ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

The Powers of Language

and the Threats to its Integrity

WITH
ADDITIONAL
EXERCISES
AND
RESOURCES

IN-CLASS AND OUT-OF-CLASS COURSE MATERIALS

Series Project Coordinator:

Marcela González de Gatti

Authors:
Marcela González de Gatti

Dolores Orta

Claudia Schander

2017 - 2020
ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

INDEX

Introduction .........................................................................................................3

The main language skills: Integrated Practice ........................................................6

Human and non-human communication ..............................................................6

The power of language........................................................................................ 35

People’s “slanguage” .......................................................................................... 49

English as a lingua franca ..................................................................................... 55

Linguistic imperialism and the demise of minority languages .............................. 72

Language and cognition...................................................................................... 78

Lexical competence: Further development and consolidation .............................. 85

Additional resources for self-study and strategy training ..................................... 113

Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 118

Language and communication

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INTRODUCTION

In conjunction with such topics as Life in Society: the Perils of Stereotypes and
Prejudices, the Amazing Connections between the Human Mind and the Body, the
Value of Music and Painting for individuals and society, and Life in Society: Facing the
Challenges of Conflicts and Dilemmas, The Power of Language and the Threats to its
Integrity contains important components of the thematic context in which English
Language III students at the School of Languages (Facultad de Lenguas, Universidad
Nacional de Córdoba) embark on the task of developing and enhancing their linguistic
skills. For post-intermediate and advanced students, understanding the nature of such
phenomena as different types of verbal and non-verbal communication, the emergence of
Globish, the existence of language hotspots around the world, and the relationship between
language and power may be genuinely stimulating. Looking into the nature of
Communication and Language from a holistic point of view results in the possibility of
both recapping on certain concerns raised in previous language courses and setting the
foundations for future specific subjects. This content unit also provides the necessary
framework for the acquisition of language-related vocabulary and the development of
lexical learning strategies.
We have designed the present material for our students’ in-class and out-of-class
work taking special note of two different groups of students: the ones who are naturally
inclined to enjoy contents related to language and communication and the ones who
would also do so, if they could only overcome their initial fears to participate in active
and lively discussion classes, to express an opinion, or to communicate a personal
response. We have addressed the needs of the former by including listening and reading
texts which deal with a variety of engaging topics, as well as material which presents or
describes original, unusual, and controversial ways of dealing with such topics. We have
addressed the needs of the latter through a two-fold approach. We have provided
student-friendly background information about enlightening theories and research studies
which shed light on the challenging content. Additionally, we have designed activities
which will involve all students alike in a multiplicity of collaborative tasks in which they
will be able to share and allay their fears, learn from one another, and construct their
knowledge following individual and shared pathways.
From the point of view of our language teaching goals, the present material
purports to fulfill at least four major objectives. One important objective underlying the
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selection and organisation of the contents is the promotion of linguistic interaction

through the integration of the language skills and sub-skills. Following the tapestry
metaphor for language learning developed and championed by Scarcella and Oxford
(1992), we have structured the materials in such a way as to integrate the practice of all
the skills, rather than dissecting language instruction into rigidly separated skill
compartments. A weaver develops a tapestry by having various coloured yarns pass over
or under uncoloured fibres, blending multi-coloured strands which give a shape and a
pattern to a beautiful design. In an analogous way, language learners combine multiple
factors in an interaction between their individual characteristics – levels of motivation,
learning needs and preferences in their learning styles – and external influences – learning
environments, teaching practices and in-class as well as out-of-class course materials. For
such interaction to result in communicative competence, it must be meaningful and well-

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balanced. The integration of the skills which stands as the backbone of our instructional
material promotes an emphasis on meaning, exposure to naturally occurring authentic
language, an opportunity for the expression of personal ideas, peer feedback, and various
forms of cooperative learning. Such factors, like additional threads with appealing shades
and textures, should hopefully add intensity and richness to the tapestry.
We subscribe to the view that vocabulary acquisition, in particular, occurs in both
incidental and intentional ways. Nevertheless, there is a special emphasis in the present
materials on explicit instruction of content-specific vocabulary and vocabulary learning
strategies, as our next main objective. This goal is based on current research-based
principles which suggest that the explicit teaching not only of vocabulary but also of
vocabulary learning strategies may have the added effect of increasing students’ interest
and motivation to expand their lexicon and enhancing their word consciousness, defined as
an interest in, and awareness of words and word meanings (Graves and Watts-Taffe
2002, p. 141). We believe that word consciousness is essential for sustained vocabulary
growth and vital for the development of effective writing and critical reading and
listening since an increased sensitivity to word choice enhances students’ ability to
communicate their ideas and enables them to become critical and sophisticated
consumers of the texts they approach. Unlike grammar, which consists of a system with a
limited number of rules, vocabulary is an open, unbounded system. Coming to terms
with such a system, according to Laufer and Nation (2012) poses difficulties with a
“quantitative”, a “qualitative” and a “situational” dimension. Learning vocabulary
involves learning thousands of words (quantitative); it involves mastery of numerous
features of the words themselves and the patterns and allegiances they can form with
other words (qualitative); and it presents the challenge of reinforcement (situational),
since learners have constant grammatical reinforcement by frequently encountering the
same structure in phrases and sentences but new lexis does not receive the same amount
of reinforcement, which would require an inordinate amount of input (p. 163). This
content unit intersperses a series of exercises with the integrated practice of the major
skills and offers an additional consolidation section at the back of the set. The purpose is
to provide students with the opportunity to compensate for this inherent difficulty and to
develop and build upon their lexical awareness and their linguistic competence.

In Teaching and learning in the language classroom, Hedge (2000) builds a picture of
teachers’ perceptions of the self-directed learner, which we would like to share with our
students. According to this description, self-directed learners:
 -‘know their needs and work productively with the teacher towards the
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achievement of their objectives’

 -´learn both inside and outside the classroom’
 -‘can take classroom-based material and can build on it’
 -‘know how to use resources independently’
 -‘learn with active thinking’
 -‘adjust their learning strategies when necessary to improve learning’
 -‘manage and divide the time in learning properly’

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 -‘don´t think the teacher is a god who can give them ability to master the
language’ (p. 76).

As teachers of English Language III, we propose the development of self-directed

learners in the manner described by Hedge as our third main objective in our language
course, because we believe that successful students take the initiative in learning and
assume responsibility for it. We have designed these course materials to enable our
students to develop their own plans for pursuing and achieving their goals, to learn how
to use materials and resources effectively, to organize their time for learning, and to
engage in the active development of successful learning strategies. The various activities
contain instructions interwoven with strategy training and useful learning and evaluation
tips.
Practices oriented toward the promotion of learner autonomy vary a great deal.
According to one possible taxonomy, Benson (2001) subdivides approaches to the
fostering of autonomy into six categories: resource-based, technology-based, learner-
based, classroom-based, curriculum-based and teacher-based (p. 111). The course
materials we present have been enriched by the inclusion of a blended learning component,
which combines in eclectic ways the first three approaches to the development of self-
learning strategies and skills. In keeping with present tendencies which stem from the
ubiquitous presence of technology, and which are radically changing both teaching
practices and learning processes, we have been careful to present topics and activities that
are integral to and effectively intertwined with those included in our VLE (Virtual
Learning Environment). Hence, our fourth major objective has been the creation of
opportunities for students to profit from a variety of resources available on the web.
Gradually, our students should be able to develop the notion that their learning can take
place beyond the walls of the classroom through technology-based resources which are
legitimate tools for knowledge acquisition and consolidation. Because the web is such a
dynamic space, sites sometimes disappear or the links to access them are broken. For that
reason, the audio, video and written texts required can also be downloaded from our
VLE, which contains a repository for all necessary materials.
Through this edition of The powers of language and the threats to its integrity, we aspire
to awaken a genuine interest in linguistic issues among our students. No less important
are the four main objectives which we have delineated as part of our language teaching
goals. The material contains sections for in-class activities and for out-of–class practice,
consolidation and research. It includes tasks and activities to promote the integrated
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practice of all the language skills and sub-skills, research on specific content and linguistic
items, exercises to develop and enhance students’ lexical competence, exciting activities
to enlarge their repertoire of learning strategies, and carefully selected Internet resources.
It is our hope that our students will take advantage of this opportunity to become
autonomous language learners and acquire as well as enhance their background
knowledge about rich variety of topics dealt with in this particular subject.

The authors

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THE MAIN LANGUAGE SKILLS: INTEGRATED

PRACTICE

HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN

COMMUNICATION

WARM-UP PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Using background knowledge

to anticipate the contents of a written text. Get in small groups to discuss
these questions:

 Do you think animals communicate with one another?

 If so, do they communicate only with members of their own species or with members
of other species as well?
 Do you think they have their own systems of communication? What are they like?
 Are such systems of animal communication similar to human communication?
Different? How different?

READING ACTIVITY: Reading for general information. Learn

more about the way in which animals communicate by reading from Jessika
Toothman’s article “How do animals communicate?” The last two paragraphs
have only the initial sentences for you to predict the content that follows.
Once you have done that, compare the content you anticipated with the
author’s ideas by accessing the full article.

How do animals communicate?

By Jessika Toothman
Language and communication

Animals might not be able to speak or master advanced language techniques, but they certainly
have other ways of communicating. Whale song, wolf howls, frog croaks, bird chips -- even the
waggle dance of the honeybee or the vigorous waving of a dog's tail -- are among the panoply of ways
animals transmit information to each other and to other denizens of the animal kingdom.

Species often rely on verbal and nonverbal forms of communication, such as calls; non-vocal
auditory outbursts, like the slap of a dolphin's tail on the water; bioluminescence; scent marking;
chemical or tactile cues; visual signals and postural gestures. Fireflies and peacocks are classic
examples of brilliant bioluminescence and impressive visual displays, respectively. Ants use
chemical cues (in a process called chemoreception) to help guide their foraging adventures, as well
as for other activities like telling friend from foe, connecting with new mates and marshalling the
colony's defenses.

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When it comes to acoustic communication, not every member of a species is just alike. Animals in
different regions have often been overhead sounding off in different dialects. For example, one study
found that blue whales produce different patterns of pulses, tones and pitches depending on where
they're from. Some bird species are the same way. And what about those birds that live on the
border between territories of differing songsters? They often become bilingual, so to speak, and able
to communicate in the singing parlance favored by each of their groups of neighbors.
Communication between species can play important roles as well.

However, as noise pollution interferes with animal communiqués all across the globe, many
animals' ability to communicate effectively comes under fire.

Source: The full article is available at http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/animals-

communicate.htm
Language and communication

POST-READING RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Exploring animal

communication. Choose three animals from the chart that follows, do
research about the ways in which they communicate and prepare brief
reports to present orally in class:

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EXAMPLES OF ANIMAL COMMUNICATION

VISUAL AUDITORY TACTILE CHEMICAL

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VOCABULARY WORK: Use a specialized dictionary such as a

dictionary of idioms or collocations to find out about the language used for
animal calls and cries:

Dogs bark Lions ----------

Cats ---------- Cows ----------

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

Ducks---------- Monkeys ----------

Eagles ---------- Pigs -----------
Chickens ---------- Mice ----------
Doves ---------- Wolves -----------
Bulls ---------- Sheep -----------
Frogs ---------- Snakes ----------
Horses ---------- Pigeons ----------
Hyenas ---------- Horses ----------
Bears ----------- Birds ----------
Bees ---------- Whales -----------
Parrots ---------- Hens ----------

READING ACTIVITY: Reading to increase one’s world

knowledge. Many theorists have explained the differences between
human and animal communication. This is how Mano Singham does it in
the section below, which has been quoted from one of his articles:

The difference between human and other animal communication

Friday, 27 June 2008

by Mano Singham

In his book The Language Instinct, (1994) Steven Pinker pointed out two fundamental facts
about human language that were used by linguist Noam Chomsky to develop his theory about
how we learn language. The first is that each one of us is capable of producing brand new
sentences never before uttered in the history of the universe.

This means that:

[A] language cannot be a repertoire of responses; the brain must contain a recipe or program
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that can build an unlimited set of sentences out of a finite list of words. That program may be
called a mental grammar.

The second fundamental fact is that children develop these complex grammars rapidly and
without formal instruction and grow up to give consistent interpretations to novel sentence
constructions that they have never before encountered. Therefore, [Chomsky] argued,
children must be innately equipped with a plan common to the grammars of all languages, a
Universal Grammar, that tells them how to distill the syntactic patterns out of the speech of
their parents. (Pinker, p. 9)

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Children have the ability to produce much greater language output than they receive as input but it
is not done idiosyncratically. The language they produce follows the same generalized grammatical
rules as others. This leads Chomsky to conclude that (quoted in Pinker, p. 10):

The language each person acquires is a rich and complex construction hopelessly underdetermined
by the fragmentary evidence available [to the child]. Nevertheless individuals in a speech
community have developed essentially the same language. This fact can be explained only on the
assumption that these individuals employ highly restrictive principles that guide the construction of
grammar.

The more we understand how human language works, the more we begin to realize how different
human speech is from the communication systems of other animals.

Language is obviously as different from other animals' communication systems as the elephant's
trunk is different from other animals' nostrils. Nonhuman communication systems are based on one
of three designs: a finite repertoire of calls (one for warnings of predators, one for claims of
territory, and so on), a continuous analog signal that registers the magnitude of some state (the
livelier the dance of the bee, the richer the food source that it is telling its hive-mates about), or a
series of random variations on a theme (a birdsong repeated with a new twist each time: Charlie
Parker with feathers). As we have seen, human language has a very different design. The discrete
combinatorial system called “grammar” makes human language infinite (there is no limit to the
number of complex words or sentence in a language), digital (this infinity is achieved by rearranging
discrete elements in particular orders and combinations, not by varying some signal along a
continuum like the mercury in a thermometer), and compositional (each of the finite combinations
has a different meaning predictable from the meanings of its parts and the rules and principles
arranging them). (Pinker, p. 342)

This difference between human and nonhuman communication is also reflected in the role that
different parts of the brain play in language as opposed to other forms of vocalization.

Even the seat of human language in the brain is special. The vocal calls of primates are controlled
not by their cerebral cortex but by phylogenetically older neural structures in the brain stem and
limbic systems, structures that are heavily involved in emotion. Human vocalizations other than
language, like sobbing, laughing, moaning, and shouting in pain, are also controlled subcortically.
Subcortical structures even control the swearing that follows the arrival of a hammer on a thumb,
that emerges as an involuntary tic in Tourette’s syndrome, and that can survive as Broca’s aphasic’s
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only speech. Genuine language . . . is seated in the cerebral cortex, primarily in the left perisylvian
region. (Pinker, p. 342)

Rather than view the different forms of communication found in animals as a hierarchy, it is better
to view them as adaptations that arose from the necessity to occupy certain evolutionary niches.
Chimpanzees did not develop the language ability because they did not need to. Their lifestyles did
not require the ability. Humans, on the other hand, even in the hunter-gatherer stage, would have
benefited enormously from being able to share detailed information about plants and animals and
the like, and thus there could have been an evolutionary pressure that drove the development of
language.

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It seems clear that we are unlikely to ever fully communicate with other species the way we do with
each other. But the inability of other animals to speak the way we do is no more a sign of their
evolutionary backwardness than our nose’s lack of versatility compared to the elephant’s trunk, or
our inability to use our hands to fly the way bats can, are signs that we are evolutionarily inferior
compared to them.
We just occupy different end points on the evolutionary bush.

