Word of Mouth - Slang by Michael Rosen

This radio show by Michael Rosen revolves around the use of slang from the past to the present day. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06wd268

He is joined by Dr Laura Wright, a linguist at the University of Cambridge to talk about this type of language. Some important points discussed included the fact that 'everyone uses slang to an extent' even though we may not realise it. It is language that has been around for generations and so greatly impacts how we speak. Michael even said that 'great' used to be a slang word in the 1960's when he was 14. His parents avoided saying it, by using 'super' instead.

They were later joined by Jonathon Green, a lexicographer of slang who wrote a short introduction on the issue. He explains some of his theories starting with the theory of 'slang' is a counter language, reversing the standard English that we use in every day life. He explains that a lot of people associate slang with 'bad' people, however slang originates from the 'correct English' and is misunderstood. 

Michael, Laura and Jonathon discuss the opinion that white working class men generated the English Language. However, many different classes, genders and ethnicities are influencing the language we use today. The overall agenda from the radio talk is that creating and using slang is a very innovative and clever way of speaking, and has no relation to the intelligence of the person. Slang is not something that only certain people use, everyone contributes to the ever changing development of our language.

Mind Your Language

http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language

This page on the guardian is all about language use. It includes articles styled by The Guardian editors all about 'language usage and abusage.'

Eight words that reveal the sexism at the heart of the English Language

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/27/eight-words-sexism-heart-english-language

This article written by David Shariatmada states the opinion that the English language is sexist. Over the years, certain words have completely changed their meanings because of attitudes towards women and how they are seen in the society we live in. 

The Oxford dictionary is also discussed and how even the publisher is criticised for being sexist bias. In the book, its purpose is to show how words are used in the real world, and one certain example has caused an issue. 'Nagging' is followed by 'wife', being a word that relates to it in every day life. The OUP (Oxford University Press) stated that this was not an intentionally sexist action, but said 'The example sentences we use are taken from a huge variety of different sources and do not represent the views or opinions of Oxford University Press.'

From the 8 words that have completely changed meaning since when they were first used, here are some examples: 

• 'Madam' used to be the female version of 'sir' but now means 'a conceited or precocious girl or young woman; a hussy, a minx.'
• 'Wench' used to mean a young girl or unmarried woman, but now means 'a wanton woman; a mistress.'
• 'Tart' used to mean 'sweetheart' in the 19th century, whereas now it means 'a female or immoral character; a prostitute.'

Eight Things I Wish I'd Known Before Starting My A-Levels

http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2016/jan/11/eight-things-i-wish-id-known-before-starting-my-a-levels

This article written by Aisling Wood highlights 8 things that as an A-Level student, she wishes she would have been told before going through the somewhat 'stressful' experience.

This includes; The jump from GCSE's is enormous; Sticking to your deadlines is a necessity, not a choice; There’s more to free periods than social gatherings; Everyone is too caught up in their own appearances to worry about yours; Getting work done is down to you, and only you; Maintaining friendships is important; Get involved in everything you can and You’re allowed to have fun.

Being at the start of my journey through A-Levels, I have found that reading this article has helped me a lot. Everyone has this whole idea of these 2 years being the hardest of your life. This is probably true, but I think a lot of people forget that it is also a time to have fun and appreciate your youth before being thrown into the real world.

How to talk to anyone: the experts' guide

Article 2

This article, written by Rosie Ifould highlights some of the main tips for talking to your children, parents, strangers and bosses. It includes interviews and quotes from family therapist Karen Holford, Susan RoAne, Dr Ayan Panja, Dan Williams and Madeleine Mason, Linda Blair and David Cairncross.

Karen Holford gives the advice that when speaking to children, we should try to understand what they are saying instead of picking up on mistakes of language. This will help them to realise that we are listening and do care, as well as asking questions - this makes us seem like we are listening, even if we aren't. 'Try to meet your child’s emotions, rather than telling them how to feel.'

Susan RoAne, the author of 'How To Work A Room' speaks about how to talk to strangers. At first, the situation may be awkward, but we need to remember 'that most people in any room feel uncomfortable' and we need to accommodate them, because the chances are that they're feeling the same way.

Step away from your phone: The new rules of conversation

Article 1

This article written by Oliver Burkeman highlights the idea that people, especially kids are living in a virtual world while simultaneously living in reality.

Burkeman speaks about the attitudes we have towards each other and how when in public, we don't act how we used to around people. he states that he has witnessed people communicating on their phones with other people, while being face to face with someone initiating a conversation. He explains that situations like these are what is dividing us - 'We’re more connected than ever, yet we talk – really talk – less and less.'

The fact that people use online social media in order to create a virtual life for themselves may be a way for us to completely change ourselves, with no real life implications. Obviously there are exceptions; many problems occur online. However, we can be whoever we want to be because we are simply behind a screen. Contrastingly, he says 'Anyway, don’t we edit ourselves offline just as much as in cyberspace – in our choice of clothes and haircut and makeup and the books we carry on the train?'

The overall verdict of this article is that we are increasingly using social media which is affecting our social skills in every day life. Even kids are becoming 'skilled' at multi tasking - concentrating on their phones while keeping a conversation going.

Stereotypes with Language and Gender

Here are some main ideas about how the stereotypes of men and women portray people.

• Women gossip
• Men are strong and silent
• Women talk about domestic and personal trivia
• Men talk about important things such as business, money and government
• Women have soft and gentle voices
• Women screech
• Men have deep, reassuring tones
• Men convey confidence and authority