Thesis (M. Ed.)--York University, 2000. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ59200.

Language is power. Especially among preschool children, where one of the most coveted identities sought during social interactions is that of the leader. Leadership is not taken; it is given when individuals accept instructions from someone else and let them lead. These individuals then become followers. I decided, after reading various literature and scientific research about children’s peer talk and linguistic interactions, to study how preschool children use linguistic interactions and strategies to form the identities of leaders and followers during free play; scheduled points during the day where activities are based on the children’s interests and not led by preschool teachers, which aids in trying to see things from the children’s perspective. I did a video-enabled microethnographic study over the course of a week as a complete observer to capture the strategies used by five children (ages 5 to 6) to form the identities of leaders and followers during their peer talk and peer group interactions. After transcribing the recorded material where these social interactions were most apparent, I then analyzed at which points the children were given these identities and what strategies were used as resources from a sociolinguistic perspective. Three primary strategies were identified; speech genres, code-switching and language play. I also discovered that the children were inspired by their surroundings and the available materials in choosing what to play and base their linguistic interactions on. I concluded that leadership is closely related to expertise about various subjects and that followers allow individuals with more expertise than them to lead. This is how our society typically works. The children used their various levels of expertise regarding the subject matter and strategies like speech genres, code-switching and language play as resources to raise their own status and attempt to lower the status of others, forming the identities of leaders and followers.

This thesis examines the appeal to ordinary language as a distinctive methodological feature in the later philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and the work of J. L. Austin. This appeal situates our language and concepts within the broader forms of life in which we use them, and seeks to ‘disenchant’ idealizations that extract our language and concepts from this broader context. A disenchanted philosophy recognizes our forms of life as manifestations of attunement: a shared common ground of understanding and behaviour that cannot itself be further explained or justified. By working through the consequences of seeing our forms of life as ultimately ungrounded in this way, the thesis illuminates the underlying importance of play to shared practices like language. The first two chapters consider the appeal to ordinary language as it features in the work of Austin and Wittgenstein, respectively. By placing each author in turn in dialogue with Jacques Derrida, the thesis draws out the importance of seeing our attunement as ungrounded, and the difficulty of doing so. Austin’s appeal to a ‘total context’ betrays the sort of idealization Austin himself opposes, whereas Wittgenstein and Derrida must remain self-reflexively vigilant in order to avoid the same pitfall. Chapter Three explores connections between the appeal to ordinary language and Martin Heidegger’s analysis of ‘average everydayness’ in Being and Time. Heidegger takes average everydayness to be a mark of inauthenticity. However, in acknowledging the ungroundedness of attunement, the appeal to ordinary language manifests a turn similar to Heidegger’s appeal to authenticity. Furthermore, Wittgenstein’s use of conceptual ‘pictures’ also allows him to avoid some of the confusions in Heidegger’s work. Chapter Four considers the nature of our ungrounded attunement, and argues that we both discover and create this attunement through play, which is unregulated activity that itself gives rise to regularity.

My D-essay has the working title “Alternative Identities and Foreign Language Learning”. I have chosen this area because I have noticed a certain reluctance among Swedish students to use the foreign language English in English classes. They often seem embarrassed to express themselves in a language which is not their mother tongue, but they seem less embarrassed when they are allowed to act somebody else. These two observations converge into a focus of discussion on the matter, which will be supported by a minor study of my own, by extracts from other people’s essays on the matter, and by an overview of current litterature on language, identity and drama.The aim of my essay is to compare Swedish students’ willingness to use the foreign language English when acting minor plays in school, as themselves and as a chosen character, and to investigate the possibility of improving students’ willingness to use a foreign language, when given the opportunity to do so through acting somebody else.

ABSTRACT: Puns are short humorous texts that play on structural ambiguity in order to create incongruous scripts. The perception of their humour requires considerable pragmatic manipulation, which may present problems for L2 learners, which is why many scholars agree that they are best reserved for more advanced students. Using a combination of Quantitative and Qualitative analysis of data yielded from a survey containing puns and referential jokes, this study confirms that humour through puns is largely inaccessible to Swedish High School learners of English, with ambiguity being the main obstacle across the test groups. However, since language play has been proven to be facilitative to language learning, and since students themselves express a wish to be able to participate in humorous interaction, learners may well benefit from working with puns and language play in the classroom in order to gain greater linguistic abilities and well-rounded communicative competence.