Source: The full article is available at http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2008/06/27/the-

difference-between-human-and-other-animal-communication/

POST-READING ACTIVITY: Extracting main ideas. Reread the previous

article and summarize its contents using the leading phrases below:

1. According to Pinker, Chomsky used two fundamental facts about

language to ……………………………………………………….......................

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. The first fact is that ……………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. The second fact is that ………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. The three possible designs for nonhuman communication systems

are ……………………………………………………………………………………..
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…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. The human design is different in that ……………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. The brain plays a different role in relation to language in animals

and humans. In animals, ………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

7. The author holds an evolutionary view of language, which is

reflected in ………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

8. Ultimately, the difference between human and nonhuman

communication is …………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: Introducing variety of expression

through a range of structures. The sentences which have been shaded in the
previous text contain a variety of structures to express different meanings.
Classify them by listing them under the corresponding labels below:

Focusing emphasis

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Comparison

Choice and/or preference

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Incremental repetition

Now use three of the structures featured in the previous exercise in

sentences of your own:

DISCUSSION: Expressing an opinion about a

current trend and speculating on the reasons. In the last few years, there
has been a sharp growth in the number of exotics people keep as pets. More
and more people are choosing to buy and keep weird and unusual animals.
Which of the following would you consider (an) ideal pet(s)? What kind of
communication do you think is possible between an exotic pet like the ones
featured below and its owner/master? [Shown on the classroom screen; also
find the exercise in the document complementary to this unit]
Language and communication

What is your opinion about the following arguments either in favour or

against keeping exotic pets?

“The current boom in exotic pets is just a human fascination with wild animals
combined with a media-constructed consumer’s desire to have something that is cool
and different they can boast about on social media.”

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“The pet trade threatens the viability of a species and it

poses risks both to animal and human health from
zoonotic disease.”

“The pet trade in exotic species exposes the animals

themselves to unacceptable levels of harm.”

“Exotic species have complex needs which cannot be met at all or only inadequately in a captive environment.”

“It is people’s right to buy and keep whatever kind of animal they
want, without regard to animal well-being.”

“It is worth remembering that there exists “An animal may have a
considerable disagreement among animal behavioral need to forage for
scientists about whether a given species is suitable food, even if the latter is
to become a pet or not. For example, in a given constantly supplied. When
study, some assessors considered a hamster suitable this behavioral need cannot be
and half considered it unsuitable. No single species met—which is often the case
was found suitable by every assessor. As a result, under conditions of
the very notion of an exotic species is quite blurry.” captivity—the animal
experiences distress. This
distress may be more difficult
to detect or assess in exotic
species.”

READING ACTIVITY: Reviewing prepositions. John Bradshaw,

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who has been quoted below, refers to the bonds between pets and their
owners. A few prepositions have been removed from his original words.
Based on your general comprehension of the text and your knowledge of
prepositions, supply the missing items. You can practice self-correction by
accessing the complete text from the link below.

Dogs have a much longer and more complete history of domestication.

Moreover, they are descended …………. a species, the grey wolf, which had
already evolved a highly sophisticated social brain that was, evidently, ripe

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…………. adaptation ………… a life with mankind. About eight thousand

years ago, when cats were still making their first tentative steps towards
eventual domestication, dogs had already diverged ………….. multiple types,
adapted for guarding, hunting and even as status objects. Domestication
wrought two major changes in their behaviour that were crucial ………….
their adaptation to the domestic environment. As they turned into dogs,
they became much more tolerant ……………. other members of their own
species, …………….. wolves, which are highly aggressive towards all but the
members of their own pack. They also gained a unique sensitivity
……………….. human body language, gaze and gesture, enabling them to be
trained to carry out a multitude of tasks, ………………... herding to guarding
to guiding. Cats, perhaps unfortunately, have not made as much progress
……………… either of these fronts, most still regarding other cats
………………. deep suspicion, and having a much more
limited understanding of human behaviour than dogs do.

For most cats, the relationship with their owner is important, but not all-
consuming: most cats seem perfectly content to keep their own company for
much of the day. Cats undoubtedly display an attachment to their owners
that transcends mere cupboard-love, based as it is ………………… behaviour
such as rubbing, purring and licking that are also used to cement bonds
between one cat and another. However, their limited ability to communicate
effectively with cats outside their immediate family means that many owners
inadvertently place them ………………… significant stress.

Cats do not naturally “get along with” each other, but many owners will
obtain a second cat in the belief that it will be “company” for their original
cat, only to witness their house being acrimoniously divided into two
separate territories. Even a cat that feels relaxed while in its owner’s home
may be terrorised by a neighbour’s cat as soon as it emerges …………….. the
cat-flap.
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Source: The preceding paragraphs have been extracted from the original Psychology Today text “The
bond between pet and owner” by John Bradshaw, available at
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pets-and-their-people/201211/the-bond-between-pet-and-
owner

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PRE-READING DISCUSSION: In pairs, discuss the

following questions:

 How do humans communicate through non- verbal means?

 Can you give examples of non-verbal forms of communication?
 Which of the two - verbal or non-verbal - is more effective? Is it at all possible to
compare the two? What criteria would you consider important for the sake of a
comparison?
 In what cases is non-verbal communication necessary? Complementary? Irreplaceable?
Unsuccessful? Counter-effective?

READING ACTIVITY: Reading and anticipating content. Kendra

Cherry defines eight different types of non-verbal communication in his
essay “Types of Nonverbal Communication.” The first four have been quoted
below. Be ready to speculate about the four missing types:

Types of Nonverbal Communication

8 Major Nonverbal Behaviors
By Kendra Cherry

According to experts, a substantial portion of our communication is nonverbal. Every day, we

respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors including postures, facial expression, eye
gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. From our handshakes to our hairstyles, nonverbal details reveal
who we are and impact how we relate to other people.

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior began with the 1872 publication of
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Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Since that time, there has
been an abundance of research on the types, effects and expressions of unspoken communication
and behavior. While these signals are often so subtle that we are not consciously aware of them,
research has identified several different types of nonverbal communication.

In many cases, we communicate information in nonverbal ways using groups of behaviors. For
example, we might combine a frown with crossed arms and unblinking eye gaze to indicate
disapproval.

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1. Facial Expression
Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication. Consider how
much information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. While nonverbal communication and
behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness,
anger and fear are similar throughout the world.

2. Gestures
Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate meaning without words.
Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Other
gestures are arbitrary and related to culture.

3. Paralinguistics
Paralinguistics refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language. This includes
factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection and pitch. Consider the powerful effect that tone
of voice can have on the meaning of a sentence. When said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might
interpret approval and enthusiasm. The same words said in a hesitant tone of voice might convey
disapproval and a lack of interest.

4. Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also convey a great deal of information. Research on body language has
grown significantly since the 1970s, but popular media have focused on the over-interpretation of
defensive postures, arm-crossing, and leg-crossing, especially after the publication of Julius Fast's
book Body Language. While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes, research
suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive that previously believed.

POST-READING ACTIVITY: Jot down the possible names you would use to
refer to the four missing types of non-verbal behavior. Access the article
quoted above and find out which are the missing types:

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http://psychology.about.com/od/nonverbalcommunication/a/nonverba
ltypes.htm

POST-READING VOCABULARY RESEARCH WORK:

Find out about English words that might be used to describe the following
gestures. Once you have learned the words, number the images and classify

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

them using the table included below the images, which is based on the article
you have just read [On the classroom screeen; also find the activity in the
set complementary to this unit]:

IMAGE LEXICAL ATTITUDE, DESCRIPTIVE SITUATION: USE THE ITEM

NUMBER ITEM EXPRESSION, MOOD IN A SELF-EXPLANATORY CONTEXT
FOUND CONVEYED

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POST-READING FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: WORD DOMAINS. A

word domain is a cluster of lexical items grouped around a general word
such as “walk.” Each of the items in the group has the same basic meaning as
the word “walk” but each of them has some additional meaning as well. The
specific words in each domain are more descriptive than the general word,
give more information, hint at the attitude involved, or are used in specific
circumstances or situations.

With the help of a variety of dictionaries, work at developing word

knowledge about the following groups of descriptive words:

WORD DOMAIN: LOOK

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to stare
to gaze
to glare
to squint
to peer
to ogle
to gape
to gawk/gawp
to blink

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to wink
to eye
to glance
to peek
to peep
to glimpse

You may aid your comprehension of these ways of looking by means of the
pictures and additional examples you can find at

http://www.englishandculture.com/blog/bid/95724/17-Ways-to-Say-
Look-in-English

You should perhaps ignore the verbs which do not appear on the previous list

WORD DOMAIN: SPEAK/SHOUT

to stammer
to stutter
to slur
to lisp
to scream
to shriek
to yell
to whisper
to mumble
to mutter
to murmur
Language and communication

to grunt

Now try the interactive quizz at

http://www.saberingles.com.ar/exercises/330.html

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

WORD DOMAIN: WALK

to stride
to march
to pace
to stroll
to amble
to saunter
to hasten
to wander
to roam
to prowl
to ramble
to hike
to trek
to strut

to swagger
to stagger
to stumble
to lurch
to waddle
to wade
to plod/trudge
to hobble
Language and communication

to limp
to shuffle
to shamble
to tiptoe
to creep
to sneak
to stalk
to loiter
to inch
to toddle

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

to slide
to slip
to skid

After you have studied various ways of walking, try the interactive exercise
at
http://www.ihbristol.com/free-english-exercises/test/esol-smc-ways-of-
walking

Authors Kathryn Trump, Sherry Tretcher and Dee Ann Holisky argue that
using domains enables students to increase the number of lexical items in
their active vocabularies, which is an intereseting asset for students at this
level. In the following paragraph, making use of the figurative meaning of
various words in the WALK domain (shaded in the passage), the authors
describe different attitudes students have towards learning:

Learning New Words

Students have different atitudes about learning new words. Some students
do not like to learn new words. They sometimes sneak away when it is time
to study vocabulary. They creep through their vocabulary lessons. They plod
to the dictionary, thinking about all the words they do not know. They
stumble from page to page, trying to find the word they are looking up.

Other students like to learn new words. They hurry to the dictionary, eager
to find the meaning of a new word. They even enjoy roaming through the
dictionary on their own. They look for insteresting new words as they
wander from page to page. They are not upset by a vocabulary list. They
Language and communication

enjoy preparing their vocabulary assignments.

(…) Do you like the idea of learning vocabulary through domains? Do you
want to march right onto the next lesson? Will it be fun and interesting for
you? You should be able to learn more words more quickly. Now you should
be ready to stride with confidence through the rest of this material. Good
luck!

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

Source: The previous passage has been slightly adapted from Trump, K., S. Tretcher and D. A.
Holisky. (1992). Walk, amble, stroll. Vocabulary building through domains . Level 2. Boston: Thomson and
Heinle.

Now use the shaded words in sentences of your own illustrating their
LITERAL meanings and showing that you know them.

OTHER GESTURES AND BODY LANGUAGE

to pout
to fumble
to figdet
to slump
to roll one’s eyes
to shrug one’s shoulders
to prop up one´s chin
to clutch one´s head/face
to perch
to tilt one’s head
to squat
to kneel
to cringe

Under what circumstances would someone perform the preceding actions?

Choose 10 items from the previous lists and give a detailed account of likely
circumstances.
Language and communication

VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Distinguishing nuances of meaning

from contextual clues. For each of the sentences below, try to find
contextual clues which may facilitate understanding of choices made about
particular ways of doing things. Answer the questions that follow as a form
of memory aid to help you remember contexts, collocations, and usage tips

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

about the words practiced.

1. Some people paid $230,000 for a ticket to the party. This is the party
where, instead of " Red or White? " arriving guests are asked, " Carpet
or No Carpet? " choosing whether they want to strut for the paparazzi.
Michelle Williams and Busy Phillips perch in the entryway, smiling,
smiling with Meryl Streep' s daughter Mamie Gummer. Host Graydon
Carter shakes hand after hand as waiters glide by with trays of
goblets of champagne.

What way of walking could be related to the attitude of wanting

public exposure, of being in the spotlight?

………………………………………………………………………………………….

What idea of movement do you picture in your mind if people are

said to glide by?

………………………………………………………………………………………….

How do the contextual clues which have been shaded help you to
learn about the shades of meaning conveyed by the underlined
words?

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. “Love is hard work, isn't it? Harder than I ever thought it would be. I
had my dream wedding, Lincoln carried me over the threshold of our
perfect house, and for a while, everything was wonderful. A fairy tale.
But then I was supposed to get pregnant and grow all round and cute
Language and communication

and waddle like a penguin. I'd deliver the most precious beautiful little
baby this world has ever seen and give it like five names and dress its
precious little body in hand-embroidered smocks. When we'd stroll
around downtown, people would stop us on the street and just stare
at my Gerber baby. "She sniffed." Instead I find out I have a
bicornuate uterus and even after surgery will have a tough time
getting pregnant."

If someone waddles, how do they walk?

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

How do the shaded words add context to the meaning conveyed

by the underlined words?

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. Artists in Egypt painted some of the most arresting portraits in the

history of art. Between 1887 and 1889, the British archaeologist W.M.
Flinders Petrie turned his attention to the Fayum, an oasis region 150
miles south of Alexandria. Excavating a vast cemetery from the first
and second centuries A.D., when imperial Rome ruled Egypt, he found
scores of exquisite portraits executed on wood panels by anonymous
artists. The portraits have an almost disturbing lifelike quality and
intensity. The images seem to allow us to gaze directly into the
ancient world.

How is the underlined word contextualized?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mention one word which you could associate with the action of
gazing

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. When your child speaks, it sounds like words or parts of words are
Language and communication

prolonged, repeated, or tough to get out. What you can do: Allow your
child to finish his sentences. Don't rush him, maintain eye contact,
and be sure to bring up open-ended topics like " I'll bet you did fun
things at preschool. " This way, he's free to answer however he
chooses, or not at all. Try to keep up a regular routine, since stress
and anxiety can cause your child to stutter even more. Use simple
sentences and speak slowly when talking about things you know will
annoy or anger him.

What are the reasons why someone might stutter?

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. Her legs ached with effort and stung with cold, and even though it was
hard to make her way to the great church door through the snow, she
trudged on. She pounded against the wood until her fists burned out
of their numbness. Somehow she imagined any moment her own
priest would appear to accept her into the warm house of God. But no
one came. Alice lay down to peer beneath the door and saw no light,
electric or candle. Alice sat down on the broad step and began to pray.

What connotations are added to the underlined words by the

shaded contextual clues?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. I had very long hair and I used to chew on it. It used to drive my
mother crazy. And I used to curl my hair. And she would yell at me
for it. But what if what my parents called nasty habits aren’t as bad as
they think? What if they actually help kids? Surprisingly, studies show
that what we consider nervous habits, behaviours that distract us,
may actually help kids to concentrate. Some children just
need to fidget and bite and pick in order to keep their minds alert.
Just think about the last time you were working at your desk. Were
you fidgeting, maybe tapping your foot a little bit? Of course, at
some other times, these habits don’t seem to help in any way. Sheila is
ten years old, and she's still twirling her hair and sucking her thumb.
And -- and she keeps promising on her next birthday she's going to
stop.

Can you describe examples of fidgeting?

Language and communication

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

What is the relevance of the shaded parts?

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

7. The product release party was just amazing. InterPortation's largest

employee lounge was decked out more gloriously than the best
ballroom in the best hotel downtown. The reception was catered by
five-star restaurateurs. The wine and champagne flowed freely
throughout the evening-so freely that it was nearly midnight before
Rose and I left the building, to stagger away the many blocks to where
we had parked our cars.

