If Language isn't simply vocabulary, and isn't simply communication, how might you describe what it is (and how it works)?

If Language isn't simply vocabulary, and isn't simply communication, how might you describe what it is (and how it works)? Language is the expression of human communication through which knowledge, belief, behaviour, and experience can be explained and shared. This sharing is based on systematic, conventionally used signs, sounds, gestures, or marks that convey understood meanings within a group or community. Humans express thoughts, feelings, and ideas orally to one another through a series of complex movements that alter and mould the basic tone created by voice into specific, decodable sounds. Speech is produced by precisely coordinated muscle actions in the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Speech development is a gradual process that requires years of practice. Language is a defining and limiting set of words, symbols, sounds, gestures, or marks that are used to convey or transfer experiences. The use of language evokes many problems of knowledge that tie into the limits that it imposes on the transmission of an experience. Language limits the way in which an experience is conveyed in three ways. First, our thoughts are limited by our language. Secondly, language, in this context, does not limit, however, it shapes and moulds our interactions with other people. Lastly, language may act as a barrier to acquiring certain skills. All of these aspects must be addressed, while

  • Word count: 1826
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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LORD OF THE FLIES BOOK REPORT

LORD OF THE FLIES BOOK REPORT HEADER QUESTIONS: . WILLIAM GOLDING Lord of the Flies 2. 225 pages 3. The setting takes place on a tropical island. It has a jungle at one end, with a rocky mountain above it. At the opposite side is the lagoon, where the boys go to bathe and where they first met after the crash. Near there, up the mountain, is a platform where it was decided a fire would stay lit in hope of rescue. . The story took place on deserted island island. A plane had crashed and it come about that there were no adult survivors. Two older English boys - fair-haired and athletic Ralph and an overweight and clumsy, bespectacled boy "Piggy", a nickname he hates and confided to Ralph his school mates called him were on a isolated island getting acquainted. Ralph told Piggy his father would rescue them when he found out that their plane was missing, but Piggy rejected that possibility by saying: "Didn't you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb? They're all dead." As they began to become aware of their new surroundings, Piggy continually urged Ralph to go with him to look for other survivors. Ralph went swimming in a lagoon, found a white conch shell about 18 inches long and Piggy had suggested that Ralph used the conch as a horn to call for any other survivors who would've been on the island. Told Ralph that blowing into it would make a sound loud enough to be

  • Word count: 963
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The role of language is crucial in this process of relationships.

The role of language is crucial in this process of relationships. Language shapes reality, and it limits what ideas and concepts are available in a particular situation. In all aspects of our lives we engage with, resist, reframe with, the meanings available through language, to give meaning to every aspect of our lives. Ideas and understandings available through language shape our practice in a variety of ways in everyday interactions. It has been well known since the beginning of time that men and women are on different wavelengths when it comes to communicating. The differences between the communication styles of men and women go far beyond mere socialization, and appear to be inherent in the basic make up of each sex (Lee, Shaw). For males, conversation is the way you negotiate your status in the group and keep people from pushing you around; you use talk to preserve your independence. Females, on the other hand, use conversation to negotiate closeness and intimacy; talk is the essence of intimacy, so being best friends means sitting and talking (Lee, Shaw). For boys, activities, doing things together, are central. Just sitting and talking is not an essential part of friendship. They're friends with the boys they do things with. In respect to the language used by male and females, they differ, sometimes unnoticeably. Women use more polite speech and fewer profanities.

  • Word count: 976
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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“Religious language is meaningless.” Discuss

"Religious language is meaningless." Discuss It is a key factor within science that if something cannot be proven, it is rendered meaningless. This was first suggested by Karl Popper, and despite not being in the context of religious language, it is applied. However, the subject is more complicated than simple terms. When one is to speak of religious issues, despite using the same language, there is almost a certain code; a type of wording which can relate only to religion through metaphoric associations, use of symbol, reference etc. One of the key issues within the use of religious language is perhaps that the words that are used by mere mortals to described what can only name what has been experienced on this world. One cannot anticipate what may exist beyond this world, and so the question emerges, debating whether one should refer to things that cannot be conceived, or if one should; how? The problem begins through the examination of what language actually provides one with. To use cognitive language is to make factual assertions, which may be proved true or false and contain a certain amount of knowledge. Non-cognitive language makes assertions which may be interpreted in some way and are generally made through non-literal modes of expression. There are theories that all language is either univocal or equivocal; univocal being that words have one meaning and there

  • Word count: 1248
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The dialogue that I chose to transcribe for my coursework, the TV soap drama "Emmerdale", is a great emulation of spontaneous

Jane Bradley 6/11/06 A2 English Language Coursework Transcription Analysis The dialogue that I chose to transcribe for my coursework, the TV soap drama "Emmerdale", is a great emulation of spontaneous spoken conversation. As part of my coursework I will be analysing the text in order to discover whether or not it's attempt at genuine spontaneous conversation is successful and how it makes use of lexical, grammatical and structural characteristics to do so. Register The transcription's level of formality is notable low, which follows the typical conventions of spoken conversation. The register is especially low due to the relatively close-knit relationships between the characters, which means that the majority of conversation is informal, with little or no phatic talk. However, there is once exception to this rule, which is the brief conversation between the two policemen. Policeman 1: They've worked out whose car it is (.) Good luck Policeman 2: Cheers. I believe that the formality of this transaction is due to the formal relationship between the two characters; they are colleagues therefore their relationship is forced upon them. However, although the relationships between the other characters are relatively close does not mean that it is equal.

