THEME K: LANGUAGE IN SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS
The units in this theme explore different facets of the way in which we use language to create and maintain the fabric of society. The first two units take school or college for their setting and consider what part language plays in giving them a recognisable identity as institutions. 'Schools and colleges' looks at the different ways in which language can be exploited for this purpose, while 'School traditions' looks at the way in which usage becomes a matter of habit, its meaning implicit in the routine of the school, and thus learnt merely through being a member of the school.
If a society is democratic, then one vital task for language is to provide differing groups with the means of reaching an agreed resolution of their differences. 'Negotiating' suggests a way in which a class can experience the difficulties involved in doing this successfully.
The next two units focus upon the point at which the pupil enters fully into the adult world of work. 'Applying for a job' looks at the linguistic hazards involved in trying to get a job, while 'Starting work' explores the demands made upon the newcomer by the language habits of firms and organisation
The next three units look at different ways in which we use language to maintain the fabric of our community. This is so necessary a function of language in human society, and the means available are so commonplace, that we may well overlook the fact that communities only exist insofar as they build up networks of relationships between their members which are expressed through language. 'Communicating' takes a general look at this area, and considers what kinds of communication are available to what groups within a community. 'Letters' considers the function of letters from this point of view, while 'Speech-making' looks at the socially cohesive role of speeches of all kinds.
The last three units continue the exploration of the network of communication that gives cohesion to society. In the first two, the emphasis is upon the way that large public bodies inform others about their activities. 'Projecting an image' looks at the way in which an organisation projects and maintains its individual identity with the public, while 'Informing the Public' considers how government officials have to use language to inform the public about the effects of legislation. The third unit, 'Reports from interviews' looks at the way in which organisations have to rely upon written reports of interviews in order to carry out their business.