How are drinking and staggering related?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

8. Ashley tried to look Lily in the face but had to squint against the
setting sun, now gold - the sort of gold that only came late in summer,
full of pollen and heat and haze and the promise of a wet night. What
Ashley's mom called an asthma sun, the kind of sun that made Mom
drive Ashley indoors.

Why do you think the context of this sentence emphasizes the

visual effect of the sun, as shown by the shaded parts?

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Language and communication

STRATEGY TRAINING: Constructing semantic grids to consolidate

knowledge about shades of meaning: Choose three or four related verbs
from a specific domain and isolate semantic features so as to show,
understand and reinforce differences. Gradually expand the grid to include
other related words. The first one shown here is an example. You will find
additional resources at the back of this set in the section entitled
“Resources for self-study.”

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

TO GLANCE
TO GLARE

TO STARE

TO GAZE
The action implies holding X X
one’s stare for a long time
The action is motivated by X
anger or resentment
The action may cause offence X X
The action consists in looking X
quickly without much attention
The action may be motivated by X
admiration or surprise

PRE-LISTENING ACTIVITY: Preparing to listen. You will hear a behavioural

investigator talking about body language and the signals people send out
through it. Carry out the following activities to prepare to listen:

1. Mark a tick next to each word or phrase which you expect to hear:
Non-verbal cues
An MRI machine

Language and communication

LEARNER AUTONOMY: A semantic grid is a useful tool to come to terms with subtleties of
meaning. You can create a personalized grid by including lexical items which you find
confusing or too similar in meaning. As you master such lexical items, begin to expand
the grid to include other related items. The grid may contain semantic features which
you isolate from dictionary definitions and/or other such components as grammatical
patterns and word partnerships. For example, the grid might include references to the
typical subjects and objects with which the targeted lexical items may occur, as well as
situations in which the latter are likely to appear.

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

Voice tone
Primitive
Biological mating ritual
Discursive awareness
An evolutionary perspective
Phones

2. Mention three examples of female body language which, in your opinion,

unequivocally conveys attraction:

3. Which of the following body parts are involved in men’s territorial displays?

Feet

Head

Thumbs

4. Do men and women have different body language? Do they also read body language
differently?
5. What is the role of hormones in body language?
6. Can one’s body language be changed for a positive effect? How?

Now watch the following four videos at

Language and communication

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ5PF0zqQ4s (Body language of

attraction)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-snL3326LA (Decoding male body

language)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpco-3vR4M (Body language for

introverts)

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlZLuREeu5E (Advanced body

language)

POST-LISTENING ACTIVITY: Identifying known words and learning new

words for body language. Watch the videos again. Collect words and phrases
for body language and explain the meanings conveyed. In class, you will
compare your answers with those of a partner. You can use a chart like the
one below, which contains an example:

Expression found Meaning conveyed

Hunching one’s shoulders You are nervous or anxious

CRITICAL THINKING AND

DISCUSSION: Putting theory to the test of practice. Choose one or two of
the generalizations provided by the experts you heard and discuss their
validity in your own culture. Consider these non-verbal cues based on your
Language and communication

own experience.

ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITY: In small groups act out the parts of two

television interviewers and two or three body language experts discussing
ways of identifying shy, extroverted, aggressive and arrogant people by their
body language and strategies to avoid looking too self-conscious or anxious

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

in public. Be sure to use some of the words studied under the various
domains.

WRITING PRACTICE: Using “colouring” language for

descriptive and narrative effects. For each of the following pictures, invent
a short narrative using two or three specific ways of doing things which you
have learned from the WORD DOMAINS you have studied. Then share your
story with a partner. The first one has been done for you as an example [Find
the other pictures in the complementary set].Create your own passages using
the visual prompts.

When Alice realised that the fire

was becoming uncontrollable, she
crawled out of the office to avoid
inhaling the toxic fumes and
reached the lobby unhurt. A
firefighter asked her how the fire
had started but she was so
shocked that she shrugged her
shoulders and barely mumbled
an incomprehensible answer.

Language and communication

VOCABULARY WORK: Learning fixed phrases and expressions

related to the SPEAK domain. Find out about the meaning and usage of the
following lexical items. Then choose three of them and with a partner act
out a situation in which you use all three of them:

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 ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

to have a smattering of a language

to be at a loss for words

to be a to talk down
chatterbox to somebody

to steer clear of a
subject to explain something in
layman’s terms

to talk the hind

to talk about somebody behind leg off a donkey
their back [Br.]/
to talk a blue
streak

to set tongues to harp on

wagging (e.g.,
somebody’s
bad habits)

to be long- can’t/
winded couldn’t
get a
word in
edgeways Language and communication

to gloss over e.g., unpleasant facts)

to say something to give somebody the silent

under one’s breath treatment

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

CURIOUS FACTS: Learning about curious facts of nature and

getting acquainted with technical language. Try to answer the following
questions and then test your assumptions by listening to Suzanne Simard’s
TED talk “How trees talk to each other”, available from:

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_ot
her/transcript?language=en

[Find the picture-based questions in the complementary set]

The speaker uses a great number of technical words. Provide the definitions
and Spanish equivalents for the following items:

duct tape Geiger counter scintillation counter mycelium

mycorrhiza allele chemicals seedling

Language and communication

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

THE POWER OF LANGUAGE

WARM-UP PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Using questions to focus on

the topic of the power of language:

 Have you ever thought of your mother tongue as an empowering tool in your life?
 Can you think of four instances of such empowering role?
 Can language be a political instrument? In what circumstances?

READING ACTIVITY: Answering key questions to obtain main

ideas about a topic developed by an author. Read the essays “Mother
Tongue”, by Amy Tan, and “If Black English isn’t a Language, then Tell Me,
What Is?” by James Baldwin. The two essays can be accessed through the
sites below. Then be prepared to answer the questions that follow as
accurately as possible.

https://sixth.ucsd.edu/_files/cat_2013/TanMotherTongue.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-
english.html
Language and communication

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (About Amy Tan’s essay):

1. What does the author mean by the “different Englishes” that she uses?
2. How did the author feel about her mother’s English when she was a child?
3. How has the author’s perception of her mother’s English changed? Why?
4. How did her mother’s English influence her school performance?
5. What conclusion does the author seem to reach about Asian Americans in the
United States?

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

6. How does the author capture the essence of her mother’s English?
7. What is the author trying to prove as her main point?

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (About James Baldwin’s essay)

1. Why do people develop a language?

2. Why does opening your mouth in England amount to “putting your business in the
street”?
3. What are the implications of the author’s following words: “A language comes into
existence by means of brutal necessity, and the rules of the language are dictated by
what the language must convey”?
4. Is Black English a language or a dialect?
5. How have white Americans educated black children? Why?
6. Why does learning not occur?
7. What is the author trying to prove as his main point?

DISCUSSION ACTIVITY: Drawing on reading

material and personal experiences. In small groups discuss the role(s) of
language (both positive and negative) in our world and its relationship to
identity (individual and community). Use the views expressed in the two
essays you have analyzed.

READING ACTIVITY: Comparing one’s own synthesis of ideas

with somebody else’s. Read the following extract from an essay written to
Language and communication

answer the same question you were asked and using the same source texts.
Compare your conclusions with the opinions expressed in the extract. Make
a list of ideas or assumptions which you share with the writer below as well
as a list of arguments or viewpoints that reveal discrepancies.

Language is the impetus that empowers individuals to forge ties that bind into a community, thus
giving them personal, social, or cultural identification. In his essay, "If Black English Isn't a
Language, Then Tell Me What Is," James Baldwin defines language by pointing to its unparalleled
power. He writes, "language is also a political instrument, means and proof of power. It is the most

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

vivid and crucial key to identity" (129). Baldwin points to the experience of the African slaves.
Without a common language, they were unable to communicate with one another, but they evolved a
language, which they used to articulate their common experience and form their own community.
Indeed, the African Americans evolved a dialect of English that enabled them to describe their
reality and establish their own distinct cultural identity.
Not only can language articulate a simple truth, one's command of it demonstrates a simple truth:
without language, one is voiceless, with imperfect language, one is perceived as imperfect, and with
standard language, one is superior, at least from the perspective of those who possess standard
command of the language. Tan also examines this relationship of language to acceptance in a
dominant community in "Mother Tongue." She goes on to give countless examples of this truth in
action when she writes about how her mother was treated, "people in department stores, at banks,
and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to
understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her" (28). Why did they treat Mrs. Tan in such a
disrespectful manner? For the sole reason that she spoke a simple, non-native variation of English,
derogatorily referred to as "broken" or "fragmented" English. Indeed, this is the power of language:
without standard language skills, one is identified as an outsider, often inaccurately perceived and
unfairly discriminated against.
Yet identification with and acceptance in a community is not the only result of language
acquisition. Baldwin and Tan both describe an unbreakable link between language and self-
individuation. In other words, your experience with language shapes your sense of self-identity. Tan
writes of the different Englishes she uses. Chiefly, she distinguishes between the simple form of
English she speaks with her family and more complex version of the language she uses in her
professional life. Though there was a time when Tan was embarrassed by her mother's English, she
now sees things from a different perspective. She writes, "my mother's English is perfectly clear . . .
It's my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. That
was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the
world" (27). The language that she once perceived as inferior, sub-standard, or broken, she now
views as intimate, special, and representative of her mother's beautiful and insightful expression of
herself and view of the world, which Mrs. Tan, in turn, taught her daughter. Her point is well taken.

Shared ideas and assumptions:

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Language and communication

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discrepancies:

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POST-READING WRITING ACTIVITY: Write a thesis

statement and an introductory paragraph for an essay whose main content is
the text you have just read. After you have completed this task, you can
compare your own production with the introductory paragraph of the
sample essay.

Source: The sample essay from which the preceding text has been extracted is available, with its complete
introductory section at https://es.scribd.com/document/245831474/The-Existence-of-Mankind-is-
Essentially-Dependant-on-the-Written-and-Spoken-Word

ONLINE LISTENING ACTIVITY: Exploring a topic with

greater depth. After your reflections on the power of language, expand your
knowledge by listening to biologist Mark Pagel share his interesting theory
about why humans developed the complex system of language. His lecture
“How Language Transformed Humanity,” delivered at TED in July 2011, is
available at:

http://www.ted.com/playlists/117/words_words_words.html

Before listening, be prepared to answer these questions:

Language and communication

1. Why would someone consider language subversive?

2. What is the relationship between language and cumulative cultural adaptation?
3. Do you think language evolved for individual profit or for cooperation with others?

POST-LISTENING DISCUSSION: Interpreting

analogies and drawing generalizations on the basis of examples. The speaker

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

uses a great number of examples and analogies to make his case. In your own
words explain the meaning and/or implications of each of the following:

1. Instead, when you speak,, you're actually using a form of telemetry not so different from the
remote control device for your television.

2. Now these chimpanzees are using tools, and we take that as a sign of their intelligence. But if
they really were intelligent, why would they use a stick to extract termites from the ground rather
than a shovel? And if they really were intelligent, why would they crack open nuts with a
rock? Why wouldn't they just go to a shop and buy a bag of nuts that somebody else had
already cracked open for them?

3. And this is because in small groups there are fewer ideas, there are fewer innovations. And small
groups are more prone to
accidents and bad luck. So if
we'd chosen that path, our
evolutionary path would have
led into the forest -- and been
a short one indeed.

4. Language is a piece of social

technology for enhancing the
benefits of cooperation -- for
reaching agreements, for striking deals and for coordinating our activities. And you can see that,
in a developing society that was beginning to acquire language, not having language would be a
like a bird without wings. Language and communication

5. There are lots and lots of ways of measuring things --weighing them and measuring their length
-- but the metric system is winning. There are lots and lots of ways of measuring time, but a
really bizarre base 60 system known as hours and minutes and seconds is nearly universal
around the world. There are many, many ways of imprinting CDs or DVDs, but those are all
being standardized as well.

6. Ferraris are cars that have engines. My car has an engine, but it’s not a Ferrari.

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

CRITICAL THINKING: There is a strong connection between

political leadership and speech power. How would you explain that
connection? Can you recognize the world leaders illustrated below? [Shown
on the classroom screen; also find the activity in the complementary set].
Have you heard or read any of their speeches? What are the strengths of
their use of the language?

The website The Art of Manliness contains a library of memorable

speeches by the greatest orators of all time. Explore the website to become
familiar with some celebrated speeches delivered on a variety of occasions at
all-important times in the history of humanity.

The website makes the following claim:

If a man wishes to become a great orator, he must first become a student of the great
orators who have come before him. He must immerse himself in their texts, listening for the
turns of phrases and textual symmetries, the pauses and crescendos, the metaphors and
melodies that have enabled the greatest speeches to stand the test of time.

Now search for the speech “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” by
Frederick Douglas and answer the following questions:
Language and communication

1. Who was Frederick Douglas?

2. Why do you consider his to have been a powerful speech?
3. Can you give examples from his speech of the features which have made his speech
memorable (the features in bold type in the quote above)?
4. In what way(s) do you think such features contribute to the power and effectiveness
of the speech?

The speeches featured in the website are brilliant; however, the site has a
sexist approach since it lists only male orators under the questionable

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

heading of The Art of Manliness. Do some research through the web and
bring a short report on a female speaker and the power of her speech (the
TED site might be a good resource).

CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH A MINI-

WEBQUEST: A webquest is a research activity that requires learners to
collect information about a subject using the Web. A mini-webquest is one
that uses ONE major site, as opposed to several, but as the site contains
multiple links, you will have the opportunity to use a variety of resources as
you explore that one site. Poetry is a sphere of human expression that feeds
on the magic of the power of language. You will be provided with a link to
access an initial website which reviews a book about poet Pablo Neruda’s life
and art. Through the site’s hypertextual links, you are expected to resolve
the problems and complete the tasks that follow:

https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/04/pablo-neruda-poet-of-the-
people-book/

TASK 1: Decide to what extent the following pictures are relevant to an

understanding of Neruda’s early awakening to the importance of a poet’s
mission. Then write a short paragraph interpreting the symbolism of the story
in which such images are embedded.

Language and communication

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

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TASK 2: As you explore the site, build up a Vocabulary Log so as to

capitalize on the richness of the website to enhance your lexicon with words
and expressions related to language and, particularly, to its emotional
power.

VOCABULARY LOG Language and communication

CLUES TO YOUR SEARCH WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

FOUND
An expression that would enable you
to say that an experience or an
emotion has pushed back the limits
of your being
Elegance (or another characteristic)
which cannot be compared to any
other because of its superiority
A verb which could collocate with
the phrase “a deep truth”

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To confess or explain something

with the capacity to understand it
in retrospect
Different levels of such things as
meaning or misunderstanding
A verb that collocates with anecdote
and which means “tell” or “recount”
Word for a reciprocal influence,
which could be used to complete the
expression: “a delicate ……………..of
giving and receiving
A phrasal verb which means “to
record in the form of writing” (such
objects as results, findings, ideas)
An adjective that can qualify the
word “reading” with the meaning of
“enchanting” or “mesmerizing”
An verb that could be a replacement
for “praise” in “praise the value of a
book”
A word which could complete the
following sentence: “Literature
………….. the basic magic of what
things look like through someone
else’s point of view”
An expression that means that a
book can act as a compass in
helping us orient ourselves
internally
A phrase applicable to a person to
declare that he or she is so talented
or famous as to be a symbol of
creativity

TASK 3: Choose one of Julie Paschkis’s illustrations for the book on

Language and communication

Neruda and be ready to comment on its symbolism [all pictures will be shown
on the classroom screen].

