HW for 5/10 class

HW#1 Read, understand and do pages 68 and 69. For page 69, write one additional phrase (not two as the textbook says) for each situation.

HW#2 Prepare your answers for p. 70 #3 and write them in your text or in your notebook.

HW#3 Page 193: Unit 4 Research: Following the instructions, research a person from a particular group and write your results in a short report. Write in sentences and in paragraphs as follows:

Paragraph 1: Introduce the person and what group they belong to. Give some background information.

Paragraph 2: Introduce and explain the five examples of slang/jargon.

Paragraph 3: Write a conclusion, including what you learned from this research activity.

Type on A4 paper in 12-point Times font. Double space your typing. Write a title, your name, student#, and class name at the TOP of the page. Spelling and grammar count so make sure to check both carefully. Do not forget to do this homework. You will lose points for every day you are late. Do not be late for class because you were printing out your homework. 

Norhstar 3 Unit 4 Discussion questions for after Listening Two

Write down these questions and then discuss with a partner or in a group. Speak in English!

1. Do you change the way you speak in different situations, or when talking with different people? If so, explain how you do that.

2. Do you want to change the way you speak? Why or why not?

3. How is your speech a part of your identity? Explain with an example or two.

Northstar 3 Unit 4, page 59 Listening Two: Code switching

Answers to the listening activity:

LINGUISTICS
Code switching = changing from one language or dialect to another
     - Speak one language at work or school
     - Another language at home with their friends

Teen dialect (slang)
Parents don't understand
   e.g., To friend: "Gotta bounce. We gotta meet the crew."
     To dad: "We have to go.
   We're meeting our friends (downtown)."

      Teens use teen dialect:
          - to (show they) fit in with friends
          - to show they are different from parents/ To separate themselves from adults

Definitions for "Dialect" and "Accent"

Read these definitions carefully to confirm your understanding of the meaning of dialect and accent. Make necessary notes with examples to be sure you are clear.

Dialect

A dialect is a form of language with grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary that differ from other forms of the language. A dialect develops when a group of same-language speakers are separated in some way, such as by country, region, social class, or other form of grouping.

Slang can be included within a discussion of dialect, because slang is used by a particular group or people in a certain country that cannot be understood by people in other groups or countries.

Accent

Accent refers to a particular way of pronouncing a word or phrase. It is usually associated with a certain country, region, or social class (i.e., American accent, British accent, Australian accent, Indian accent). These differences exist because of the different ways of placing stress on word syllables, or different ways of saying certain vowels or consonants.

Unit 4 audio (tracks 33-39)

Click to listen or download and get the rest of the audio tracks from the CD in the self-study room. You can find the track numbers written beside the exercises in the text.

Track 33 Background vocabulary

Track 34 Listening one

Track 35 Listen for main ideas

Track 36 Listen for details

Track 37 Excerpt one

Track 38 Excerpt two

Track 39 Excerpt three

Unit 4: Dialect case studies (pp. 54-55)

Read these dialect case studies and suggest some advice for each of the people. Before you start, discuss the meaning of the word "slang" with a partner. Can you give some examples in Japanese? Who says these words? What do they mean?

Case Study #1
"My son is very bright. He always does very well in school, but I worry that people won't see that because of the way he speaks. He uses a lot of the slang that's popular with teenages these days. I'm afraid that people will stereotype him because of the way he talks. To me, he sounds uneducated and rude. He says, though, it's a part of his identity and he would be a different person if he talked a different way. Also, he says that all his friends talk that way and he wants to fit in with them."

Case Study #2
"I have a Boston accent. When I lived in Boston, I never thought about it much, but I beame aware of my accent when I moved to the West Coast. People here always comment on my accent and sometimes laugh when I say certain words. I don't think they are intentionally trying to hurt my feelings; they just don't realize that it hurts me. It makes me feel self-conscious, and I'm always worried about what people think of me. I want people to accept me the way I am."

Homework for April 19. 
1. Go to the self-study room and borrow one of the audio CDs for Northstar 3. Ask the staff at the desk for the CD for my Friday 1 class. You can borrow the CD overnight. Download it on your computer so you can do your homework this year.
2. Get the textbook and do page 55 #2 for homework. You will need to reread the case studies in order to do this homework.

NORTHSTAR 3 Unit 4: Separated by the same language

Part 1: Work in a small group and complete this activity. 

1. What is the difference between accent and dialect? Check dictionary definitions to compare.

1. When you hear a person speak in your native language, what can you tell from that person's accent?

Choose one or more items and write them down.

hometown                                                    economic class

level of education　　　　　　　　　　profession       

age                                                               intellligence

other thing?

2. Are some accents in your native language considered better than others? Why or why not?

Part 2: Read and listen to the excerpt from a linguistics textbook about dialect.

Dialect

A dialect is a form of language with grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary that differ from other forms of the language. A dialect develops when a group of same-language speakers are separated in some way.

Regional dialects develop when speakers are separated by geography such as rivers and mountains.

Social dialects develop when one group is separated from another socially because of differences in economic class, level of education, culture, ethnicity, or age. A standard dialect is a dialect that is mostly used in the media (TV, radio, and newspapers). 

++Give examples of regional dialects, social dialects, and standard dialect in Japanese, including some example sentences or phrases spoken in those dialects.

Sterling Allen Brown (May 1, 1901 – January 13, 1989) was an African-American professor, author of works on folklore and literary critic. He studied chiefly black culture of the Southern United States.

Google.co.jp top page Wednesday April 10, 2013

This is the google's search page image today, April 10. Do you know what it is? It represents the Seto Ohashi Bridge, which is a series of double deck bridges connecting Honshu (Okayama prefecture) and Shikoku (Kagawa prefecture) across a series of five small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. 

Do you know why it was used by google today? Find out and write your answer in the comment box below. 

Have you travelled across this bridge? If so, tell us about it in a comment. Bonus points for people who comment!