This paper analyses the translation methods used in translating a colloquial, culture-specific text containing allusions and informal language. The analysis focuses on the difficulties arising in the translation of culture-specific phenomena and aspects such as slang and cultural references as well as allusions and language play. The theoretical framework used for structuring the analysis is supported by the theories of Newmark (1988), Nida (1964), Schröter (2005), Reiss (1989), Pym (2010) and Leppihalme (1994), among others. The results indicate that the translation of culturally and connotatively charged words require knowledge and understanding of languages and cultures alike. Further, the results indicate that concept of a word or concept being ‘untranslatable’ may originate from such lack of understanding or knowledge and that further research on the subject is needed.

<p>Research shows that phonological processing skill is the greatest single predictor for reading ability and it is agreed that phonological awareness specific tasks correlate positively with literacy acquisition in typically developing children. Children with Down’s syndrome are at risk for reading acquisition difficulties, primarily because of their reduced phonological awareness and a phonological awareness based approach to literacy has been shown to be beneficial for them. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the PhonicStick can be used to initiate interest in language play in children with Down’s syndrome, in order to stimulate their reduced phonological awareness. Six children with Down’s syndrome between five and 15 years of age, currently enrolled within the UK educational system, were recruited to participate in six sessions; two sessions of pre- and post testing of their phonological awareness, and four intervention sessions with the PhonicStick. During the intervention sessions, the ability to remember the six phonemes of the PhonicStick, to generate three-phoneme combinations, to produce given target real words or non-words and to perform in phoneme substitution tasks using the PhonicStick were investigated. The results of this study show that the PhonicStick, with advantage, can be used to introduce and enhance phonological awareness in children with Down’s syndrome and that an increase in phonological awareness is possible even during a short time of practise with the PhonicStick. Since children with Down’s syndrome benefit from a phonological awareness based approach to literacy, practising phonological awareness skills through language play with the PhonicStick might also have a future positive effect on their literacy acquisition.</p> / <p>Tidigare forskning visar att fonologisk medvetenhet är den främsta prediktorn för läs- och skrivkunnighet och att övning i fonologisk medvetenhet korrelerar positivt med läs- och skrivinlärning hos barn med typisk läs- och skrivutveckling. Barn med Downs syndrom riskerar att utveckla läs- och skrivsvårigheter framförallt till följd av nedsatt fonologisk medvetenhet och det har även visats att en metod för läs- och skrivinlärning baserad på fonologisk medvetenhet, kan gagna dem. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om the PhonicStick kan användas för att initiera intresse till språklek hos barn med Downs syndrom, med avsikt att stimulera deras fonologiska medvetenhet. Sex barn med Downs syndrom, i åldrarna fem till 15 år, inskrivna i det brittiska skolsystemet, medverkade i två sessioner bestående av pre- och post testning av fonologisk medvetenhet, och fyra interventionssessioner med the PhonicStick. Under interventionssessionerna undersöktes förmågan att komma ihåg placering av fonem hos the PhonicStick och med den generera kombinationer av fonem (dvs. ord), generera givna målord och substituera fonem i ord. Resultaten visar att the PhonicStick med fördel kan användas för att introducera och öka den fonologiska medvetenheten hos barn med Downs syndrom och att en ökning är möjlig även efter kort tids träning. Eftersom en metod för läs- och skrivinlärning baserat på fonologisk medvetenhet gagnar barn med Downs syndrom skulle övning av fonologisk medvetenhet genom språklekar med the PhonicStick även kunna ha en långsiktig positiv inverkan på deras läs- och skrivkunnighet.</p>