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TASK 4. Watch The School of Life animated essay “What is Literature for?”
and write out sentences of your own explaining at least two examples of the
uses listed on the left of the chart below:

USES OF LITERATURE YOUR SENTENCES

IT SAVES YOU TIME

IT MAKES YOU NICER

IT’S A CURE FOR LONELINESS

IT PREPARES YOU FOR FAILURE

TASK 5: Comment on your personal response to Neruda’s “Ode to the

Book.” You might find some of the following lexical items useful to write
your report:
Language and communication

exuberant vibrant celebration heartening assurance

sweet reminder insight
the joy of reading

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TASK 6: Collect interesting thoughts related to the following people. Be

ready to justify the items in your collection:

a. Franz Kafka

b. Jeanette Winterson

c. Robert Henri

d. Alain De Botton

Language and communication

TASK 7: Sharing personal experience. If you agree that a good book can save
your soul, open your mind or help you discover magic, use the template below
to write down the title of one such book that you have read and write a
short paragraph describing its power:

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LISTENING ACTIVITY: Responding to rational and

emotional appeals. Listen to Lerato "Lee" Mokobe, a black transgender poet
from South Africa. He is an international youth slam poetry champion with
various awards for his spoken and written poetry pieces. He recites a moving
Language and communication

poem about what it feels like to be transgender, available from this link:

https://www.ted.com/talks/lee_mokobe_a_powerful_poem_about_what_
it_feels_like_to_be_transgender

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POST-LISTENING ACTIVITY: After listening to Mokobe’s poem, be ready

to describe the power of his words in terms of one or more of the following.
Mention specific examples and describe the effect on the listener:

Original metaphors:

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Powerful images that appeal to the senses:

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Repetition of words/structures:

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Language and communication

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Emphatic constructions:

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Stark contrasts:

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Which of the rhetorical features you have identified has had the greatest impact on you?
Can you explain why?

Language and communication

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“SLANGUAGE”

PRE-READING DISCUSSION: In pairs, speculate

about the possible meaning and implications of the following terms:

 Slanguage
 Sabotage to literacy
 Appropriacy in language
 Jargon

READING ACTIVITY: Discussing implications of bold statements

and daring questions. Read the following extracts quoted from an article
about “slanguage” and be prepared to elaborate on the ideas implied [You
will identify them easily because they have been shaded and there are arrows
pointing at them]:

MIND YOUR SLANGUAGE

By Vanessa Barford
BBC News

Slang is sabotaging language, with some teenagers unable to speak in any other way, say critics. So
should it be banned in schools?

From the Cockney rhyming calls of London's East End traders to teen speak, slang has always been
Language and communication

part of Britain's rich and diverse language. But young people are increasingly unable to distinguish
when it's appropriate to use it, say some linguists. Their language is becoming saturated by slang,
leaving them ill-equipped to communicate in the wider world.

Paul Kerswill, professor of sociolinguistics at Lancaster University, is studying street language in

London. He says an entirely new dialect is emerging. "Young people are growing up with a new form
of composite language. It's a bit cockney, a bit West Indian, a bit West African, with some

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

Bangladeshi and Kuwaiti - and it seems to be replacing traditional cockney. "This "multicultural
English" is now the ordinary way of speaking for many young people, he says. Instead of just using it
to be cool or to fit in with peers, they use it when they speak to everyone.

And those who use it are losing any sense of "appropriacy" - the important skill of turning it on and
off in different situations."Appropriacy simply means using the right variety of language for the right
context - using business jargon in business meetings, formal English in exams or slang in school
playground," says slang expert Tony Thorne.
"Language isn't just about communication, there is a strong social, political and emotional charge
to it. "Teachers warn of the damage caused by slang and its "sabotage" of literacy, he says.

Don't say 'innit'

But what is the answer? One school in Manchester is so concerned it has recently banned slang.

"It was clear many students found it difficult to get through a sentence without saying 'innit' or 'do
you know what I mean'," says Maria Nightingale, principal for operations at the Manchester
Academy.

"We're a business and enterprise academy. It is really important our youngsters go into the world
equipped with the appropriate use of language so they are not disadvantaged."

Exam results have soared as a consequence, she says. So should such a ban be more widespread
and if it was, would it work? (…)

Slang is also a natural human tendency, says Mr Thorne.

All groups - it doesn't matter whether they are soldiers, policeman, criminals or whatever - always
generate to some extent their own language. It's not just to communicate information, it's in order
Language and communication

to include people into your group and exclude people out of your group."Slang has not become more
prevalent, simply more public, he says.

"This kind of language has always been there, but it's been liberated. Even in the punk era in the
1970s and 80s, newspapers wouldn't print slang. Now there are very few constraints - in media, TV
soaps, rap lyrics - it's much more in your face."

He said, she said

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So if banning slang is not the solution, might the key be to understand it better?
That's the conclusion of one sixth form college in south London, which has put slang on the syllabus.

"A-level students learn where slang comes from," says Dan Clayton, a teacher at St Francis Xavier in
Clapham. "They analyse it linguistically and think about what function it serves in conversations, as
well as its links to identity."
Older generations - which tend to associate slang with the values of American gangster rap culture
and social decline - would benefit from studying it too because it would make slang seem less alien,
he says. (…)

POST-READING DISCUSSION: In small groups, make up a list of

objections which could be raised against slang and a list of motivations
which could help to justify its use. Then think of possible arguments to
defend the view that teenagers in fact do not “ruin a language”. You might
find useful ideas in the article “Teens Aren’t Ruining Language” available at

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/01/blatantly-
budge-and-other-dead-slang/431433/

Write three arguments in the form of complete sentences of your own:

POST-READING DISCUSSION AND WRITING: Analyzing the

full implications of quotes in personal essays. Choose one of the following
Language and communication

statements and write a full essay expressing your opinion.

"Whether we like it or not, the way we talk affects the way people see us and this can have
very serious consequences.”

"I see slang like martial arts. So long as you have strong foundations, you are free to
improvise."

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“You can slip into the perception there is good language and bad language, and make the
false link between bad language and bad people.”
Prof. Kerswill

Source: The preceding paragraphs have been extracted from Bardford, V. (2009)). Mind Your
Slanguage. BBC News Magazine[Electronic version]. Retrieved July 25, 2013, from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8388545.stm

READING ACTIVITY: Anticipating content. Read the following

extract from the article “Yes, teen-speak drives me mad, but adult jargon is
FAR worse – innit!” Be ready to speculate on the connections between the
title, the passage below and the rest of the article. Use the questions that
follow to help you reach conclusions. Then access the full article from the
link below:

Questions:

 Why would teen-speak drive anyone mad?

 What kind of people are likely to be irritated by teen-speak?
 Why would anyone claim that “adult jargon is FAR worse”?
 How can exclusion be a motivation to choose a particular language?

Language and communication

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316062/Yes-teen-speak-
drives-mad-adult-jargon-FAR-worse--innit.html#ixzz2a6ygKR3B

Yes, teen-speak drives me mad, but adult jargon is FAR worse - innit!
By JOHN HUMPHRYS

That Emma Thompson, yeh? Skills innit! I’m like she’s well porn innit. Know what I’m saying?
I very much doubt that you do. So let me try again.

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Miss Emma Thompson, highly acclaimed star of the silver screen, has added further to her ineffable
appeal with some well-chosen words demonstrating her acute concern for the English language and
in so doing has made a significant contribution to the debate surrounding the way the younger -
generation is failing to communicate in an efficacious manner.
You probably got it that time, but how horribly stilted it sounded. After all, no one speaks like that
any longer, do they?
My first paragraph was an attempt to sound like a teenager — or at least the sort of teenager of
whom Miss Thompson disapproves. The second might have appeared in the Daily Mail of the
Twenties.
What she actually said was that teenagers make themselves sound stupid by speaking the way they
do.
‘I went to give a talk at my old school and the girls were all doing their “likes” and “innit” and “it
ain’ts”, which drives me insane,’ she said. ‘I told them: “Just don’t do it, because it makes you sound
stupid and you’re not stupid.” ’
Miss Thompson is, I think, horribly right and horribly wrong. Of course it drives her insane. It drives
me insane, too. That’s the whole point. It’s meant to because we are adults. That’s why they do it.
Teenagers want their own language and they want to exclude us from it.
Let’s go back to that first paragraph. What on earth is the word “skills” doing there? Well, I can tell
you because I came across it at my youngest child’s school. One of the boys was describing his new
PlayStation and the other boy — hugely envious — said: ‘Skills!’
It denoted the highest form of approval. All the other children knew that, but I’ll bet you didn’t. It
may reach a school near you next week, transmitted across the highly effective teen network, or it
may die the death.
‘Porn’ is another term of approval — even more bizarre than ‘skills’ — and I suspect it’s already had
its day. By the time distinguished academics and publishers have caught up with the latest teen-
speak, the teenagers themselves have usually moved on. That’s why I think Miss Thompson is wrong.

READING FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: First complete the following

incomplete statements from the quoted passage you have read. Then select
lexical items which you would consider relevant to the content unit you are
studying.
Language and communication

1. I’m not sure Miss Thompson is right, either, when she says
………………………………………………………………. and in a way that’s
worse.

2. What I found seriously worrying was what Jean Gross, who advises
the Government on children’s speech, had to say earlier this year
……………………, she said,

…………………………………………………………………………………………

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3. It seemed unlikely. A child of two probably has more words than

that. And when I looked into it a little more closely,
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. I vaguely remember that we 15-year-olds developed our own -

inclusive language. We called it Pig Latin — though it had
precious little to do with the language of the classics —

……………………………………………………………………………………........

……………………………………………………………………………………........

5. If Miss Gross still wants to mount a campaign,

…………………………………………………………………………………...........

6. I agree with Emma Thompson that

……………………………………………………………………………………........

I think it’s far more important that when

……………………………………………………………………………………........

……………………………………………………………………………………........
Language and communication

Source: the previous paragraphs have been extracted from Humphrys, J. (2010). Yes, teen-speak drives
me mad, but adult jargon is FAR worse - innit!
Mail Online. Retrieved July 25, 2013, from
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316062/Yes-teen-speak-drives-mad-adult-jargon-FAR-worse-
-innit.html#ixzz2a6ygKR3B

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA

PRE-READINGDISCUSSION: In small groups,

discuss the following questions:

 Are you familiar with the concept of a lingua franca?

 Would you say there is a language which functions as a lingua franca in the world
today?
 What factors might account for a specific language becoming a lingua franca?
 What are the advantages of the existence of a lingua franca?
 Can you think of possible drawbacks?

READING ACTIVITY: Understanding purpose and audience.

After reading the following extracts from Barbara Seidlhofer’s paper “Key
Concepts in ELT: English as a lingua franca,” be prepared to describe the
type of audience to whom the paper is addressed, as well as the purpose of
the piece. Underline the linguistic features that led you to make such
assumptions.

Extract 1:
In recent years, the term ‘English as a lingua franca’ (ELF) has emerged as a way of referring to
communication in English between speakers with different first languages. Since roughly only one
out of every four users of English in the world is a native speaker of the language (Crystal 2003),
Language and communication

most ELF interactions take place among ‘non-native’ speakers of English. Although this does not
preclude the participation of English native speakers in ELF interaction, what is distinctive about
ELF is that, in most cases, it is ‘a ‘contact language’ between persons who share neither a common
native tongue nor a common (national) culture, and for whom English is the chosen foreign
language of communication’ (Firth 1996:240).

Extract 2:
Despite being welcomed by some and deplored by others, it cannot be denied that English functions
as a global lingua franca. However, what has so far tended to be denied is that, as a consequence of
its international use, English is being shaped at least as much by its nonnative speakers as by its

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native speakers. This has led to a somewhat paradoxical situation: on the one hand, for the majority
of its users, English is a foreign language, and the vast majority of verbal exchanges in English do
not involve any native speakers of the language at all. On the other hand, there is still a tendency for
native speakers to be regarded as custodians over what is acceptable usage. Thus, in order for the
concept of ELF to gain acceptance alongside English as native language, there have been calls for
the systematic study of the nature of ELF—what it looks and sounds like and how people actually use
it and make it work—and a consideration of the implications for the teaching and learning of the
language.

Extract 3:
Jenkins (2000)found that being able to pronounce some sounds that are often regarded as
‘particularly English’ but also particularly difficult, namely the ‘th’ sounds /u/ and /D/ and the
‘dark l’ allophone [ł], is not necessary for international intelligibility through ELF. Similarly, analyses
of ELF interactions captured in the VOICE corpus clearly show that although ELF speakers often do
not use the third person singular present tense ‘-s’marking in their verbs, this does not lead to any
misunderstandings or communication problems. This gradually accumulating body of work is
leading to a better understanding of the nature of ELF, which in turn is a prerequisite for taking
informed decisions, especially in language policy and language teaching (McKay 2002). Thus, the
features of English which tend to be crucial for international intelligibility and therefore need to be
taught for production and reception are being distinguished from the (‘non-native’) features that
tend not to cause misunderstandings and thus do not need to constitute a focus for production
teaching for those learners who intend to use English mainly in international settings. Acting on
these insights can free up valuable teaching time for more general language awareness and
communication strategies; these may have more ‘mileage’ for learners than striving for mastery of
fine nuances of native speaker language use that are communicatively redundant or even counter-
productive in lingua franca settings, and which may anyway not be teachable in advance, but only
learnable by subsequent experience of the language. It should be stressed, however, that linguistic
descriptions alone cannot, of course, determine what needs to be taught and learnt for particular
purposes and in particular settings—they provide necessary but not sufficient guidance for what will
always be pedagogical decisions (Widdowson 2003).

Source: The previous passages have been extracted from Barbara Seidholfer’s full paper “Key
Concepts in ELT. English as a Lingua Franca, published in the ELT Journal, Vol. 59/4, October
2005.
Language and communication

POST-READING FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: Focusing on ways of

increasing the effectiveness of your sentences through variety. For each of
the structures which have been shaded in the extracts above, write an
entirely novel sentence of your own to comment on aspects of the topic
being dealt with. You must use the words in bold.

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4----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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DISCUSSION: Condensing central ideas. Answer

these questions:

 What seems to be the central argument developed in the article? Which extract(s)
express(es) it clearly?
 What could be possible antagonistic arguments?
 What is your position in relation to the central ideas expressed by the author? Can
you offer support in defense of your ideas?
Language and communication

ONLINE READING-WRITING ACTIVITY:

Analyzing a reading text, following its structure and summarizing main ideas.
Access David Crystal’s text English as a Global Language, focus on Chapter
1, “Why a Global Language”? and complete the various tasks proposed
through the worksheet below. The book is available from the Internet as a

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

pdf file from

http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam041/2003282119.pdf

 What does it mean to say that a language is a global language?

 When does a language achieve global status?

Language and communication

 List the reasons for choosing a particular language as a favoured

foreign language:

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………….……..
……………………………………………………………………………….………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………...

 What makes a language global?

……………………

……………………

Language dominance ……………………

. POWER
…………………….

……………………

…………………….

 Consult a dictionary to distinguish each of these concepts from the

others:

FIRST SECOND FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Language and communication

 Provide examples to illustrate the following statement:

“A language has traditionally become an international language for one chief

reason: the power of its people.” (Crystal, p. 9)

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Greek:…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………….……..
……………………………………………………………………………….…………..
………………………………………………………………………...............................

