Language in Use 203-204
This unit is concerned with a major aspect of our language as a primary means
of or establishing and maintaining social relationships. It focuses upon
what happens to our way of speaking when our social position or occupation changes.
The changes that occur involve a change in other people's expectations of us,
and show varying degrees of success in making sense of, and fulfilling, these
expectations.
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[1] This session is focused upon the linguistic consequences of changes in status and occupation. The aim of the session is to develop a free-ranging discussion in which the class can become familiar with the problem. It should be remembered that, for many, a basic experience of this kind is going to secondary school for the first time, or going to the first job, even if it is a part-time or holiday job. Ask the class to think of, and discuss, examples of people whose change of job could lead them to change their way of speaking. These examples need to draw upon the particular experience of individuals, known to members of the class, in typical situations such as promotion or change of occupation. This preliminary exploration should also consider what other changes in the life of an individual might go with such a basic change in his occupation, and how this change might pose problems for him in finding a language for talking about it with his family and friends.
[2] The aim of this session is to explore the press change his way of
speaking. Take a particular example, such as a clergy-man, a teacher, a disc
jockey, a student, a shop assistant or a secondary school pupil, and ask the
class to consider such questions as:
(a) why he himself might consider his customary way of speaking 'not good enough'
or not appropriate for the job
(b) why others might be upset by his customary way of speaking, or consider
it inappropriate
(c) what aspects of the job are most sensitive to the need for a particular
way of speaking.
[3] The aim of this session is to explore the kind of difficulty that
changes, such as those already discussed, may cause. Examples include:
(a) the family that cannot understand the reason for them
(b) the old friends who suspect snobbery
(c) new acquaintances who are not convinced.
This may be done by asking the class for a collection of remarks such as: 'He/she is putting it on/ has become affected/ is toffee-nosed/ thinks a lot of himself these days/ has swallowed a dictionary . . .' or 'he doesn't sound like a . . .' and then exploring in discussion what these comments really mean, what kinds of attitude are being expressed, and how justified they are. The object is to get the class to see that change is brought about by such things as the demands of the working environment, the expectations of others, the reaction of family and friends, and the individual's false notions of what is necessary.