Календарно-тематический план

EN3118 Language and the Media Syllabus

EN3118 Language and the Media Syllabus

 

Номер темы

Тема занятия

1. Weeks 1

Introductory notes. What is the media? Why study media language?

What elements are inherent in media language metaphor?

2.Weeks 2-4

Semiotics, presented in the works of Saussure and Barthes. Semiotics, presented in Daniel Chandler’s website/book, as well as in the works of Kress, Hodge and van Leeuwen. Current strategies of application of the theory of semiotics to the analysis of advertisements.

3. Weeks 5

The concept of text and textual communication. Text linguistics. textual relations: genre theory and intertextuality. Hermeneutic ideas of M.M. Bakhtin. Current applications of genre theories to television.

4. Weeks 6

Current strategies of research of celebrity culture and magazine texts analysis.

5. Weeks 7-8

Power in spoken discourse: Conversation Analysis. Current strategies of radio talk show and political interviews.

6. Weeks 9

Revision. Examination questions review. 

7. Weeks 10-11

Narrative theory in the works of Labov and other researchers. Application of the narrative analysis theories and techniques to different texts, including newspapers and daytime television programmes.

8. Weeks 12-13

Critical Discourse Analysis as a theory and method. Application of the tools of CDA to a range of media texts from magazines and newspapers.

9. Weeks 14-15

The Internet. Modern digital technologies. ‘The language of the Internet’. Current strategies of analysis of computer-mediated interaction, e.g. in chat forums and weblogs.

10. Weeks 16-17

Multimodal texts. Multimodality. Current strategies of analysis of multimodal texts.

11. Weeks 18

Revision. Examination questions review. 

Course objectives

If you are interested in language you may already have taken

Introduction to English Language. Through your study for that course you will have developed knowledge and understanding of the main subdisciplines within the field of linguistics.

Alternatively you may have  taken Varieties of English or Language and Gender. Or it may be that you have some other background in linguistics that would give you a basis on which to pursue study in the area of Language and the Media.

But if this is the first linguistics course that you have attempted, don’t worry. We have tried to make this guide as self-sufficient as possible. However, if you have no background in linguistics and would like to do some extra reading in your own time, we would recommend the following:

Holmes, J. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. (London: Pearson Education, 2011) fourth edition [ISBN 9781408276747].

Yule, G. The Study of Language. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2016) sixth edition [ISBN 9781316606759].

Course objectives

By studying this course you will develop knowledge and awareness of language and its study in media contexts.

 

In addition, you will also develop knowledge of some main concepts (for example, semiotics)  related to media and cultural studies, which are essential in enabling you to analyse media language.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course you should have a good knowledge and understanding of the media, its different texts and genres.

You should also know which tools and concepts you can apply in a critical analysis of various media texts.

By the end of the course you should:

• have become familiar with a range of approaches to media analysis (for example semiotics, genre analysis, narrative analysis)

• be conversant with multi-modal analyses of communication

• have developed a critical awareness of a variety of media discourse types and genres

• understand the relationship between text and context in particular media discourses/genres

 

• be able to compare and analyse media and literary genres.

Assessment criteria

You will be assessed according to your ability to:

• reflect critically on developments in semiotic and other approaches to textual analyses

• apply techniques of linguistic analysis to a range of media texts

• extend your own critical vocabulary in relation to models and media of communication

• show originality in conducting analyses of media and literary texts.

Course learning outcomes and assessment criteria

This course offers an introduction to a number of approaches in the analysis of media texts, and to a multi-modal perspective in the analysis of communication.

Students will compare and analyse media and literary texts and genres, engaging with a broad range of examples, for

instance newspaper texts, advertising, the language of film, language of television, and others.

The course develops critical awareness of a variety of linguistic techniques for analysing media discourse types,

and engages with the relationship between text and context.

The course builds on theoretical knowledge and analytical skills

 developed in Varieties of English at Level 5.

The guide and the programme of study

The guide, as you will know, is not the course

in its entirety, but a pointer to how you can construct an appropriate programme of study.

Each chapter focuses on a selection of topics, some of which you may like to study in depth.