 “International language dominance is not solely the result of military might. It may
take a militarily powerful nation to establish a language, but it takes an
economically powerful one to maintain and expand it.” (Crystal, p.10)
Explain.

 Define and exemplify:

Language and communication

LINGUA FRANCA:
…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

PIDGIN:
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………...........

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 “The geographical extent to which a lingua franca can be used is entirely governed
by political factors” (Crystal, p.11). Expand

 While you read list reasons / arguments to answer the following

question:

Why a global language?

 Have you ever thought about the dangers of a global language? Jot
down some ideas.

…………………………… …………………………
.
………………………… …………………………..

 Now go on reading from p. 14 to p. 24 and find out about the dangers

stated by Crystal.

 Read extensively to have clear concepts about:

Language and communication

Linguistic power:
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Linguistic complacency:
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Linguistic death:
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

AFTER-READING DISCUSSION: Interpreting

quotes and participating in a group discussion. Once you have completed
your reading task, examine the following quotes and participate in a lively
discussion of their implications:

“Without a strong power-base, of whatever kind, no language can make

progress as an international medium of communication” (Crystal, p. 10)

“English was in the right place at the right time” (Crystal, p. 10)

“A person needs only one language to talk to someone else” (Crystal, p. 15)
Language and communication

LISTENING ACTIVITY: Listening for confirmation and or

contradiction of ideas learned through reading. Listen to the programme in
which Riz Khan interviews Robert Mc Crum, author of Globish, and Robert
Phillipson, a linguist, about various issues related to the global spread of
English. The programme is available from this link:

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3TJe4jnqFo

As you listen to the speakers, answer the following questions:

1- According to Mc Crum, what is “Globish”?

2- How does Mc Crum explain the difference between Globish and Pidgin?

3- According to Phillipson, what competence do speakers need?

4- How much power do countries have to stop English from infiltrating L1?

5- How does Mc Crum explain the difference between mother tongue and Globish?

6- What does Mc Crum mean when he says “English is a source of power in itself”?

7- Following Phillipson, is English the language of the elite or of ordinary people?

8- Rizwan Khan, from Pakistan, sends the following email: “all the new technology is
invented and introduced by those who speak it (English)”. What does professor
Language and communication

Phillipson say about this?

9- Is the spread of English a form of linguistic imperialism?

10- “English has become the world language when it comes to international business and
diplomacy”. Explain.

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POST-LISTENING DISCUSSION: Voicing personal

ideas. Get together in groups to express your own ideas about the following
statements and/or opinions heard during the course of the interview:

1- Is English an imperialist language? What are the implications of a statement like

this?

2- Professor Phillipson refers to “the mismanagement of linguistic policies (especially

in education).” What do you think about this?

3- People have no choice but to embrace English.

4- A phone caller from Ramallah says that the use of the Arabic language has
deteriorated and the school system has to pay more attention to the proper use
of the language to be able to absorb English as an L2. What about the situation
of Spanish in Argentina?

5- It is known that about a billion people around the world learn English as a second
language, but at what price to their native language and culture?

6- Khalid Aldabbous, from Kuwait, wrote: “… the younger generation has largely
forgotten the old Kuwaiti vocabulary and have embraced a mixture of Arabic
Language and communication

and English”. What does he mean? What can you associate this concept to? Can
you think of other examples?

7- What are the pros and cons of the spread of English as a global language?

8- What impact can the spread of English as a global language have on cultures and
diversity?

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9- In what ways, if in any, can you compare and or contrast linguistic reality in the
Arabic, Chinese, African world to our own reality?

ONLINE READING ACTIVITY: Reading to trace the

development of a concept and understand the causes of a given trend.
Access Newsweek article “Glob-ish” through the link below and trace the
evolution and definition of the concept of “globish.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/06/12/glob-ish.html

POST – READING FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: Complete the

exercises that follow, which draw attention to significant lexical items from
the text:

Discuss with your classmates what you know about the following words and
concepts. Think about collocations, contexts in which you can find them
and possible meanings.
Language and communication

 catchphrases
 adaptable
 populist
 subversive
 bizarre
 slang
 to fall back (on)
 patchwork

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

Think about collocations with “Globish”. Take examples from the text and
consult a Collocations Dictionary.

GLOBISH

community

Fill in the following chart:

CATEGORY WORDS/EXPRESSIONS MEANING

talking chat To talk to so. In a
friendly, informal way.

Language and communication

Match the lexical item to its definition. Then provide a meaningful example
for each item.

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LEXICAL ITEM MEANING EXAMPLE

1- To morph To ridicule; to mock The river flooded its
banks and morphed
into a giant sea that
swamped the town.
2- Stripped-down The use of something
or someone in an
effective way.
The spreading out,
utilization, or
arrangement for a
deliberate purpose.

3- To poke (fun at) To become fashionable

or popular.

4- Anglicize Causing or likely to

cause disagreement.

5- Deployment To change one image

into another, or
combine them, using a
computer program
to change the form or
character.
To develop a new
appearance or change
into something else, or
to make something do
this.
Language and communication

6- Decaffeinated To make or become

English in sound,
appearance or
character.
To make English in
quality or
characteristics.
To adapt (a foreign
word, name, or phrase)

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

to English usage.

7- To catch (on)
Having the caffeine
removed.
Describes coffee or tea
from which
the caffeine (= a
chemical
substance) has been
removed.

8- To splash out
To spend a lot of
money on buying
things, especially
things which are
pleasant to have but
which you do
not need.

9- Contentious
To act in order to
make sth.happen
sooner.

10- To hasten
Lacking any extra
features.
Reduced to its
simplest form.

Language and communication

Explain the meaning of these shaded sentences, which have been extracted
from the passage you have been working with. Use your own words:

1. a near-global hunger for English that has brought the language to

a point of no return as a lingua franca.

2. Contagious, adaptable, populist, and subversive, the English

language has become as much a part of the global consciousness
as the combustion engine

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

3. the transition from the Queen’s English to the more democratic

American version

4. Standard English was all very well for Anglophones, but in the
developing world, this non-native “decaffeinated English”—full of
simplifications like “the son of my brother” for “nephew,” or
“words of honor” for “oath”—was becoming the new global
phenomenon

5. British English had enjoyed global supremacy throughout the

19th-century age of empire

6. The map of the world dominated by the Union Jack

7. the scope of English was limited by its troubled association with

British imperialism and the Pax Americana

8. English was not “an abstract construction of dictionary makers”

but a language that “has its basis broad and low, close to the
ground

9. This is not the end of Babel

10. Native speakers still cling fiercely to their mother tongues,

as they should

READING GAPPED TEXTS: Read the following gapped text and complete
it with words formed with items from the box below. There are two
distractors which you will not need to use:
Language and communication

WARN POOR CULT WILL MANIPULATION

DOMINATE LANGUAGE COLONY ADVANCE EXPENSIVE

Negative aspects of English as a Global Language

Even though there are many positive aspects of having a global language,
there are negative aspects as well. How would it be possible to carry
through a global language? Are there any dangers with having a global
language?

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A global language might (1) ........................ an elite class with native

speakers, who take advantage of the opportunity to think and work quickly
in their mother-tongue. If this were the case, they might (2)
............................... it to their advantage at the (3)
.................................... of those who have another language as their
mother-tongue and in this way create a (4) ............................. gap between
people. (Crystal 2003: 14-15)
English has a history, sometimes cruel and violent with (5)
.......................... and war, and introducing English as the global language
might be seen as a threat of future (6) ............................... Perhaps a
global language will make people (7) ............................ or unable to learn
other languages and make other languages unnecessary. (Crystal 2003: 15)
One of the “risks” having only one language is that the chosen language
may become very technical and “(8).................................” for non-native
speakers, e.g. the Eskimos, who have several words for snow, because they
need them. They would probably not be able to express themselves properly
if they only had one word for snow. And Swedish people would not be able to
use the word “lagom”, a word which says a lot about the Swedish society and
people.
Many of the people who answered my question about “English as a
Global Language” expressed a worry that if we only had one language, they
would feel “poor” when it comes to expressing feelings and emotions in a
language that is not their mother-tongue, that they would not know enough
words to be able to really express how and what they feel.

Source: The previous paragraphs have been extracted from the text “English as a Global Language –
Good or Bad?” posted June 20th 2012 by Lexcode Languages and Communication. Full text available at:
http://lexcodephilippines.blogspot.com.ar/2012/06/english-as-global-language-good-or-bad.html

Language and communication

CRITICAL THINKING: Classifying arguments. Go through the

following list of arguments and sort them into three groups. Mark 1 next to
the arguments which you think might help to defend the view that a lingua
franca is of substantial benefit to those who use it. Mark 2 next to the
arguments that would support the view that English is the best candidate
language for lingua franca status. Finally mark 3 next to the arguments which
bear no relation to these propositions:

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

1. The belief in English as a lingua franca is associated with xenophobic elements in

Anglophone cultures.
2. If we all share one common language, we can overcome barriers in our
communication.
3. There exists a large body of English language media (movies, the internet, and so on)
available to create an immersive experience for learners on their own computers.
4. A language like Esperanto is much simpler than any other language not specifically
designed as a lingua franca.
5. We can easily disseminate ideas and break down cultural, ethnic, religious, and racial
boundaries that separate people from one another.
6. Militant nationalism becomes dissipated or less dangerous.
7. The high level of penetration of English as a second language among young people
today is unprecedented in human history.

Now consult Benjamin Studebaker’s “English Lingua Franca” and explore the
way in which he refutes the notion that defending the status of English as a
lingua franca is the result of Anglophone xenophobia. His article is available
from:

https://benjaminstudebaker.com/2013/05/20/english-lingua-franca/

WRITING TASK: Integrating knowledge and providing a

personal understanding of a concept. Write a discursive essay of about 450
words explaining your own concept of the word “communication.”

Language and communication

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LINGUISTIC IMPERIALISM AND THE

DEMISE OF MINORITY LANGUAGES

WARM-UP PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Answering challenging

questions by speculating, hypothesizing, and using personal background
knowledge and experience. Form small groups and reflect on the following
questions:

 As linguists recognize the magnitude of the modern language die-off and rush to
catalogue the most vulnerable tongues, they are confronted with underlying
questions about languages’ worth and utility. Make a list of at least three such
questions.

 Does each endangered language some irreplaceable beneficial knowledge?

 Are there aspects of cultures that won’t survive if they are translated into a
conquering language?

 What unexpected insights are being lost to the world with the deterioration of its
linguistic variety?

 What makes one language succeed while another dwindles or dies?

READING ACTIVITY: Reading for general comprehension and

gaining background knowledge. Read the following extract, which has been
Language and communication

quoted from the special National Geographic Report “Vanishing Voices” by

Russ Rymer, available from the link below, and complete the activities that
follow:

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http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/07/vanishing-
languages/rymer-text

VANISHING VOICES
One language dies every 14 days. By the next century nearly half of the roughly 7,000
languages spoken on Earth will likely disappear, as communities abandon native
tongues in favor of English, Mandarin, or Spanish. What is lost when a language goes
silent?
By Russ Rymer

AKA
THE RESPECT
OF MUCROW
I witnessed the heartrending cost of broken languages among the Aka people in Palizi, a tiny, rustic
hamlet perched on a mountainside in Arunachal Pradesh, India’s rugged northeasternmost state. It
is reachable by a five-hour drive through palm and hardwood jungles on single-track mountain
roads. Its one main street is lined with unpainted board-faced houses set on stilts and roofed with
thatch or metal. Villagers grow their own rice, yams, spinach, oranges, and ginger; slaughter their
own hogs and goats; and build their own houses. The tribe’s isolation has bred a radical self-
sufficiency, evidenced in an apparent lack of an Aka word for job, in the sense of salaried labor.

The Aka measure personal wealth in mithan, a breed of Himalayan cattle. A respectable bride price
in Palizi, for instance, is expressed as eight mithan. The most cherished Aka possession is the
precious tradzy necklace—worth two mithan—made from yellow stones from the nearby river, which
is passed down to their children. (…)

Speaking Aka—or any language—means immersing oneself in its character and concepts. “I’m
Language and communication

seeing the world through the looking glass of this language,” said Father Vijay D’Souza, who was
running the Jesuit school in Palizi at the time of my visit. (…) “It alters your thinking, your
worldview,” he told me one day in his headmaster’s office, as children raced to classes through the
corridor outside. One small example:mucrow. A similar word in D’Souza’s native language would be
an insult, meaning “old man.” In Aka “mucrow” means something more. It is a term of respect,
deference, endearment. The Aka might address a woman as mucrow to indicate her wisdom in civic
affairs, and, says D’Souza, “an Aka wife will call her husband mucrow, even when he’s young,” and
do so affectionately.

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American linguists David Harrison and Greg Anderson have been coming to Arunachal Pradesh to
study its languages since 2008. They are among the scores of linguists worldwide engaged in the
study of vanishing languages. (…) Linguists have identified a host of language hotspots (analogous
to biodiversity hotspots) that have both a high level of linguistic diversity and a high number of
threatened languages. Many of these are in the world’s least reachable, and often least hospitable,
places—like Arunachal Pradesh. Aka and its neighboring languages have been protected because
Arunachal Pradesh has long been sealed off to outsiders as a restricted border region. Even other
Indians are not allowed to cross into the region without federal permission, and so its fragile
microcultures have been spared the intrusion of immigrant labor, modernization—and linguists. It
has been described as a black hole of linguistics because its incredible language variety remains so
little explored.

Much of public life in Palizi is regulated through the repetition of mythological stories used as
forceful fables to prescribe behavior. Thus a money dispute can draw a recitation about a spirit
whose daughters are eaten by a crocodile, one by one, as they cross the river to bring him dinner in
the field. He kills the crocodile, and a priest promises to bring the last daughter back to life but
overcharges so egregiously that the spirit seeks revenge by becoming a piece of ginger that gets
stuck in the greedy priest’s throat.

Such stories were traditionally told by the elders in a highly formal version of Aka that the young did
not yet understand and according to certain rules, among them this: Once an elder begins telling a
story, he cannot stop until the story is finished. As with linguistic literacy, disruption is disaster. Yet
Aka’s young people no longer follow their elders in learning the formal version of the language and
the stories that have governed daily life. Even in this remote region, young people are seduced away
from their mother tongue by Hindi on the television and English in the schools. Today Aka’s speakers
number fewer than 2,000, few enough to put it on the endangered list. (…)

Linguistics has undergone two great revolutions in the past 60 years, on seemingly opposite ends of
the discipline. In the late 1950s Noam Chomsky theorized that all languages were built on an
underlying universal grammar embedded in human genes. A second shift in linguistics— an
explosion of interest in small and threatened languages—has focused on the variety of linguistic
experience. Field linguists like David Harrison are more interested in the idiosyncrasies that make
each language unique and the ways that culture can influence a language’s form.

Different languages highlight the varieties of human experience, revealing as mutable aspects of
life that we tend to think of as settled and universal, such as our experience of time, number, or
Language and communication

color. In Tuva, for example, the past is always spoken of as ahead of one, and the future is behind
one’s back. “We could never say, I’m looking forward to doing something,” a Tuvan told me. Indeed,
he might say, “I’m looking forward to the day before yesterday.” It makes total sense if you think of it
in a Tuvan sort of way: If the future were ahead of you, wouldn’t it be in plain view?

