Language
Literacy
Sociolinguistics
Definitions
Mixed Questions
100
What is language?
the system of communication used by a particular community or country.
100
What is new Literacy Studies ?
It is an approach to literacy and language learning that looks at how literacy is used in everyday life - from literacy events like guided reading at school to reading a newspaper in a cafe.
100
Define a Pidgin and a Creole?
A pidgin is “ a language with a reduced range of structure and use, with NO native speakers.” It grows up among people who do not share a common language for communicative purposes. A creole is “a pidgin which has become the mother tongue of a community,” and therefore has native speakers.
100
what is " multimodal literacy " ?
Multimodal texts are defined as texts which communicate their message using more than one semiotic mode, or channel of communication
100
Patricia Lopez says that Spanish will become the unofficial second language of the U.S. and that it’s possible to get by without speaking English. If Lopez is right, what would it mean for America? Would things change drastically? Is it good or bad that people can get by without English? Do you think all Americans should be able to speak Spanish?
it is up to instructor to give the points
200
What are some of the properties of the human language?
Arbitrariness Cultural transmission Discreteness: Displacement Duality Metalinguistics
200
Where do you locate Literacy in your life ? can you mention some domains of Literacy ?
Home-school-community- church- work
200
what is a "Dialect Continuum"
A dialect continuum as defined by Leonard Bloomfield is a range of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these differences accumulate such that speakers from opposite ends of the continuum are no longer mutually intelligible.
200
what is the difference between "Discourse" and "discourse"?
Discourse- language in use signals membership in speech community discourse- language in use
200
what is language profiling ?
Language profiling : Making decisions about people based on the variety of language they speak. Language profiling is most prevalent in people in gatekeeping positions: that is, people in positions of power who make decisions about employment, immigration, living arrangements, and so forth. This process is very closely related to racial and economic profiling
300
what is the smallest unit in a language?
The Morpheme is the smallest unit of a language that can carry meaning.
300
What do we mean by Global Literacies?
The ability to succeed in a cross cultural environment. Literacy practices that are associated with Globalization.
300
what is a dialect ?
it refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers
300
Define " funds of Knowledge"
The cultural resources that families and homes bring to other settings . FEX , home stories brought to classrooms.
300
what is language prestige ?
Positive value placed upon a particular language or features of a language. At the most general level, a language or language variety may be considered prestigious because it is spoken by those who are in power and because it is considered to be correct by prescriptivists
400
What is the difference between " Prescriptive " and Descriptive Grammar ?
Descriptive grammar: the systematic study and description of a language Prescriptive grammar: a set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures of a language
400
what is Digital Literacy ?
Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.
400
what is an " accent" ?
an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.
400
what do mean by " recontextualization "
It refers to carrying practices across sites and putting them them in different context. FEX, taking popular songs from the radio and inserting them into school discourse.
400
what do human languages and animal ways of communication have in common?
Both have a complicated system of communication 2. Both produce sounds, 3. Both send messages, 4. Both react to stimuli
500
Languages can be studied at different levels. Give me 3 levels?
Syntax morphology phonology semantics
500
What is " Critical literacy? ?
Critical literacy is the ability to read texts in an active, reflective manner in order to better understand power, inequality, and injustice in human relationships.
500
What is Diglossia ?
refers to a situation in which two dialects or usually closely related languages are used by a single language community. In addition to the community's everyday or vernacular language variety (labelled "L" or "low" variety), a second, highly codified variety (labelled "H" or "high") is used in certain situations such as literature, formal education, or other specific settings, but not used for ordinary conversation.
500
Define " Discursive identity " ?
The way we speak is tied to who we are , our identity in the world. For example, when we become a teacher we take on a specific discursive identity around teaching as opposed to mothering.
500
what do the following expressions mean : Paint me green and call me a cucumber. Slap me with bread and call me a sandwich
You might say something like this if you just learned something surprising, particularly if it's something contrary to what you previously believed.
M
e
n
u