But you are not limited solely to the topics discussed. There may be others connected with a particular area that you will decide to focus on. This will become apparent to you during your own study and research. You will be expected to gain your own critical and independent perspective on the topics covered in the guide.

The guide and the programme of study

you will have to demonstrate that your thinking and ability to critically analyse a media text has moved beyond producing a basic general analysis to one that is informed by theories and concepts learnt on the course. Moreover, you will also

have to demonstrate that you can apply that knowledge, rather than simply describe it. So, for example, if a question asks you to analyse an advertisement, you must select tools and concepts learnt on the course and employ them in your analysis.

 

You are free to organise your essay in any way that seems logical to you, but you must move beyond description and make a well-supported analysis. Your analysis will need to be consistent and coherent, informed by knowledge gained on the course and supported by evidence from source material. To gain first-

class marks in an analysis of a media text, such as an advertisement, you will always have to demonstrate independent thinking and the ability to perform a detailed, thorough and holistic analysis backed up by relevant theories.

 

Furthermore, it is necessary to read widely at this level. This will allow you to come to an informed judgement of your own.

This will not be possible on the basis of reading only one book. 

In addition to the usual assessment criteria,

you will be assessed according to the degree to which you have achieved the Learning outcomes of the course and, in particular, according to your ability to:

• engage in debates to do with the media and the role that language plays in various media genres

• demonstrate that you can apply relevant theories when analysing media texts, commenting critically on the choices you have made.

Assessment criteria

You will be assessed according to your ability to:

• reflect critically on developments in semiotic and other approaches to textual analyses

• apply techniques of linguistic analysis to a range of media texts

• extend your own critical vocabulary in relation to models and media of communication

• show originality in conducting analyses of media and literary texts.

Sample media texts

Language can be described as “a human system of communication which uses structured vocal sounds and can be embodied in other media such as writing, print, and physical signs” (McArthur, 1993; 334).

LECTURES

FIND YOUR HOME ASSIGNMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 

LANGUAGE & THE MEDIA  RESOURCES

LANGUAGE & THE MEDIA RESOURCES

Media Studies - The A-Z Guide:

Play Video

SemiotiX: A Global Information Magazine: semioticon.com/semiotix/

Roland Barthes - How to Read the Signs in the News(Al Jazeera English, 2017):

Play Video

Semiotics for Beginners (Daniel Chandler): visual-memory.co.uk/daniel/Documents/S4B/

What is intertextuality? (The Media Insider, 2018):

Play Video

Steve Neale's genre theory explained:

Play Video

Labov, W. ‘Some further steps in narrative analysis’: www.ling.upenn.edu/~wlabov/sfs.html

Discourse in Society, the website of Teun van Dijk: www.discourses.org/

Department of History University of York, 1807 Commemorated: www.history.ac.uk/1807commemorated/media/methods/critical.html

Norman Fairclough’s page at Lancaster  lancaster.academia.edu/NormanFairclough

Ruth Wodak’s page at Lancaster: lancaster.academia.edu/RuthWodak

O’Reilly, T. ‘What is Web 2.0?’ (O’Reilly, 2005): www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

The Linguist List: new.linguistlist.org/

The Grim Conclusions of the Largest-Ever Study of Fake News: www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/largest-study-ever-fake-news-mit-twitter/555104/

Good Slang or Bad Slang? Embedding Internet Slang in Persuasive Advertising: www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01251/full

Ethical Journalism Network: Ethics in the News: ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/resources/publications/ethics-in-the-news/fake-news

Leslie Jeffries and her colleagues at Huddersfield’s Language and Conflictwebsite: languageinconflict.org/the-world-through-language.html

The International Institute of Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis: www.iiemca.org/

This is the companion website for Jones and Hafners book ‘Understanding Digital Literacies’. It provides summaries for the chapters and glosses key terminology as well as providing useful resources, such as blogs and talks based on the topic of each chapter: routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/_author/jones-9780415673150/

David Crystal: www.davidcrystal.com/books-and-articles/internet-language

EN3118 Language and the Media – supplementary reading list

If a reading item has the letters ‘OL’ next to it, then it is available via our Online Library collection. If the citation contains a hyperlink, it will take you straight to the reading item. Please note that we cannot guarantee that reading will be accessible to you and we do not undertake to supply all of the items in this list.