Smaller languages often retain remnants of number systems that may predate the adoption of the
modern world’s base-ten counting system. The Pirahã, an Amazonian tribe, appear to have no words
for any specific numbers at all but instead get by with relative words such as “few” and “many.” The
Pirahã’s lack of numerical terms suggests that assigning numbers may be an invention of culture
rather than an innate part of human cognition. The interpretation of color is similarly varied from

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

language to language. What we think of as the natural spectrum of the rainbow is actually divided up
differently in different tongues, with many languages having more or fewer color categories than
their neighbors.

Language shapes human experience—our very cognition—as it goes about classifying the world to
make sense of the circumstances at hand. Those classifications may be broad—Aka divides the
animal kingdom into animals that are eaten and those that are not—or exceedingly fine-tuned. The
Todzhu reindeer herders of southern Siberia have an elaborate vocabulary for reindeer;
an iyidüktügmyiys, for example, is a castrated former stud in its fourth year.

If Aka, or any language, is supplanted by a new one that’s bigger and more universally useful, its
death shakes the foundations of the tribe. “Aka is our identity,” a villager told me. (…) But should
the rest of the world mourn too? The question would not be an easy one to frame in Aka, which
seems to lack a single term for world. Aka might suggest an answer, though, one embodied in the
concept of mucrow—a regard for tradition, for long-standing knowledge, for what has come before, a
conviction that the venerable and frail have something to teach the callow and the strong that they
would be lost without.

POST-READING TASK: Using reading material for note-taking and oral

reporting in class. Complete your reading of the magazine article and be
ready to report on two other endangered languages in the world. Look for
evidence which may lend support to the following claims:

“Small languages, more than large ones, provide keys to unlock the secrets of
nature.”
Language and communication

“One way to preserve a language is to enshrine it in writing and compile a

dictionary, a prospect both loved and feared by linguists.”

“Against the erosion of language stands an ineffable quality that can’t be

instilled from without. The one thing that’s necessary for the revival of a
language is pride.”

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

“A language is a defining characteristic, a seed of a people’s identity.”

“The ongoing collapse of the world’s biodiversity is more than just an apt
metaphor for the crisis of language extinction.”

“One linguist, attempting to define what a language is, famously (and humorously)
said that a language is a dialect with an army. He failed to note that some armies
are better equipped than others. Today any language with a television station and a
currency is in a position to obliterate those without.”

POST-READING ONLINE ACTIVITY: Increasing one’s knowledge and

taking notes to give an oral report in class. Visit the interactive site below to
discover language hotspots, i. e., places on our planet with the most unique,
poorly understood, or threatened indigenous languages. You can even hear
the speakers of such languages.

Language and communication

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/

PRE-WRITING WATCHING ACTIVITY: Preparing to write.

Listen to the TED talk “Dreams from Endangered Cultures,” delivered by
National geographic explorer Wade Davis. Take notes as you listen and using

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

the speaker’s ideas as well as knowledge gained through this content unit,
write an argumentative essay based on the topic that follows:

http://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures.html

Examine every aspect of the following quote so as to either prove it or

disprove the author’s claims:

“Language has no independent existence, living in some sort of mystical space apart from
the people who speak it. Language only exists in the brains and mouths and ears and hands
and eyes of its users. When they succeed, on the international stage, their language
succeeds. When they fail, their language fails.”

--David Crystal

Language and communication

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

LANGUAGE AND COGNITION

WARM-UP PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Answering challenging
questions by speculating, hypothesizing, and using personal background
knowledge and experience. Form small groups and reflect on the following
questions:

 What is the relationship between language and cognition?

 Do people who speak different languages think differently?
 Are language and cognition similar or distinct human abilities?
 Do you think there are cognitive benefits in being bilingual or multilingual?

READING ACTIVITY: Reading for general comprehension and

gaining a more nuanced understanding of a difficult or technical topic. Read
the following extract quoted from the article “The Cognitive Benefits of
Being Bilingual,” by Viorica Marian and Anthony Shook. Anticipate what
kinds of answers you expect the authors to give on the matter. Then read
the full article available on the web and be prepared to explain how the
views expressed by the authors can help you to corroborate some of the
answers you gave above or prove them wrong.

Today, more of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual. In addition to facilitating cross-
cultural communication, this trend also positively affects cognitive abilities. Researchers have
shown that the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the
monolingual brain, thanks to its developed ability to inhibit one language while using another. In
addition, bilingualism has positive effects at both ends of the age spectrum. Bilingual children as
young as seven months can better adjust to environmental changes, while bilingual seniors can
Language and communication

experience less cognitive decline.

http://dana.org/Cerebrum/2012/The_Cognitive_Benefits_of_Being_Bili
ngual/

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

POST-READING FOCUS ON LANGUAGE: Finding suitable

collocates and reviewing prepositions. The article you have just read
contains a series of interesting idiomatic word associations and prepositional
phrases.

Find collocates to match each of the items listed below. When you have
finished, make use of concordancers and other lexical tools which you are
currently using to add one or more collocates to the list.

1. …………………….. linguistic environment

2. To conduct a ……………………………
3. Widely ……………………………
4. Research has …………………………………….. shown that …..
5. Compelling ……………………………..
6. Overt ……………………………..
7. To conjure ……………………………..
8. To access
9. To …………………………… a mechanism
10. A regulatory ……………………………
11. To navigate ……………………………
12. To impart …………………………..
13. To stave off ………………………..

Now supply the missing prepositions:

Language and communication

1. Over the past few decades, technological advances have allowed

researchers to peer deeply ………………. the brain to investigate how
bilingualism interacts ………………. and changes the cognitive and
neurological systems.
2. Dealing ………………… this persistent linguistic competition can result
……………….. language difficulties.
3. If a bilingual person frequently switches ……………………………
languages when speaking, it can confuse the listener.
4. To maintain the balance between two languages, the bilingual brain
relies ……………………….. executive functions.

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

5. Bilingual people often perform better than monolingual people

……………… tasks that tap ………………………. inhibitory control
ability.
6. When bilinguals have to switch ……………………… categorizing objects
………………………. colour ………………….. categorizing them by shape,
they can do it faster than monolingual people.
7. The bilingual language-learning advantage may be rooted
……………………the ability to focus …………………………. information
about the new language.
8. The cognitive and neurological benefits of bilingualism also extend
……………………… older adulthood.
9. In addition ………………………. staving off the decline that often comes
………………….. aging, bilingualism can also protect
…………………………… illnesses that hasten decline.
10. If the brain is an engine, bilingualism may help to improve its
mileage, allowing it to go farhter …………………………. the same
amount of fuel.

PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Reading for specific technical information and

summarizing. Get familiar with Chapter 5 (”Culture, language and Cognition”)
from Harry Gardiner and Corinne Kosmitzki’s book Lives Across Cultures:
Cross-cultural Human Development (the chapter can be accessed through
the link below). Then match the names and conceptual categories on the left
to the corresponding ideas on the right by entering the correct letters in the
boxes on the last column.

http://www.ablongman.com/partners_in_psych/PDFs/Gardiner/gardine
r_CH05.pdf
Language and communication

a Whorf-Sapir a system of symbols that is used to

communicate information and knowledge

b critical period the temporary support or guidance provided to a

child by parents, older siblings, peers, or other
adults in the process of solving a problem

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

c Vygotsky the act or process of obtaining knowledge,

including perceiving, recognizing, reasoning,
and judging

d Chomsky cognitive developmental theory

e cognition the notion that constant social interaction with

those around us helps shape the quality of
mental abilities and language at various ages

f crystallized the ability to form concepts, reason abstractly,

intelligence and apply material to new situations

g Vygotsky the linguistic relativity hypothesis

h language the view that suggests that for every viewpoint

there is an opposing viewpoint and that these
two can be considered simultaneously.

i Piaget an individual’s accumulated knowledge and

experience in a particular culture

j fluid intelligence a specific number of years during which a

Language and communication

second language can be learned as easily and as

well as the first language

k dialectical language ability is “hardwired” into the human

thinking brain

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

l scaffolding zone of proximal development

CRITICAL THINKING: Analysing and responding to quotations.

Celebrated quotes are gems of linguistic expression and condensations of
wisdom. They usually contain deep reflections articulated in rhetorically
effective language. This is not to say that they are eternal truths which are
unquestionable. They represent a point of view that you may or may not
agree with. You may be asked to write a discursive or argumentative essay
based on your interpretation of and/or response to a given quote. In
analyzing a quote, follow these steps to help you focus on the essence of the
thoughts expressed as a necessary prior skill:

1. Do you recognize the author or some of the author’s works or ideas? Try to place
him/her within a specific tradition/school of thought/ideology, etc.

2. Emphatic, parallel or contrasting structures usually bring the main ideas into
focus. Try to identify such structures and, as a result, the main ideas.

3. With the main ideas in mind, try to paraphrase the quote without changing its
original meaning.

4. Decide what is your position in relation to the view expressed. Do you agree with
the author? Do you disagree? Do you partly agree and partly disagree?

5. What arguments can you bring forward to support your own ideas?
Language and communication

6. How would you respond to the ideas condensed in the quote? Mildly? Vehemently?
Firmly?

Now apply these steps in analyzing the following quote:

“Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and
liberation.” –Angela Carter

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1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Try the same procedure with the quotes below:

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his

head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
-Nelson Mandela

Language and communication

“One language sets you in a

“The limits of my language corridor for life. Two
are the limits of my world.” languages open every door
along the way.”
-Ludwig Wittgenstein
-Frank Smith

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

WRITING ACTIVITY: Follow the steps you have been using to

interpret and respond to the following quote in an essay:

“Language is to the mind more than light is to the eye.”-William Gibson

Source: All the preceding quotes are available at

https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=quotes+about+language&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=637&tbm=isch&i
mgil=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%253A%253BgpN26q2e4oO6ZM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252F
quotesgram.com%25252Fquotes-for-language-
learners%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%253A%252CgpN26q2e4oO6ZM%252
C_&usg=__aNpivzmohU0WVwhm6UD1wvoyW-
E%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjNvfCMvOzOAhWIj5AKHbl5B8YQyjcIJQ&ei=1zrHV432I4ifwgS5852
wDA#imgrc=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%3A

Language and communication

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 ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

LEXICAL COMPETENCE: FURTHER

DEVELOPMENT AND CONSOLIDATION

Do the following exercises:

 VOCABULARY GAP-FILL: Fill in each of the numbered blanks in the following passage with ONE
suitable word:

Spoken and Nonverbal Communication

Despite amazing findings in research on communication between animals,

their ability to communicate effectively may come (1) …………………… fire
given the supposed superiority of human speech over other forms of
communication. Even when experts have proved that animals belonging to
the same species in different parts of the world may be heard (2)
…………………….. off in different dialects, or that the same species of birds
may be able to communicate in the singing (3) ……………………. that their
neighbours use, animal varieties or bilingualism does not seem to be enough
to show that human beings are actually behind in terms of communication.
Evolutionary (4) ………………………… is thus not only denied, but the
superiority of verbal communication is upheld and affirmed.

Verbal communication is further enhanced by nonverbal communication,

which, again, seems to be “human-only” in nature. A substantial portion of
our communication is nonverbal, and our verbal messages are enriched by
thousands of nonverbal (5) …………………….. and behaviours, which tend to
be so (6) ………………………… that we do not even realise they exist.
Nonverbal communication is not universal, though, since it can (7)
………………………… dramatically among cultures, and gestures tend to be
Language and communication

(8) ……………………………… and once again, culture-bound. Still, and in the

name of culture and civilization, we deem our forms of communication to be
overly better than any others in the animal world.

 Go to http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/books/06language.html?_r=1&.
Read the article “Indian Tribes Go in Search of Their Lost Language.” Then work on the
exercises below.

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

A- List the negatively connoted words, their meanings and provide an example of your own.

NEGATIVELY CONNOTED
LEXICAL MEANING EXAMPLE
ITEM
extinct Not now existing Many tribal languages
became extinct when
L they came into contact
with western
civilizations
.............................
A ............................. ................................. .................................
.............................
............................. ................................. .................................
.............................
N ............................. ................................ .................................
.............................
............................. ................................. .................................
G .............................
............................. ................................. .................................
.............................
............................. ................................. .................................
U
................................. .................................

................................. .................................
A
................................. .................................

G ................................. .................................

................................. .................................

E .................................. ...................................
Language and communication

B- List the words that convey the idea of recovering a dead language. Provide examples of
your own to illustrate their meanings.

Lexical item Meaning Example

Bring back to start to do or use Linguists are working
something that was hard to bring Irish back
L

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done or used in the into life

A past

 Word formation: Use the following diagram to elicit different kinds of adjectives which may
collocate with the word “language”:

Conformis lanlan

t
Language and communication

D
Conformis
A
t
N
IE
L

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EXAM TIP: The sentence building exercise is an

 SENTENCE BUILDING: Combine the
evaluation instrument which allows your teachers to test
structures on the left with TWO of your ability to produce sentences spontaneously making
the lexical items on the right so as use of a range of correct syntactical structures and
to form grammatically correct, content-specific lexis. As regards the lexical items you
stylistically appropriate, and use, make an effort to demonstrate word knowledge,
logically meaningful sentences. placing them in self-explanatory contexts. If a lexical
item in your sentence could be replaced by countless
You may not change the words others without any significance, this situation might be
given (Exception: You MUST put all an indication that you need to polish your sentence so
verbs in their correct forms). that the latter brings out the full range of the word’s
meaning, connotation, potential for allegiance to other
The first one has been items, and the like.
done as an example.

1)
Begin with “regardless”  innately
 to build
 novel

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

MODEL SENTENCE: Regardless of the opinion held by his

colleagues, Chomsky insisted that children must be innately equipped
with a plan common to all grammars of all languages, a UG, to build
up a repertoire of novel sentences they have never encountered before. Language and communication

2)
Start your sentence using  deplore
”despite”  deny
 lingua franca

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

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3)
Start your sentence using “only  globish
now”  to catch
 comprehensible

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

4)
Use “whereas” in a suitable  to pass down
structure  use “looking glass” in a
suitable context
 idiosyncrasy

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

5)
Begin your sentence with “not  embedded
only”  to undergo
 plain view

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........
Language and communication

 COLLOCATIONS: Look at the following grid of verbs and nouns. Which of the words along the
top collocate with the nouns down the side? In what grammatical patterns do the sets of
collocates typically appear?

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UNDERMINE
ENCROACH
THREATEN

CONQUER
DWINDLE

SURPASS

IMPERIL

DIE OUT
RECEDE
VANISH
expectations
populations
species
achievements
languages
habitats
stability
memories
army
economy
security
floodwaters
legitimacy
efficiency

 Match the words with their definitions:

1 Attitude A. Statement that something is true even though it

has not been proved or others might not agree
Language and communication

2 Belief B. An idea of something

3 Claim C. The calculation of how good, important, valuable
something is
4 Concept D. Opinions and feelings that you usually have about
something
5 Evaluation E. Trust or confidence in someone or something
6 Faith F. The unproven feeling that something is definitely
true or exists

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 VOCABULARY GAP-FILL: Fill in each of the numbered blanks in the following passage with ONE
suitable word:

Native and Non-Native Speakers in English Language Teaching

With the growing numbers of non-native speakers of English, and the

undeniable status of English as a lingua franca, concerns as to the validity
of the native speaker model are starting to be raised. In fact, the main aim in
teaching English today is seldom focused on the absolute (1)
……………………….. of the language, i.e. knowledge of fine (2)
………………………… of native speaker language use, and is instead moving
forward towards the development of international (3) ……………………, i.e.
mutual understanding among non-native speakers of English whereby
English works as a ‘(4) ………………………… language’ between persons who
do not share a common native background. Even when native speakers are
intuitively still regarded as (5) ………………………………. over what is right or
wrong in English, the key objective in language teaching is avoiding (6)
………………………….. or communication breakdown. English as a global
language still needs to be fully looked into if it is to gain (7)
…………………………. alongside English as a native language, and this
depends on political decisions, i.e. language (8) …………………………, and
language teaching.