  • Word count: 3144
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Just another brick in the wall

Just another brick in the wall I was running but they were still gaining. I wasn't even sure why I was running from them, but my heart was beating at a million beats a minute, my legs were moving faster than any express train, but they were gaining, gaining. 'Got ya'. I screamed with pain when one of them threw me violently to the floor. He fell on me like a hammer on a nail. My hands were tied tightly and my mouth was closed with duck tape. They took me to a dark dilapidated van where I was violently flung into the back to find another man already lying there. Blood was pouring from his head as if he had been shot with a hundred bullets. I wasn't sure whether he was alive, dead or just unconscious. One of the men started the van. We drove for about half-an-hour - although it could have been less, but I was so scared, it might have seemed longer. They dragged me and the other man into what I later found out to be a small prison. They left us in the same run down cell together for the night. I would have tried to ague my case against staying here, but no one could speak English in Turkey and I would only get a beating if I tried to argue anyway, so I chose against it. I was woken after only a couple of hours of sleep by a waterfall of freezing hosepipe water. After a stomach-filling breakfast, which included a large green slice of bread with what tasted like chicken, I was

  • Word count: 1334
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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It is difficult to sympathise with Simon's point of view as he fails to see the point of view of others.

It is difficult to sympathise with Simon's point of view as he fails to see the point of view of others This story is of a boy, Simon who lived with his mum and dad. When he was young, his dad died. Simon was sent to boarding school where he was happy until one day when his mum came to school and took him for a ride in her car. She told him she was re-marrying and moving house. From this day onwards, he is living in the memory of father. He is alone from now, so this when this problem occurs. Simon is only thirteen years old and he has had a lot to deal with. His dad dieing didn't help as he was the type of boy who enjoyed the company of his father. He talks of: "Lifting Simon up on his shoulder and spinning him till the ceiling whirled. Then putting Simon down and laughing, while Simon tottered, dizzy, on short legs from chair to table, clinging on desperately." This shows the relationship between Simon and his father, one of loving compassion. Another example of this is: "Once father took him out alone in the car and kept shouting, 'shall we go faster, Simon?' and Simon yelling, 'Faster, faster!' and every time he yelled 'faster', Father got more pleased" This shows how his dad enjoys his son. Losing such an influential man in Simon's life is critical, for many reasons. One factor is that he will face growing up into a man alone. He cannot really

  • Word count: 1488
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Original Writing - Prose: The rain splashes slowly onto the dark cobbles , the gray clouds hanging low as the wind sweeps through the narrow alleyways

Visions The rain splashes slowly onto the dark cobbles , the gray clouds hanging low as the wind sweeps through the narrow alleyways. From a window high above the ground two small eyes peer into the smoky depths of the surrounding city. No movement, however small is missed by those all-encompassing eyes, the soaked leaves blown savagely down the streets. The rats scurrying down into the sewers, the rain-bedraggled cat loping sorrowfully under the shelter of a battered doorway. The small eyes peruse the whole city. Suddenly, an unfamiliar movement is noticed, the eyes peer curiously through the gloom of the smog filled sky towards the direction of the motion. The eyes search out the unrevealed object slowly breaking over the horizon into the line of vision. As the nature of the object is gradually divulged, an unknown excitement builds up in the beholder. There was something of a legend surrounding those eyes, and the boy to whom they belonged. Even as a baby, the eyes of the child had seemed soul-searching, unutterably profound. They appeared two discs of infinite depth, small and dark in the pure white face of absolute innocence. The nurse who had cared for the child after his mother's death during childbirth sensed something odd about the infant but could not, at first, decide quite what it was. Then one day she realised, she had never seen the boy shut his eyes, not

  • Word count: 969
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Disability Essay AP

Disability: No Longer a Hindrance Disability is a term that, in today's society, immediately conjures up negatively connotated images in one's mind; stereotypes of disabled people are that they are mentally challenged, incapable, and should be pitied. In this respect, society is ignorant. Most of the disabled beings are just normal people who have either been the victims of traumatic accidents or the victims of incapacitating diseases. These are normal people who are just physically handicapped, yet continue to see society turn its back on them. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet Johnson are three disabled authors who have experienced the prejudice of society. Through their essays, they convey a powerful message to society that the disabled are perfectly capable of living and expressing themselves as normal people. Mairs, Dubus, and Johnson all have differing views on the disabled, but they all use similar resources of language to communicate their message; their use of life experiences, exemplification, and emotional tones persuasively express their viewpoints to the reader. Nancy Mairs is crippled with multiple sclerosis, yet knows she is as fully capable as another, non-disabled human being. She is very astute, and it is for this reason she openly criticizes the media in a sarcastic and disgusted tone. Mairs argues that the media needs to stop treating disabilities

  • Word count: 1518
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Smoking is a major killer in our society today

SMOKING IS A MAJOR KILLER IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY. THE REASONS ARE KNOWN AND DEATH CAN EASILY BE AVOIDED. Smoking today is regarded as the greatest cause of avoidable illness and premature deaths. It is estimated that around 120,000 people every year in the United Kingdom die suffering from the diseases caused by smoking (White paper - Smoking kills). However, is smoking considered a major killer today and should government make provisions to prohibit smoking? Most people know that smoking can cause lung cancer and several other diseases but still they argue on the prohibition of smoking as they believe that it is against the rights of liberty. Nevertheless, it is a known fact that smoking increases the risk of heart and lungs disease which may cause death after a certain period of time (Koskowski, 1955 page 67). The first argument for the prohibition of smoking is that it is not only dangerous for the smoker but also non smokers who are exposed to passive smoking. Passive smoking can be defined as the involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke by a person. It can cause problems ranging from allergies and nausea to lung cancer and emphysema. According to a research 'passive smoking cuts the amount of oxygen to the heart during exercise, and that after 20 minutes sitting beside smokers, the platelets in the blood of healthy non-smokers becomes stickier' (Dewsbury, 1990 page 3).

  • Word count: 1435
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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