Research shows that phonological processing skill is the greatest single predictor for reading ability and it is agreed that phonological awareness specific tasks correlate positively with literacy acquisition in typically developing children. Children with Down’s syndrome are at risk for reading acquisition difficulties, primarily because of their reduced phonological awareness and a phonological awareness based approach to literacy has been shown to be beneficial for them. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the PhonicStick can be used to initiate interest in language play in children with Down’s syndrome, in order to stimulate their reduced phonological awareness. Six children with Down’s syndrome between five and 15 years of age, currently enrolled within the UK educational system, were recruited to participate in six sessions; two sessions of pre- and post testing of their phonological awareness, and four intervention sessions with the PhonicStick. During the intervention sessions, the ability to remember the six phonemes of the PhonicStick, to generate three-phoneme combinations, to produce given target real words or non-words and to perform in phoneme substitution tasks using the PhonicStick were investigated. The results of this study show that the PhonicStick, with advantage, can be used to introduce and enhance phonological awareness in children with Down’s syndrome and that an increase in phonological awareness is possible even during a short time of practise with the PhonicStick. Since children with Down’s syndrome benefit from a phonological awareness based approach to literacy, practising phonological awareness skills through language play with the PhonicStick might also have a future positive effect on their literacy acquisition. / Tidigare forskning visar att fonologisk medvetenhet är den främsta prediktorn för läs- och skrivkunnighet och att övning i fonologisk medvetenhet korrelerar positivt med läs- och skrivinlärning hos barn med typisk läs- och skrivutveckling. Barn med Downs syndrom riskerar att utveckla läs- och skrivsvårigheter framförallt till följd av nedsatt fonologisk medvetenhet och det har även visats att en metod för läs- och skrivinlärning baserad på fonologisk medvetenhet, kan gagna dem. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om the PhonicStick kan användas för att initiera intresse till språklek hos barn med Downs syndrom, med avsikt att stimulera deras fonologiska medvetenhet. Sex barn med Downs syndrom, i åldrarna fem till 15 år, inskrivna i det brittiska skolsystemet, medverkade i två sessioner bestående av pre- och post testning av fonologisk medvetenhet, och fyra interventionssessioner med the PhonicStick. Under interventionssessionerna undersöktes förmågan att komma ihåg placering av fonem hos the PhonicStick och med den generera kombinationer av fonem (dvs. ord), generera givna målord och substituera fonem i ord. Resultaten visar att the PhonicStick med fördel kan användas för att introducera och öka den fonologiska medvetenheten hos barn med Downs syndrom och att en ökning är möjlig även efter kort tids träning. Eftersom en metod för läs- och skrivinlärning baserat på fonologisk medvetenhet gagnar barn med Downs syndrom skulle övning av fonologisk medvetenhet genom språklekar med the PhonicStick även kunna ha en långsiktig positiv inverkan på deras läs- och skrivkunnighet.

Éternel objet de polémique, la publicité française, comme miroir social, consolide aussi notre lien social. L’examen de son élément langagier, le slogan, peut apporter beaucoup à la sociologie. Dans la perspective d’une socialité langagière et sous la forme du jeu de langage, sa dynamique linguistique se révèle comme une nouvelle manifestation semi-consciente d’un désir de transgresser les règles et d’être ensemble. Son style et son climat reflètent finalement baroquisme et hédonisme comme air du temps. Il semble urgent que la sociologie ne dédaigne plus la publicité : peu de phénomènes sociaux sont aussi révélateurs pour dire l’esprit du temps. / An eternal object of debate, French advertising, as a social mirror, also strengthens our social cohesion. An examination of its linguistic element, the slogan, can bring to sociology a lot. Within the prospect of a linguistic sociality and under the shape of a language play, its linguistic dynamics shows itself as a new semi-conscious demonstration of a desire to break rules and to be together. Its style and climate reflect finally baroquism and hedonism as the age atmosphere. It seems urgent for sociology not to disdain any more advertising : few social phenomena are so revealing to tell the spirit of the time.

abstract: Creativity is increasingly cited as an educational goal in many international contexts and as a facet of academic and economic success. However, many myths surround creativity that impede its facilitation in the classroom: it is an individual talent, not teachable, and not relevant to adult life outside of artistic domains. Further, perceptions of creativity are largely informed by treatment in North American contexts. In second language instruction, linguistic creativity in particular faces greater hurdles for recognition and value, as language learners’ creative language use is often treated as error. In this paper, I argue that creative pedagogies and second language instruction can inform each other; creative pedagogy can lead to greater recognition of the creative power of language learners, and second language research can provide a cultural lens through which to gain understanding of how creativity is enacted in language. To argue that creativity facilitates language learning and is a necessary component of proficiency, I employ B. Kachru’s (1985) notion of bilingual creativity to demonstrate the ubiquity of linguistic creativity in the lives of bilingual language users. With support from Carter (2016) and G. Cook’s (2000) works on everyday creative language and language play, respectively, I demonstrate the value of linguistic creativity for language learning and language socialization. I end by suggesting five guidelines for second language instructors interested in implementing a creative pedagogy framework: (1) promote reflection and noticing in learning and creativity, (2) offer authentic models of linguistic creativity, (3) provide emotion language and multiple methods for emotional expression in interaction, (4) allow for a fusion of L1 and L2 linguistic and cultural knowledge, and (5) respond actively to opportunities for collaborative creativity. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Linguistics and Applied Linguistics 2020