URLs given on this page were checked at the time of publication but will not be maintained. If a link to a resource is no longer working, use the bibliographic information to search for the item using a good search engine. The University of London cannot take responsibility for pages maintained by external providers.

Essential reading

Bell, A. The language of news media. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1991) [ISBN 9780631164357].

Bignell, J. Media semiotics: an introduction. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002) 2nd edition [ISBN 9780719062056].

Cameron, D. Working with spoken discourse. (London: Sage Publications, 2001) [ISBN 9780761957737]. [OL]

Carter, R., A. Goddard, D. Reah, K. Sanger and N. Swift Working with texts: a core introduction to language analysis. (London and New York: Routledge, 2008) 3rd edition [ISBN 9780415414241]. [OL]

Labov, W. Language in the inner city. (Philadelphia: The University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998) [ISBN 9780812210514] pp.354–96.

Lankshear, C. and M. Knobel New literacies: everyday practices and social learning. (Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2011) [ISBN 9780335242160]. [OL]

Matheson, D. Media discourses: analysing media texts. (Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2005) [ISBN 9780335214693]. [OL]

Richardson, J. Analysing newspapers: an approach from critical discourse analysis. (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) [ISBN 9781403935656].

Talbot, M. Media discourse: representation and interaction. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007) [ISBN 9780748623488]. [OL]

Further reading

Barthes, R. Image music text. (London: Fontana, 1977) [ISBN 9780006861355].

Chandler, D. Semiotics: the basics. (London and New York: Routledge, 2017) 3rd edition [ISBN: 9781138232938].

Drew, P. and J. Heritage (eds) Talk at work: interaction in institutional settings. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992) [ISBN 9780521376334].

Durant, A. and M. Lambrou Language and media: a resource book for students. (London and New York: Routledge, 2009) [ISBN 9780415475747].

Dyer, G. Advertising as communication. (London: Routledge, 1982) [ISBN 9780415027816]. [OL]

Eggins, S. and D. Slade Analysing casual conversation. (London: Cassell, 1997) [ISBN 9780304337286].

Fairclough, N. Analysing discourse: textual analysis for social research. (London: Routledge, 2003) [ISBN 9780415258937].

Fairclough, N. Language and power. (London: Longman, 2014) 3rd edition [ISBN 9781138790971].

Fowler, R., B. Hodge, G. Kress and T. Trew Language and control. (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, 1979) [ISBN 9780710002884].

Fowler, R. Language in the news: discourse and ideology in the press. (London: Routledge, 1991) [IBSN 9780415014199]. [OL]

Galtung, R. and M.H. Ruge ‘The structure of foreign news: the presentation of the Congo, Cuba and Cyprus Crises in four Norwegian newspapers’, Journal of Peace Research 2(1) 1965, pp.64–91. [OL]

Goatly A. and P. Hiradhar Critical reading and writing in the digital age: an introductory coursebook.  (Oxon: Routledge, 2016) 2nd edition [ISBN: 9780415842624]. [OL]

Goddard, A. The language of advertising. (London: Routledge, 2002) 2nd edition [ISBN 9780415278034].

McKee, A. Textual analysis: a beginner’s guide. (London: Sage Publications Ltd, 2003) [ISBN 978076194993]. [OL]

Montgomery, M., A. Durant, N. Fabb, T. Furniss and S. Mills Ways of reading: advanced reading skills for students of English literature. (London and New York: Routledge, 2012) 4th edition [ISBN 9780415677479].

Rose, G. Visual methodologies: an introduction to the interpretation of visual materials. (London: Sage, 2001) 4th edition [ISBN 9781473948907].

Sacks, H., E.A. Schegloff and G. Jefferson ῾A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking for conversation’, Language 50 1974, pp.696–735. [OL]

Storey, J. Cultural studies and the study of popular culture. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010) 3rd edition [ISBN 9780748640386]. [OL]

Strinati, D. An introduction to theories of popular culture. (London: Routledge, 2004) [ISBN 9780415235006]. [OL]

Thwaites, T., L. Davis and W. Mules Introducing cultural and media studies: a semiotic approach. (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002) second edition [ISBN 9780333972472].

