How language can be changed depending on the audience. (Introduction)

The ways in which language can change depending on the audience, as mentioned in the Communication Accommodation theory (Howard Giles), is a fascinating and lesser known area of language theory. The application of theory areas of life can lead to people unknowingly adapting their language. He makes interesting points on converging with society in their lexical choices to be socially accepted, but equally how they diverge to make themselves stand out.  Using my interest in foreign lyrics, I plan on investigating how Korean music lyrics differentiate itself from other Asian music markets such as Japan. Justin McCurry summarised how Korean lyrics diverge from Asian lyrics with saying “it’s not the sugar-coated home-grown variety that has long clogged the airwaves”*¹.

To conduct this investigation I will take three current bands from the Korean music scene and collect lyrics from one of their albums. As these will be from a similar time period it can give a sense of the language used. I will then take three song lyrics from the Japanese market such to show an example of the lyrics used in Japan. This will be used as a reference instead of a comparison.  I can then see if and when they use convergence and divergence.

Hypothesis

• · Firstly I will find out if Korean lyrics will use more English in songs which would, according to the theory, show divergence as it isn’t something the audience will not understand as much. I will assess how much English is used and the effects of this lexical choice.

• · Secondly I will assess the pronoun, tag questions and lexical fields of their fan base used to converge with the audience and include them. Looking at this I will see how specific examples

• ·  Lastly I will quantify the use of fabricated lexical terms and how they will be used to engage the audience but diverge from other Korean bands. I will quantify the different sounds to find out certain sounds engage the audience.  

Media Text Task 2

• A guide for parents that would appear in a mother and baby magazine.

Now at this stage you probably have your child making you sing nursery rhymes such as ‘Humpty Dumpty’ over and over again until you are bored of it, and telling stories until you know them off by heart.  As much as you are tired of them, your child is hearing words and starting to pick them up, which makes it all worth it even if you find yourself singing random simple songs in the kitchen.

            When that all glorious first word comes, that has you jumping for joy, you know it’s the start of their language journey. Starting with one word, then building up to longer phrases you know that your work, repeating words until you are sick of them, has paid off. But while this is happening remember this quote said by the language expert Andrew Wilkinson ‘language is acquired by imitation, but not only imitation’. At first it doesn’t make sense, I know. But when you think back to when you have heard children speak. Did it make sense? Was the grammar correct? If it wasn’t then this is normal. To hear a child say something like ‘it flied’, you know you wouldn’t have said that but know what they meant. If anything we can find it cute. But if you think about it, they didn’t copy it from you; they are starting to use words they think would be right based on what they know. It would make language a lot easier if everything had the same rule, for children and adults alike. This has been mentioned in poem such as Ogden Nash’s poem ‘It must be the milk’ he says ‘their grammar is flawful’. Even if this does sound a bit harsh, it shows that this is done by almost all children. If anything take it as a compliment. It means your child is thinking by themselves.

Media Text Work

The area of theory that is related to my investigation is that people change the way that they speak depending on the context and who they are speaking to.

A Women’s magazine

                Have you ever thought that people, such as your partners, treat and speak to you differently compared to other people such as their friends? Well this could actually be true.  It is said that people, including you, change the way they talk depending on who you are speaking to. When you think about it, it makes sense; you wouldn’t speak to the Queen the same as you speak to your sister that just wouldn’t be right would it?  You would naturally change the tone and politeness of what you are saying.  This is just so natural to us we just don’t notice it anymore. However there are also times when you change language to stand out.  We all have been through that important interview, where you want to stand out so you try to say something smart to stand out. Whether it works is another issue but you tried. This again shows we change the way we speak.

A scientific magazine for well-educated non English- specialists over 20

                How can the language we use in day to day life, influence the way in which we speak to certain people. Theorists debate elements of language, just as scientists debate topics such as how the Earth was created.  Why we use certain language depending on who the audience is said to be because we want the person who we are speaking to, to understand and agree with what we say. It makes the audience feel like you are similar to them, epically if you use the same body language. It has become so natural to our brain to change the language we use, we don’t even realise that we do this.

Another format of your choice - hand-out for parents

Many of us have teenagers and children that speak to us in a way in which we don’t understand or in which we don’t agree with. Well there may be a way of creating a better conversation and relationship with our children.  There has been research done that suggests that if you speak or present yourself in a similar way to who you are speaking to, it helps create a good relationship. Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you use a lot of slang and wear clothes that you wouldn’t wear.  There are things you can do to help you adapt the way you speak to them. Research suggests that by simply speaking about common interests, using similar body language and using a similar tone with your voice, can give the impression that you are someone similar to them who they can speak to.