 VOCABULARY GAP-FILL: Fill in each of the numbered blanks in the following passage with ONE
suitable word:

Language: Is It Always Spoken?

Most of us know a little about how babies learn to (1)……………………. From

the time infants are born, they hear (2)……………….. because their parents
talk to them all the time. Between the ages of seven and ten months, most
Language and communication

infants begin to make sounds. They (3)……………….. the same sound over
and over again. For example, a baby may repeat the sound “dadada” or
“bababa”. This activity is called (4)…………………. (…)
What happens, though, to children who cannot (5)…………….? How do deaf
children learn to (6)……………………..? Recently, doctors have learned that
deaf babies (7) …………………… with their hands. Laura Ann Petitto, a
psychologist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, has studied how
children (8) …………….. language, she observed three (9)……………. infants
and two deaf infants. The three hearing infants had English-
(19)…………………. parents. The two deaf infants had deaf mothers and

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fathers who used American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with

(11)………………. other and with their babies. Dr. Petitto studied the babies
three times: at 10, 12 and 14 months. During this time, children really begin
to develop their language (12)……………….
(…)
The capacity for language is (13)……………. human. More studies in the
future may prove that the (14)…….………… system of the deaf is the
(15)…………………… equivalent of speech. If so, the old theory that only the
(16)…………………. word is language will have to be changed. The whole
concept of human (17) ……………………. will have a very new and different
meaning.

Source: The previous passage has been adapted from Smith, L. and Mare, N. (2011). Issues for Today.
Boston: Heinle.

 Fill in the gaps in the following text with words you learned in the section “The Power of
Language.” In each case, the first letter has been provided for you:

There are many phenomena which attest to the (1) u………………………

power of language. The fact that emerging communities may (2)
e…………………… a dialect or a language in order to communicate their
personal experiences or to transmit certain facts and ideas that make up
their (3) d………………….. cultural identity is a clear example of how it is the
(4) i………………. of language that can empower individuals to (5)
f…………….. binding ties with other individuals or communities. Language
naturally provides the means to (6) a…………………. ideas and thoughts, and
without this tool, individuals and communities would be (7)
v…………………., thus, your (8) c……………….. of a certain language or
dialect will give you the chance of speaking your mind. The power of
language goes beyond communication into the social arena: it shapes your
sense of (9) s………..-………………. and, in purely social terms, at times you
Language and communication

may even be (10) i………………………. perceived as someone you are not or

even left out of a group if you fail to deploy (11) s………………… language
skills.

 Complete the following text using collocation sets made up of two lexical items taken from the
text “Vanishing Voices: Aka, The Respect of Mucrow.” The first letter is provided for easier
recognition.

Every language provides a unique cultural and social framework for the

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world as we know it; in fact, we see the world through the l…………………..
g……………….. of the language we learned as children. Language is thus
preserved and p…………….. d…………… from one generation to the following
as a precious cultural treasure. The analogy that binds the environment and
languages together is quite revealing in this respect: in parallel to diverse
areas and unique natural places, linguists have identified a host of
l………………… h……………….., which makes it imperative for us to try and
preserve the l……………………... d………………… or richness of many of the
languages on the brink of extinction. This richness should also be further
looked into as the importance of language variety remains a b……………..
h…………………. in linguistics, namely an area that has not been explored in
depth. Today’s obsession with technological knowledge and the acquisition
of a lingua franca should not undermine the l……………………………
l……………………. which is totally essential to remain functional in our own
m………………… t………………… Furthermore, we should aspire to become
proficient in those areas in which our first language excels, as may be the
case of an e……………………… v…………………… which will furbish us with
names and references to that unique, highly rich outlook on the world our
language provides.

 SENTENCE BUILDING: Combine the structures on the left with TWO of the lexical items on the
right so as to form grammatically correct, stylistically appropriate, and logically meaningful
sentences. You may not change the words given (Exception: You MUST put all verbs in their
correct forms).

1)
Begin with “unlike”  to stay clear of (a subject)
 to harp on (a subject)
 ill-equipped

…………………………………………………………………………………...............
Language and communication

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

2)
Start your sentence using  populist
“rather than”  bewitching
 long-winded

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…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

3)
Start your sentence using “only  to navigate
when”  patchwork
 paralinguistics

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

4)
Use an expression of incremental  to anglicise
repetition  catchphrases
 posture

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

5)
Use the verb “preclude” in a  preservation
correct pattern  endangered
 to stave off
Language and communication

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

 Read the following sentence and infer the meaning of the phrasal verb which has been
underlined. Provide a definition in the space provided below:

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LOOK
 I used to think there wasn’t much more to Canadian Literature than
Margaret Atwood, but I already learnt we should not look down on
CanLit as if we were more important or better. When I went to study in
Montreal and I began to tackle my required readings, I realized my
Canadian colleagues were unequivocally correct in their rejection of
Americanness: Canadians are quietly and deservedly smug about their
rich and distinctive culture, which includes a distinguished literary
canon.

Definition:

…………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………...

 Match each phrasal verb with its corresponding meaning.

 look into (sth.) To read sth. quickly. To search for sth. among a lot of
things.
 look through To admire and respect someone.
(sth)
 look through To think that you’re better or more important than someone
(so.) else. To think sth. is not good enough for you.
 look up To try to discover the facts about something such as a
problem or crime.
 look up to To examine quickly. To visit a place in order to examine it.
 look back To not recognize or to pretend not to recognize someone
you know.
Language and communication

 look down on (so To walk around a room, building or place to see it.
or sth.)
 look To try to find a particular piece of information by looking
round/around in a book or on a list.
sth.
 look to (sth.) To direct your thoughts or attention to something.
 look over To think about a time or event in the past.

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 look to (so.) for To hope or expect to get help, advice, etc, from someone.
(sth)

 Study the following situations and describe each one using an appropriate phrasal verb:

Language and communication

 Match each phrasal verb with the corresponding definition.

SEE

see off To recognize that something is not true and not

be tricked by it, what so. is really like and not

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be tricked by them.
see off To deal with or take responsibility for someone
or something.
see through (sth.) (so.) To deal with or organize something.

see sth. through To go somewhere such as a station or airport

with someone in order to say goodbye to them.
see to (sth.) To go with someone to the door when they are
leaving in order to say good bye.
see about (sth) To continue doing sth., until it is finished, esp.
sth. difficult or unpleasant.
see (so.) out To make someone go away or leave a place,
especially by chasing them.

 Study the following situations and make up brief descriptive stories based on them using
appropriate phrasal verbs.

Language and communication

 Rewrite the stories you have just come up with using the phrasal verbs studied, now making
sure the meaning of each one of the phrasal verbs is clear from the context.

 Complete the gaps in the following sentences with suitable phrasal verbs formed with the base
form “look”:

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1. Police ……………… …………….. the deaths of at least three patients

under the care of a surgeon who was allowed to operate despite being
under investigation.
2. Some people consider that the police search powers need to be
reviewed since it is not really appropriate for the police to
……………….. …………………… people’s mobile phones or other
electronic equipment.
3. For many Latin Americans, Europe remains a mirror in which to take
a good look at themselves. But that mirror looks misty and remote.
Today, Latin America’s view is that they can’t………………
……………………. ……………. Europe anymore.
4. According to the government, the NHS plan will ensure that patients
take a more active role in managing their own health care by providing
citizens with their own electronic health record. Thus, every patient
will be able to …………… ………….. their medical record online.
5. In countless ways up and down the east coast of US, survivors of
hurricane Sandy ……… ………….., a year after the superstorm caused
at least 182 deaths.
6. In an interview singer W. Brown said she had recently started to see a
therapist who had really helped her. She added that people
……………… …………………….. ………….. therapy but it is great to
have someone to talk to that is not close to you.
7. Senior vice-president said he saw the arrival of a new production team
at Paramount as providing the chance to ……………… …………………
Paramount’s library to see if there were any potential remakes on the
shelves.
8. If you are looking for a school for your child, it is important to see the
school in action during daytime. So, go to …………….. ………..
during the daytime and look very carefully at what’s going on and note
the atmosphere.
9. A new survey has revealed that more and more new parents
Language and communication

…………………. ………….. TV shows for baby names.

10. Bolivia under President Evo Morales is seeing a radical
development model based on equality and environmental
sustainability and there are lessons the world can learn if they
……………….. …………….. Bolivia for inspiration.

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 Complete the gaps in the following sentences with suitable phrasal verbs formed with the base
form “see” :
1. He didn’t know when he was going to meet her again so he decided to
leave the office earlier to go to the airport to …………………. Lucy
…………… although he had promised her not to do that.
2. We saw her on the verge of tears and we could …………. ……….. her
apparent calm that she was harassed by an unconfronted fear
3. Although well aware of the fact that out of the many languages spoken
in that remote area of the planet half are no longer being whispered
into the ears of children, the linguists decided not to go on with the
preservation project as they knew they were not going to be around to
…………. it ……………….
4. The international organization ……………. ………………… it that all the
political prisoners were released after the peace treaty was signed by
all the parties involved in the armed conflict.
5. It was impossible for the local authorities to ……………… ………………
all the demands the refugees had made as regards housing, health
care and job opportunities.
6. The young lady was hospitalized during a bout of anxiety provoked by
the chaos that enveloped the city and meanwhile her husband
……………. ……………… the children and the house.
7. He was overwhelmed by the whole situation that the unwelcomed
guests had provoked, yet, he tried to be polite and …………… the
guests …………… to the door.

 Phrasal verbs are part and parcel of the English language, and yet they pose a special
challenge to most learners. They usually help us to sound more natural and economise on the
number of words we use to express ideas. Re-write this story replacing the underlined bits
with phrasal verbs from the list of meanings that you learnt in relation to LOOK and SEE. Notice
Language and communication

that you may need to introduce structural changes that relate to usage:

One year after getting married, John and Linda finally decided to take
out a mortgage to buy their dream house. They were sure about the
area, but they knew finding the perfect house woudn’t be an easy task.
To start with, they decided to take their time to really study each and
every room as opposed to simply getting an quick overview of the
house. They knew that to make sure this was accomplished, they
would probably have to pay an architect as these professionals have
the right knowledge to take responsibility for this kind of work, and

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they were willing to do it. They also knew that, prior to that, the best
course of action was to get the right advice and help from an
experienced and sensible real estate agent, and they were lucky that
their cousin Francis was a renowned and very popular agent with most
people in their circle of friends. The expression “third time lucky”
proved right in their case as it was actually the third house they
visited which they finally chose. In all, they were offered ten houses
which seemed to fulfill their needs and expectations, but as Francis
walked them to the door as they were leaving the third house, they had
this strange feeling they were home. The next step for them was to
analyze the mortgage documents to find the interest rates and make
sure the bank was offering them a good deal, and this was actually
done by an accountant. They’ve been living in the house for ten years
now, with no problem or setbacks, and, in retrospect, they are
extremely happy to have completed the tiring and difficult process of
analyzing each house with the help of experts, as it surely has paid off.

 Rewrite each of the following sentences using the word provided and keeping the meaning of
the original sentence:

1. While many people fear a long period of decline, let us not quickly and
easily start to think old age just means being a burden to others.
SLIP

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Edward Snowden’s hopes for finding refuge appeared to become fewer

as country after country denied the U.S. whistleblower’s request to
seek political asylum.
DWINDLE
Language and communication

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. Greece has a strong tradition of family responsibility and now many

crisis-hit Greeks turn to their families for help to cope with stress and
anxiety.
FALL

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. A dense security network that has as its purpose the defense of

“normal life” will surround /cover?? Not only counties but also the
soul of each individual
ENVELOPED (use a Passive Voice construction)

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. The under-30s are struggling to break free emotionally and financially

from their parents and even expect from them basic, practical help
with cleaning.
RELY

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. I had been invited to go back to see for myself the unpleasant

conditions in which the many Christian refugees who are flooding
across the Syrian/Lebanese border live.
PLIGHT

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………….. Language and communication

7. I am perhaps over sensitive to any attempts to make an artist’s name

disappear because of his morals or political actions.
OBLITERATE

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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8. Talking against the advertising industry, the graffiti artist Bansly

insisted that in a culture which is filled with advertisements, our
choices might not be our own.
SATURATED

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

9. Among the languages that may soon not exist we can mention the
secret language of the Kallawaya in Bolivian Andes, Amurdag in
Australia, and Mednyj Aleut in Eastern Siberia.
ENDANGERED

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

10. Determining how a given risk could change into a major loss-
generating event for any organization, can be daunting.
MORPH

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

 Fill in the gaps in each of the sentences below with a suitable way of looking:
a) Gently touching the golden chain and the sparkling egg-shaped pendant,
the young boy …………………………… at the treasure he had uncovered
before he buried it to protect it from his followers.

b) Even though at the time I was an awkward overgrown boy of thirteen, I

Language and communication

realised that the new neighbour, Mr. Kinks, had come not to talk
business with dad but to …………………………… my sister Rose, who was
then fifteen and almost of marriageable age.

c) The child hostage’s little wrists and ankles were held together by a rope.
He was left alone, scared and confused after he was kidnapped. He didn't
know how many days went by, but he knew he was hungry and
dehydrated. He felt himself drifting off to sleep when the door opened. He
had to …………………………………… because even through the blindfold
the beaming sunrays bothered his eyes, now so used to pitch darkness.

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d) George could smell whiskey on his son’s breath but knew that he was not
intoxicated. Anyway, he gave his son no opportunity to speak or explain
and did not allow his wife to serve dinner to the late comer because his
house was not a “a public inn that serves meals at all hours." As George
continued to …………………………… at his son across the living room, his
wife, intent on keeping the peace, made a very silly remark about the
weather.

e) The mansion on the hill had a special beauty and an irresistible appeal
for Mark. The house kept pulling him back, so he began a series of
formal visits to the new owner, whom he made all kinds of efforts to
acquaint. On each of his visits, he tried to ………………………… farther
into the house and was more and more intrigued because the house
looked strangely familiar.

 Fill in the gaps in each of the sentences below with a suitable way of walking:
a) As an explorer, he has had lots of accidents and strange adventures.
Once he almost cooked himself into jelly on Death Valley’s sand dunes.
At another time, he got lost in a maze of gulleys and forest brooks, and he
had to ……………………………… all his way to a highway and hitchhike
into town because he failed to find his car.

b) I remember spending my summers at my grandparents’ farmhouse. One

of the things I enjoyed most was to ………………………… around the lake
in the evenings and watch the flowers slowly bend down soon after
sunset.

c) Everybody recognised the infamous gambler because of the way in which

he ………………………. into the casino as if he owned the place.

d) Once out of the mountains, Hannibal found his way blocked by the wide
Language and communication

and flooded Arno River marshes. His troops had

to ………………………………… through deep water, at times sinking over
their heads in swirling eddies.

e) The violence of the impact knocked John over backward and sent the dog
scrabbling to maintain its balance. The comatose body of Alfred slid
gently across the deck. John crashed against the side of the ship as he
fought desperately against tremendous unseen forces pressing on him,
holding him plastered to the wood. At last the ship righted itself
somewhat and he was able to …………………………. forward. Grabbing

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hold of the shoulder of the man lying at his feet, John shook him
viciously, trying to wake him up.