Tolson, A. Mediations: text and discourse in media studies. (London: Arnold, 1996) [ISBN 9780340574898].

Toolan, M.J. Narrative: a critical linguistic introduction. (Abingdon: Routledge, 2001) 2nd edition [ISBN 9780415231756]. [OL]

Wales, K. A dictionary of stylistics. (Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2011) 3rd edition [ISBN 9781408231159].

Williamson, J. Decoding advertisements: ideology and meaning in advertising. (London: Marion Boyers Publishers, 2010) [ISBN 9780714526157]. [OL]

Supplementary reading

Supplementary reading will deepen your understanding in some areas but it is not required in order to pass the module. You may wish to consult the reading suggested here or others that you find.

Machin D., A. Mayr How to do critical discourse analysis. (London: Sage Publications 2012) [ISBN: 9780857028921].

Van Leeuwen, T. Introducing social semiotic: an introductory textbook. (Oxon: Routledge, 2004) [ISBN 9780415249447]. [OL]

 

◄ Resources

Home Assignment by 11-09-2021 (London group)

Write a short essay / micro-essay (300-330 words) by 17-09-2021

"What is media?"

 

Home Assignment by 18-09-2021 (London group)

Please, read [Language and the Media Shakuntala Soden and Geri Popova EN3118 2019, p.101-112] carefully. Ask questions. Design an algorism and a template for your essay. 

Home Assignment by 18-09-2021 (Groups 402-405)

Write a short essay (300-330 words) by 17-09-2021

 

"What is a sign?"

Home Assignment by 25-09-2021 (Groups 401-405)

Home Reading: Chapters 1-3 [Language and the Media Shakuntala Soden and Geri Popova EN3118 2019, pp.3-30].

Home Assignment by 25-09-2021 (Groups 402-405)

(1) Write a short essay (300-330 words) by 24-09-2021

 

"What is media?"

 

[Three passages to write:

(a) What I say; (b) What they say; (c) Summary]

 

 

(2) Review semiotic terms and notrions. Get ready for testing.

 

(3) Monitors need to present information o attendance, participation and truancy of students of the group and deploy it on corporate disk.

Home Assignment by 01-10-2021 (Groups 402-405)

(00) Review Chapters 1-2-3 in your Course book. 

 

(1) Please, register in LMS 

 

(2) Pass a test on llinguistics, semiotics and sign theory.

The links will be shown below by Wednesday.

https://public-lms.tversu.ru/courses/3/quizzes/649 Test (403)

https://public-lms.tversu.ru/courses/3/quizzes/650 Test (404)

https://public-lms.tversu.ru/courses/3/quizzes/651 Test (402)

 

https://public-lms.tversu.ru/courses/3/quizzes/652 Test (405)

 

(3) Start working on your micro-projects concerning key concepts of semiotic analysis and media communication theory.  Start with

mind-mapping (pose the key questions you want to cover).  

Home Assignment by 16-10-2021        (All groups)

(1) Review Chapters 1-2-3-4 in your Course book. 

 

(2) Get prepared to write an essay on one of the following topics: 

 1. Discuss relationships between genre and intertextuality. Draw on research and theories and examples to support your discussion. 

2. How useful is the concept of register in an analysis of texts? Illustrate your discussion with examples and references to theory. 

3. Discuss how a particular celebrity is represented, drawing  specific examples to support your discussion.

4. Consider what is involved in graffiti. Find some examples on the internet. What can you say about the intertextuality involved in this practice?  What other related concepts can be drawn upon? 

  

 (3) Continue working on your micro-projects concerning key concepts of semiotic analysis and media communication theory.Collect necessay resources. Analyse different approaches. Start with mind-mapping (pose the key questions you want to cover)

   

(4) Review key concepts of the course. Get prepared to pass a test in LMS.

