/3/14

Marvellousnesses,

please spend the first 30 minutes reading the word investigation blog posts of others in the class and commenting on what was interesting and adding your understanding and known uses of the word.

Then find a piece of fiction on the internet that was written post-1700 and pre-1920. Copy and paste a section onto your blog and write some PEE analysis, commenting on the attitudes portrayed, the techniques used, what that says about the culture of the writer and the audience AND the differences that might appear in modern fiction of the same genre and for the same audience. Don't forget to make Power, Gender and Technology comments where relevant. Try and use some of the key terminology and ideas for LC.

If you have time, do the grammar quiz a couple of posts down and comment on some more blogs.

The TURNITIN deadline has been extended - please ensure that you get your coursework submitted BY WEDNESDAY so I can check it before moderation week.

Gender clip (and a little bit CLA) 'What's the worst thing you heard Mommy say?"

The very fact that they are asking about female parental swearing rather than just parental swearing is significant. There is still an expectation that women swear less and use weaker expletives. What is your experience? I love that the kids think a particular word is a terrible thing to say. And it is not what you would conventially call a swear word but it is becoming more and more taboo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emQTGwAZpa8

New Scientist (recommended reading)

For your wider reading, go to the New Scientist website and search for the topic 'language' - some interesting articles can be found...

http://www.newscientist.com/