How Two Speakers Use Language
How do the two speakers use language here to describe the problems the family has faced? Support your answer by referring to specific examples from the transcription.
This transcript focuses on a radio programme discussing dangerously high levels of lead being found in the water supplied to newly built houses. Two people (presumably married) Meg and Cameron are discussing how these high levels of lead affected their son Brandon and how they managed to discover and solve the problem. The radio programme takes the form of a transactional dialogue between the two speakers.
Firstly, we see how the two speakers use a fairly informal register, yet refrain from using slang words or jargon in order to make their story understandable to the presumably wide audience listening to the radio. For example, Cameron uses phrases such as “/i:z/ always been an active wee boy” and Meg also uses similar phrases such as “and /i:/ had a wee routine”. Neither of the speakers uses a slang word nor jargon in the extract. Because neither speaker uses slang or jargon, they earn credibility and sympathy from the audience. This is because people typically regard the use of slang in ordinary conversation as “improper” or “vulgar”. Because both speakers are regarded as more credible by their audience, more people are likely to continue listening which is what the speakers’ goal is; to inform and make people aware of these lead-based problems.
Next, we see the speakers using appropriate lexical fields and terminology to describe the problems their family faced. Some examples of this include Cameron’s use of medical lexis such as “anaemic”, “nauseous”, “sick” and “sore”. We can also see that both Cameron and Meg use house lexis throughout the transcript such as “detached house”, “property”, “carpets”, “en suite toilet”, “upstairs” and “downstairs”. As we know, lexical fields are certain words especially associated with a particular subject or topic. Because both speakers are discussing how
This transcript focuses on a radio programme discussing dangerously high levels of lead being found in the water supplied to newly built houses. Two people (presumably married) Meg and Cameron are discussing how these high levels of lead affected their son Brandon and how they managed to discover and solve the problem. The radio programme takes the form of a transactional dialogue between the two speakers.
Firstly, we see how the two speakers use a fairly informal register, yet refrain from using slang words or jargon in order to make their story understandable to the presumably wide audience listening to the radio. For example, Cameron uses phrases such as “/i:z/ always been an active wee boy” and Meg also uses similar phrases such as “and /i:/ had a wee routine”. Neither of the speakers uses a slang word nor jargon in the extract. Because neither speaker uses slang or jargon, they earn credibility and sympathy from the audience. This is because people typically regard the use of slang in ordinary conversation as “improper” or “vulgar”. Because both speakers are regarded as more credible by their audience, more people are likely to continue listening which is what the speakers’ goal is; to inform and make people aware of these lead-based problems.
Next, we see the speakers using appropriate lexical fields and terminology to describe the problems their family faced. Some examples of this include Cameron’s use of medical lexis such as “anaemic”, “nauseous”, “sick” and “sore”. We can also see that both Cameron and Meg use house lexis throughout the transcript such as “detached house”, “property”, “carpets”, “en suite toilet”, “upstairs” and “downstairs”. As we know, lexical fields are certain words especially associated with a particular subject or topic. Because both speakers are discussing how