Transcription conventions
[ the point at which the current speaker’s talk is overlapped by the other’s
talk
(.) micro pause
(..) pause slightly longer than micro pause
CAPS relatively high volume
underline stressed part of syllable
:: noticeable lengthening
= latched utterances, with no interval between them
? rising intonation
( ) inaudible utterance

Home Assignment by 26-10-2021        (All groups)

(1) Review Chapters 1-2-3-4 in your Course book. 

(2) Write an essay on one of the following topics: 

1. Discuss relationships between genre and intertextuality. Draw on research and theories and examples to support your discussion. 

2. How useful is the concept of register in an analysis of texts? Illustrate your discussion with examples and references to theory. 

3. Discuss how a particular celebrity is represented, drawing  specific examples to support your discussion.

4. Consider what is involved in graffiti. Find some examples on the internet. What can you say about the intertextuality involved in this practice?  What other related concepts can be drawn upon? 

  

(3) Present your micro-projects.

   

(4) Review key concepts of the course. Get prepared to pass a test in LMS.

Pass the final test in module 01 by November, 08, 2021

EN3118 Suggested study syllabus - Langua
Adobe Acrobat Document 25.5 KB

Sample Topics for group presentations by 25-12-2021:

 

/In your presentation give some room to (a)  theory, (b) materials (some vivid examples), (c) observation, analysis and conclusions/
 

(1) What are the characteristics that help readers and/or viewers identify or recognize a text as belonging to a particular genre?

Illustrate your discussion with examples from TV, films or books.

Use introductory parts of the movies, TV series and TV shows.  

Use both British and local examples.

 

(2) Reality TV is a very common phenomenon.

 Is it a genre in its own right or does it make use of other genres?

 If so, which ones? Illustrate your discussion with examples.

 Use both British and local examples.

 

(3) Investigate celebrity culture and analyse magazine texts. There has been a phenomenal rise in the significance of celebrity in many societies and in the presence of celebrities in the media. Discuss, drawing on examples to support your discussion.

 

(4) Select a recent advertisement published in a newspaper or magazine. Present a semiotic analysis of the advertisement as a multimodal text, paying particular attention to the interaction between verbal and visual signs. To what extent are paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations useful for interpreting meaning in a Media text? Draw on examples to support your discussion. Use both British and local examples.

 

(5-1) Narrative theory. We ask you to consider the work of Labov and other researchers interested in narratives. We invite you to apply the theories introduced here to different Media texts, focusing on Mass Media like cartoons, comics etc.

 

E.G. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7wjqtTnegE

 

https://drawnstories.ru/comics/dc-comics/Joker/three-jokers

 

https://drawnstories.ru/comics/dc-comics/joker/joker-2021

 

https://drawnstories.ru/comics/DC-Comics/Joker/joker-harley-criminal-sanity

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myHybW5y4_c&t=116s

 

 

(5-2) Narrative theory. We ask you to consider the work of Labov and other researchers interested in narratives. We invite you to apply the theories introduced here to different Media texts, focusing on newspapers and daytime television programmes.

 

Use English examples.

 

PS. You may like to take a look at some extra reading materials to support your investigation. So you might take a look at the books in the folder (Press the link below). 

 

По итогам занятия 11-12-2021 старостам выслать преподавателю ссылки на папки с работами.

 

andard Requirements for your PPT Presentations

Presentation Structure (on average 12 slides)

1.1. Title list

1.2. Present yourself and formulate your topic.

2.1. Provide Short Introduction

2.2. Give reasons, why your presentation topic is important. Start with the problem.

3.1. Make clear mapping of what you have to say. Formulate the tasks of your report.

3.2. Present the structure of your talk and slides.

4.1. Present a short narrative about the genesis of the concept under study.

4.2. Present clear definitions of new terms and notions; use references.

4.3. Introduce cases; provide examples.

4.4. Visualize the ideas /use block diagram, pie chart, flow chart etc./.

4.5. Explain interconnections between key ideas of your report. Use comparison of the key concept of your presentation with alternative approaches. 

