Overview
This lecture introduces language frameworks, essential for A Level English Language studies, summarizing six key frameworks and their core concepts.
Introduction to Language Frameworks
- Language frameworks break language into manageable levels for analysis.
- The six core frameworks are: phonetics and phonology, lexis, semantics, grammar, orthography, and pragmatics.
Phonetics and Phonology
- Phonetics and phonology study the production and patterns of speech sounds.
- Consonants require obstruction of airflow; vowels do not.
- Elision is omitting sounds or syllables in speech (e.g., "I don’t know" becomes "I dunno").
- Intonation refers to the rise and fall of voice pitch, often indicating questions or statements.
- Accent is a distinctive way of pronouncing language, linked to region or group identity.
Lexis
- Lexis (lexical items) refers to the words in a language.
- Slang is informal, non-standard language; jargon is professional or specialist vocabulary.
- Archaisms are outdated words no longer in common use.
- Derivation is creating new words from existing ones.
- Register is the formality level of language used in different contexts.
- Lexical field/semantic field is a group of related words (e.g., fruits: apple, orange).
Semantics
- Semantics studies the meaning of words and phrases.
- Denotation is a word’s dictionary definition; connotation is its additional, symbolic meaning.
- Synonyms share similar meanings; antonyms have opposite meanings.
- Homonyms are words with the same spelling/pronunciation but different meanings (e.g., bark).
- Semantic change is the evolution of word meanings over time.
Grammar
- Grammar studies word combinations into phrases, clauses, and sentences.
- A phrase is a group of words centered on a head word (e.g., noun phrase).
- A clause contains a subject and a predicate; sentences express a complete idea.
- Grammar analyzes sentence types, complexity, word order, and grammatical properties.
Orthography
- Orthography is the convention of written language, focusing on spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and hyphenation.
- Attention is paid to how words are written and the evolution of these conventions.
Pragmatics
- Pragmatics examines language use in social contexts and real-life situations.
- Context is crucial when analyzing spoken language.
- Pragmatics explores differences between spoken and written language.
- The basic spoken unit is an utterance, equivalent to a written sentence.
- Studies politeness strategies and how language affects public self-image.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Phonetics/Phonology — study of speech sounds and patterns.
- Consonant — sound made with airflow obstruction.
- Vowel — sound made without airflow obstruction.
- Elision — omission of sounds in speech.
- Intonation — pitch movement in speech.
- Accent — distinctive pronunciation pattern.
- Lexis — vocabulary of a language.
- Slang/Jargon/Archaism — informal/professional/outdated vocabulary.
- Derivation — creation of new words.
- Register — language formality level.
- Lexical field — group of topic-related words.
- Semantics — study of word meanings.
- Denotation/Connotation — literal/additional meanings.
- Synonym/Antonym/Homonym — similar/opposite/multiple-meaning words.
- Semantic change — evolution of word meanings.
- Grammar — rules for structuring sentences.
- Phrase/Clause/Sentence — grouped words for meaning; with/without complete idea.
- Orthography — conventions of written language.
- Pragmatics — language use in context.
- Utterance — spoken language unit.
- Politeness strategies — ways to maintain or threaten face.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review these frameworks and key terms for A Level foundations.
- Identify which framework/topic you need more help with for future study.
- Prepare to delve deeper into each framework in upcoming lessons.