AQA A-Level English Language Paper 2 Flashcards

General Overview

• A resource on flashcards for AQA A-Level English Language.
• Tools such as practice tests, spaced repetition, and matching games are available for study enhancement.
• Analytics feature is available, though no study sessions are recorded yet.

Key Concepts and Theories

Language Diversity

• Bernstein's Codes

  • Language usage varies by situation rather than language itself.
  • Elaborate Code: Used to communicate abstract ideas with more formal syntax.
  • Restricted Code: Used in shared experiences, looser syntax.

• Bucholtz's Super Standard English

  • Hypercorrect language variety used by some white students (nerds).
  • Avoid colloquialisms, adhere to formal norms.

• Cheshire's Reading Study

  • Examines grammatical variables and peer group influence on language.

• Crystal's Global Status

  • Language must have a recognized role globally to achieve global status.

• Dixon, Mahoney, & Cocks' Police Study

  • Birmingham accent rated as more guilty compared to RP accent.

• Drew & Heritage's Institutional Talk

  • Structured communication in institutions reflects power dynamics.

• Eakin's & Eakin's Turns in the Workplace

  • Men take longer turns than women in faculty meetings.

• Eckert's Jocks and Burnouts

  • Teens' speech is influenced by social groups rather than socioeconomic class.

• Giles' Accommodation Theory

  • Language changes to manage social differences (Convergence vs. Divergence).

• Herbert & Straight's Compliments

  • Flow from higher to lower rank individuals.

• Labov's Social Stratification & Martha's Vineyard

  • Pronunciation can signal social identity and group belonging.

• McArthur's Wheel Model

  • English categorized into World Standard, regional varieties, and non-standard forms.

• Milroy's Belfast Study

  • Social network density impacts accent strength.

• Rosewarne's Estuary English

  • Overtaking RP, seen as less hostile.

• Trudgill's Norwich Study

  • Class impacts language use more than gender.

• Watson's Liverpool Study

  • Liverpudlian accents resist dialect leveling.

Language Change

• Aitchson's Metaphors

  • Language change described with metaphors: damp spoon, crumbling castle, infectious disease.
  • Stages of Language Change: Potential, Implementation, Diffusion, Codification.

• Chen's S-Curve Model

  • Change adoption starts slow, accelerates, then stabilizes.

• Crystal's Tide Metaphor

  • Language change is gradual, some words persist while others do not.

• Deutscher's Principles

  • Economy, Expressiveness, Analogy drive language change.

• Halliday's Functional Theory

  • Language adaptation aligns with user needs.

• Johnson's Dictionary

  • Early attempt at standardizing language, acknowledging language evolution.

• Labov's Substratum Theory

  • Language change occurs through dialect and language contact, modernized by media.

• Sapir & Whorf's Determinism

  • Language structures influence cognition and perception.

• Schmidt's Wave Model

  • New words ripple out from a central point, diminishing over distance.

Study Techniques Provided

• Spaced Repetition

  • Helps reinforce memory of concepts over time.

• Practice Tests

  • Test understanding of material in exam conditions.

• Matching Games

  • Engages interactive learning through association.

Conclusion

• Comprehensive set of resources providing theoretical understanding and practical study tools for AQA A-Level English Language.