5.1. Provide cues for feedback.

5.2. Be prepared for answering teacher's and student's questions

6.1. Specify connections to other topics in the subject of study. Formulate the limitations of your report.

6.2. Provide a list of checking questions/ a set of exercises or tasks for the audience.

6.3. Provide a set of interactive testing tools for checking understanding of the message by the audience; use QR-code for LearningApps tests, Google tests or Kahoot.

7.1. Provide List of References.

8.1. Provide a Glossary of Key Terms of your presentation.

9.1. Get ready to answer additional questions by the teacher and fellow-students

Language & the Media Sample Examination
Adobe Acrobat Document 55.7 KB

О проведении контроля успеваемости

студентов во 2 семестре 2021-2022 уч.г.

РАСПОРЯЖЕНИЕ №1 от  «20» января 2022 г

Сроки проведения срезов

45.03.02 - Английский язык и международная коммуникация

1-й срез

 

18.04.2022 24.04.2022;

 

2-й срез

 

16.05.2022 –26.05.2022

 

YOUR CREDIT EXAM QUESTIONS

Write ~1,000 words essay by 18.00 19-05-2022

Answer THREE questions (all three questions carry equal marks). Candidates may NOT reproduce the same material in more than one answer, in this examination or in any other examination.

a.     Access the following links to some publicity for the Johnny English film franchise. www.yourprops.com/Johnny-Rowan-Atkinson-original-screen-used-costumes-wardrobe-Johnny-English-2003-prop-50013.html

                                          i.    www.fansshare.com/gallery/photos/219936/Johnny-English- Reborn/

                                         ii.    Discuss how the concept of intertextuality is relevant. Give some examples of other media texts (e.g. advertisements; magazine texts) which rely heavily on intertextuality for interpretation.

2.     The following link leads to The Times Appeal and is about Riders for Health, a charity organisation in Lesotho:

 

                                          i.    www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/timesappeal/article3648554.ece

                                         ii.    Analyse aspects of the article, including a consideration of how storytelling is used as a persuasive strategy.

3.     The link below leads to the Guardian newspaper website. Find a recent article on the website: www.theguardian.com/uk

 

                                          i.    Perform a Critical Discourse Analysis on the article. Ensure that you discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of CDA and link these to your analysis.

4.     Saussure’s signifier and signified model is concerned with spoken language. Can we apply it to written language or photographs? Discuss the model, using suitable examples.

5.     Discuss the concepts of denotation, connotation and myth, using examples to support your discussion.

6.     According to Barthes (1977, p.40), anchorage is a form of control which has a ‘repressive value’. Discuss what Barthes was referring to, using examples to illustrate your answer.

7.     To what extent are paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations useful for interpreting meaning in a text? Draw on examples to support your discussion.

8.     What are the characteristics that help readers and/or viewers identify or recognise a text as belonging to a particular genre? Illustrate your discussion with examples from TV, films or books.

9.     Reality TV is a very common phenomenon. Is it a genre in its own right or does it make use of other genres? If so, which ones? Illustrate your discussion with examples.

10.  There has been a phenomenal rise in the significance of celebrity in many societies and in the presence of celebrities in the media. Discuss, drawing on examples to support your discussion.

11.  To what extent is Labov and Waletzky’s (1967) narrative schema model a useful framework when analysing media texts? You should refer to research and theories in your answer.

12.  Why is media and language an important area of study? Illustrate your discussion with examples.

13.  Select a recent advertisement published in a newspaper or magazine. Present a semiotic analysis of the advertisement as a multimodal text, paying particular attention to the interaction between verbal and visual signs.

14.  Select a recent advertisement published in a newspaper or a magazine and one poem in which you think the layout is significant. How does graphology contribute to the meaning of the two texts?

15.  Select an interview broadcast in the media in English. Transcribe three to four minutes of the interview and analyse the transcribed part using the techniques of analysis covered on the course, for example, Conversation Analysis. Ensure that you discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of your framework of analysis and of your own analysis.

 

16.  Select an interactive online advertisement. Analyse the advertisement, taking account of the collaborative, participative features. Contrast the advertisement with static advertisements, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages that the internet provides advertisers with.

1.      Your answer must be informed by reading/study from the Language and the Media course.

2.      Explain why ‘presupposition’ is a useful device for advertisers. Refer to at least two media texts to support your answer.

3.      Explain paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations illustrating your answer with examples from media texts.

4.      Discuss how ‘intertextuality’ and ‘genre’ relate to one another. Refer to at least two media texts to support your answer.

5.     Explain the key features of institutional talk. Illustrate your answer with examples to support your discussion. Your answer must be informed by study you have done on the Language and the Media course.

6.     ‘In every society various techniques are developed intended to fix the floating chain of signifieds in such a way as to counter the terror of uncertain signs; the linguistic message is one of these techniques’ (ROLAND BARTHES). Explain what Barthes meant by this in relation to ‘anchorage’ and ‘relay’. Provide examples to support your answer.

7.      Compare and contrast the concepts of ‘metaphor’ and ‘metonymy’, providing examples from media texts to support your discussion.

8.      Explain what Galtung and Ruge meant by ’news values’. Discuss at least three of these values, providing examples. Your discussion should also include the relevance of those ‘news values’ today.

9.      Discuss the concepts of ‘denotation’, ‘connotation’ and ‘myth’ and how they inter-relate to one another, giving examples to illustrate your answer.

10.Who is the ‘implied reader’ of a text? Explain how the ‘implied reader’ contrasts with the real reader with reference to at least two types of media texts.

11.Discuss some of the features of at least two of the following:

weblogs

text messaging

 

Twitter.

Mediated discourse analysis

Mediated discourse analysis

Mediated discourse analysis (MDA)

(coined by the late Ron Scollon)

is a specialised form of linguistic discourse analysis 

(similar to critical discourse analysis)—it mediates discourse, agency, and practice into what Scollon calls a "nexus of practice". The goal of MDA is to focus on discourse in action, as opposed to discourse as action,

thus making discourse analysts responsible for applying discourse into various practical and useful contexts.

 

It examines two broad kinds of questionsthat have been left under-theorized by other approaches. It investigates what part textsplay in actions undertaken by social actors on the one hand and how texts arise as theoutcomes of social interactive processes of production on the other hand. It will oftenstart by asking (R. Scollon 2001a, 2002):

 

- What is/are the action(s) going on here?

- What is someone doing here andwhy?

- What is the role of discourse in this/those actions?

 

 

- By whom is it produced,why is it used, and what motives are behind it? 

 

 

Examiners expect that the best-prepared candidates will be those who have read and researched widely and who show knowledge and familiarity with a range of topics and theoretical frameworks. Specifically, Examiners would anticipate stronger papers to come from candidates who demonstrate that they have the ability to:

q    familiarise themselves with a wide variety of media genres

q    study beyond the minimum number of topics required to answer the paper

q    critically evaluate theories and concepts as well as being able to apply them to media texts

q    work with frameworks for analysing visual images

q    work with frameworks for analysing linguistic text

q    apply some tools and concepts to either the visual or the verbal

q    select appropriate framework(s)/theories for whichever media text is being analysed.

 

 

You should remember that you must not produce the same work (that is, repeat) material from answer to answer. Take care, therefore, to select questions where you will be unlikely to do this. This is a compelling reason to ensure you revise several topic areas which you will be studying on the course extensively to ensure you have some flexibility and choice in the questions that you answer in the examination itself.

 

 

„Indeed, we can define a culture as a set of semiotic systems, a sets of systems of meaning, all of which interrelate‟

(Halliday & Hasan, 1985: 4).

 

Table 1.   Summary of the main trends in advertising

 

Media

 

Advertizing

Print

Radio

Television

Internet

STRATEGY

Rational

Non-rational

Non-rational

Non-rational

PERIOD

Middle Ages - 1920

1920-1950

1950- present

1950- NOW

FOCUS  

product qualities. price, use.  etc.

personality attributes ­ associated with product

of lifestyle activities, associated with product

of lifestyle activities, identity, associated with product

THEMES

THEMES

quality, usefulness. etc.

 

Status, family, Health, social authority. etc.

 

glamour. romance,

sensuality, self­transformation, leisure, health,

???

self­

transformation,

groups, friendship, etc.