 The verbs in bold are in the wrong sentences. Use the contextual clues offered by the
sentences to fix them. After you have decided which is the correct verb for each sentence, you
may need to make grammatical changes. You will notice that one of the words has been used
figuratively and twice as a noun.

a) Sue explained how her mother, soon after being diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis, has to wake up at least an hour before the rest of the family did
because a simple task like buttoning her shirt was an ordeal for her. And
if the family has plans to go see Sue’s brother play soccer, they would
also have to arrive an hour earlier at the stadium, so that her mother, on
crutches, could shuffle her way up the stairs to find a comfortable seat.

b) We have great stalks in understanding how the brain operates. MRI

(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) can map brain activity and we can now
explore the hidden regions of the mind.

c) The runaway was hiding in a winter log cabin. He started to read but he
kept one ear trained on the front door, on the steps outside. They were
old wooden steps and they creaked. For that reason, he thought he was
safe: it would be difficult for anyone to plod up on him.

d) Cats do not like the scent of certain plants, and so planting them can
work well for deterring cats from gardens. A motion-activated sprinkler
can also frighten and annoy cats that hobble in your yard. It will take a
time or two, but they will learn quickly not to come into a yard that
sprays water at them.

e) Fearful about calling the dogs’ attention, the thief slowly and quietly
climbed down the ladder and just strode his way across the yard before
hurriedly climbing over the fence into the safety of the night street.
Language and communication

f) The gunman who shot the two reporters used to be also a reporter fired
from the same television channel two years before. All those months of
feeling slighted and mistreated boiled over on two people that he knew
from the channel. The whole scene was carefully planned, including
renting a car and getting a weapon. He strode them in the parking lot
and followed them to a live shoot where he actually filmed himself raising
the gun and unleashing a hail of bullets.

g) Peter’s grandfather had been released from the hospital a couple of weeks
earlier and was by now able to at least prowl around the house by means

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of a walker or a cane, which he nevertheless was still reluctant to use.

h) They ran out of gas on a terrifying road off the beaten track. If they had
been younger, they would have thought it adventurous. She grabbed a
bottle of water and he a flashlight. They spoke little as they sneaked
uphill. She occasionally lagged behind and had to lengthen her inch to
match his. Fortunately, they soon passed a road sign that promised
lodging three miles ahead.

 Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words below. Use each word only once. You may
have to do additional research about other “ways of doing things”:

STAMP PACE SHUFFLE HUM GRUNT SQUINT STALK

STARE SNEAK GAZE WADE

1- As the ……………………………. of feet began to fade into a low

………………… of voices, Sarah found herself ……………………….. at John,
unable to draw her eyes away from him. Proud of his position as the officer
in command, he …………………… around the circle of men
………………………… his feet against the ground as if the leather boots were
not warm enough to keep out the chill.

CLING SQUINT GLISTEN GRIP SNAP

CHEEP DANGLE GLIMPSE FLASH
SQUEAK RUSTLE STRIDE
Language and communication

CLENCH SPRAWL

2- The mist darkened the faint path ahead, but that did not matter, she had
known these woods since childhood and found her way by instinct. The cool
darkness embraced her as she listened to the …………………….. of birds and
the ………………… of small animals. The ……………….. of the stream over the
stones drifted through the setting silence as she ……………………..
purposefully to the thatched cottage, her long skirt ………………………. about
her ankles. Once she reached the cottage, her fingers ……………………… the

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door handle tightly as she turned for a last …………………. of the view and
one more breath of summer-scented air. The mist ………………….. to the firs
and pines, concealing the mountain peaks, and a …………………….. white
moisture covered the grass and trees. The beauty of the valley would never
change, no matter how much happiness or pain she felt. The secrets of the
hills could not be altered by human feelings.

 Choose the verb that best completes the sentence:

A NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE

Yesterday a house on Stafford Street caught fire. A teenage boy across the
street called the fire department the minute he saw the smoke. As soon as
the fire trucks arrived, the firefighters jumped out and (rambled / hurried)
to the back of the truck to get the hoses. The fire chief quickly checked
around the outside of the house and made sure no one was in the house.
Then he (hastened / shuffled) into the house with one of the fire hoses.

It was 5:30 P.M. and people were starting to come home from work. A crowd
was gathering outside the house. A very young child was watching the fire
and started to (tiptoe / toddle) toward one of the firefighters. His mother
quickly grabbed the child and picked him up. A reporter from the local paper
arrived on the scene. There were so many people watching the fire that it
wasn’t easy for her to (slouch / edge) her way through the crowd.

One of the firefighters injured his ankle when he fell from a ladder. He
(prowled / hobbled) back to the truck. He yelled in pain when he also
(stumbled / sauntered) over a child’s bicycle that was lying on its side in
the front yard. Another firefighter inhaled too much smoke while she was
fighting the fire inside the house. She (struttered / staggered) back to the
truck and sat down next to the other injured firefighter.

The water from the hoses turned the grass to mud. It became more and more
Language and communication

difficult for the firefighters to walk through it. They (plodded / strolled)
back and forth through the mud until the fire was out.

The next day, many people from the neighbourhood (waddled / wandered)
by the wreckage of the house. Inside they could see the fire investigator who
was (inching /marching) carefully through each room of the house. He was
trying to find the cause of the fire. The neighbors felt sorry for the family that
had lost its home.

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Source of the previous exercise: Trump, K. Trechter, S. and Holisky, D. A. (1992). Walk, amble, stroll.
Boston: Thomson and Heinle.

 Replace the phrases in bold with a suitable verb corresponding to ways of walking, speaking
and looking:

She walked up to the window and ……………………. (looked with some

difficulty) in through the net curtains. He was there, she knew he would be.
She …………………….(entered quickly and quietly) the café. He wouldn’t be
able to see her unless he turned round. She could smell coffee brewing. She
watched the waiter, the only other person in the place, quickly jotted down
something, probably the bill, and passed it to the man. The man looked up,
……………….(smiled) at the waiter and ……………………. (said something
indistinctly) something to him, then opened the package in his lap and
carefully read its contents replacing them and turning to …………………….
(look abstractedly) out of the window. She had seen that faraway look
before. Unable to stand it any longer, she ………………………. (walked in a
slow and casual way) over to his table, looking for all the world as if she had
just happened to have been passing and, on the spur of the moment, had
decided to walk in.
He began to …………………. (look for something) in his coat pocket until,
with hands that were now trembling, he fished out a sealed envelope. He
…………………… (look with some difficulty) at the contents of the package
once again and placed them together with the sealed envelope, on the table.
He pushed them towards her and left the café. She picked up the note. It
read: “these photos and this life insurance policy cheque are for my
daughter, Sadie.” “But father, “ she………………………. (said quietly) to the
door that had already closed, “I’m Sadie”.

Source: The previous exercise has been adapted from Skipper, M. (2002). Advanced grammar and
Language and communication

vocabulary. Melbourne: Express Publishing.

 Fill in the blanks with the correct form of some of the words provided. Use them only
once.

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PLOP PEEP SWISH STAMP WHEEZE SNIFF HAUM CLICK PAD

ROAR BANG WADDLE CREAK CROUCH GAPE POUND
CLANK BOW BUZZ CREEP

1) People swarmed around her. She shrank into the comforting

familiarity of the bed, clutching the hem of the bedspread. The
strangers moved closer, so close that she could hear the pattern of
their breathing and a rough asthmatic……………………
Heels……………….. on the floor, a knee …………………. the bed frame.
They …………….. down at her in surprise, their mouths wide open,
their fingers pointing down at her. She closed her eyes and slipped
further down into the bedclothes.

2) Straightening her back, she plucked up her long skirt and

………………………. softly barefoot to her door, opening it slowly. It
…………………………….. in the unnatural silence. Her heart sped up,
…………………………. with anticipation. She ………………………..
quietly down the shadowy hallway, past the stairway that led to her
parents’ bedroom. At the wide, open foyer, she stopped, her head
…………………………. listening. A low, droning ……………………… of
conversation came from the parlour. Her brothers were arguing again.
She wrenched open the front door and darted outside.

 WORD DOMAINS: Take a look at the following pictures, which illustrate different words included
in the WALK domain. Find the words in the soup of letters below (you can read in all directions,
including diagonally and backwards). Then choose three of the words, and based on the
pictures, make up sentences of your own [Find the complete exercise with pictures in the
complementary set].

 SENTENCE BUILDING: Combine the structures on the left with TWO of the lexical items on the
Language and communication

right so as to form grammatically correct, stylistically appropriate, and logically meaningful

sentences. You may not change the words given (Exception: You MUST put all verbs in their
correct forms).

1)
Use the phrase “in addition to”  compelling
 to conduct
 cognitive benefit

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

2)
Begin like this:  to strengthen
“Because of...”  juggling
 tip of the tongue

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

3)
Use a passive construction  to perform
 task
 conflict management

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

4)
Language and communication

Use the phrase “along with”  brain regions

 to alternate
 imaging techniques

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

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5)
Begin your sentence with  tangible
“beyond”  to stave off
 cognitive decline

…………………………………………………………………………………...............

……………………………………………………………………………………...........

 Rewrite each of the following sentences using the word provided or following the instructions
given. Do not change the original meaning of the sentence:

1) There is a tendency to carry out forest reclamation projects. The

tendency is driven by the perception that the world is running out of
natural resources. In an equal measure, it is driven by the greed of
entrepreneurs who wish to obtain profits at the expense of the State.
Join all three sentences and use AS MUCH AS

……………………………………………………………………….................................
……………………………………………………………………………...........………..
.............................................................................................................................................

2) Universities will participate in the initiative of protecting endangered

languages. To that purpose, the government has increased the funds
that the Sate sends to them.
Join the two sentences and use IN ORDER FOR

……………………………………………………………………….................................
Language and communication

.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

3) If legislators take into account the insights of linguists and act

accordingly, suitable legislation may help preserve the world’s dying
languages.
Begin with ACTING

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……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

4) Many students wonder why professors insist on their reading full

literary works. Students have the feeling that a simplified annotated
guide of the main themes will do just as well.
Form only one sentence and use AS OPPOSED TO

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

5) A group of bilingual teachers consider that it is not advisable to mix the

two languages when teaching kids in kindergarten. For these teachers,
it is ideal to keep the two languages separate.
Begin with RATHER THAN

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

6) The only books I have consulted about the relationship between

language and cognition are classic Cognitive Psychology college texts.
Use OTHER THAN

……………………………………………………………………….................................
Language and communication

…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

7) Linguists study the enormous variety of languages used around the

world. With their study comes their realisation that language does have
a radical influence on the way people conceive of the world around
them. Both their activity and their realisation grow at the same rate.
Use a single sentence expressing the analogous rate of growth of

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the two actions mentioned.

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

8) The experiment led to a better understanding of why children find it

easier to learn a second language than adults. It also led to a better
appreciation of the role played by such cultural factors as a society’s
attitude to foreignness.
Begin with IN ADDITION

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

9) A common language facilitates emotional bonding with others. As a

consequence, it enhances people’s opportunities to construct a strong
sense of self-identity.
Join the two sentences by means of THUS

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

10) A fluid intelligence focuses on creativity. By way of contrast, a

crystallised intelligence capitalises on previous background knowledge
and experience.
Use UNLIKE
Language and communication

……………………………………………………………………….................................
…………………………………………………………………………….........................
……….................................................................................................................................

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SELF-STUDY

AND STRATEGY TRAINING

 Here is an example of an instrument you can build progressively to help you study word
domains. You can use a customized or otherwise enhanced version of this template to study
other word domains:
WORD DOMAIN WALK
LEXICAL MEANING EXAMPLES SITUATION ALLEGIANCES (AN)OTHER DISTINGUISHI VISUAL
ITEM AL ITEM(S) NG FEATURES RETENTION AID
CONTEXTS LIKELY TO BE
CONFUSED
WITH ITEM
LISTED
To move The fat man slammed the Situations Subjects: To wade Both verbs
or walk door breathing hard, suggesting sportspeople; might be
heavily or sweating as heavily as one physical animals. used in
laborious of the horses that plod up exertion. connection
ly. and down the main road, with mud.
TO PLOD

pulling carts loaded with Wading refers

heavy products. to walking
with effort
Despite his great fatigue, through
he gritted his teeth water or a
and plodded on. watery
medium.
To walk in Some folks paid $230,000 Situations Subjects: To stride The verbs
a pompous for two tickets to the involving models; birds have a
way so as glamorous party. This was people such as similar form
to impress the party where, instead of whose peacocks; but stride
others " Red or White? " arriving behaviour people who suggests a
guests are asked, " Carpet or manners are likely to strong and
or No Carpet? " choosing convey show off. vigorous way
TO STRUT

whether they want pride or of walking,

to strut for the paparazzi. arrogance not
and/or the necessarily
Proud of his manly figure, need to likely to
he rolled up the sleeves of display convey pride
his shirt, casually slung power or or arrogance.
his jacket over his shoulder superiority
and strutted self- .
assuredly, knowing he was
raising girls’ eyebrows.
Language and communication

To move The officer fired a Situations Subjects: To shamble Both verbs

or stand tranquilizer dart into the in which Bears (heavy To lurch might be
unsteadily, rump of the first bear. He people animals), used in
as if under quickly reloaded and cannot drunks; connection
a great darted the second bear, keep their people in with drunks.
TO STAGGER

weight. too. We followed from the balance shock, or But stagger

helicopter as the bears because of who have connotes
began to stagger like a drunken been unsteadiness
couple of drunks leaving a ness, near involved in a while shamble
bar. blindness, fight or is typically
shock, or a accident. associated
After a visit to the pitch- physical with
black cave, tourists blow. awkwardness
typically stagger back out (shuffling the
into the daylight, shielding feet). To lurch

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 ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

their eyes. is similar but

its
distinguish
ing feature
would be the
erratic or
abrupt
movement
involved.
To stand Crime is a real concern in Contexts Places: To roam Both verbs
idly about; many neighborhoods; try suggesting public places To stalk are similar in
linger detecting danger zones and people such as that both
without check out your walk ahead spending schools, suggest an
any of time. Look for unlit an social service action done
purpose. streets or corners where unreason agencies, without
To remain people loiter. able bars and purpose.
in a given amount of parking lots, However,
location The store owner’s time, where roam suggests
for an storefront window has which criminal the idea that
extended been smashed and the conveys behavior is the action
back end of his truck has the idea of likely to has no plan
TO LOITER

period of
time, been battered. He thinks laziness, a occur. because it is
without he can recognize the drug threat, Subjects: performed in
apparent dealers and thieves danger, or lazy people; a leisurely
purpose who loiter in the parking criminal people manner. It
with the lot of his convenience store. intention suspected of does not
effect of delinquent have
represent behaviour, negative
ing a unemployed connotations
threat or or homeless .
suggesting and To stalk is a
criminal expecting more
behavior. help. deliberate act
of observing
and pursuing
someone. It
is also a
transitive
verb.
To walk To catch a breeze yourself, Contexts Typical To wander Both verbs
along at a take a stroll by the ocean in which strollers are may suggest
leisurely across the street from the the walk people on a leisurely
pace. restaurants. taken is a holiday. activity, but
pleasant Places: the
Buena Vista Street invites activity, beaches, distinguish
visitors to done in no tourist areas, ing feature of
linger, stroll and spend shopping wander is its
TO STROLL

hurry.
money in shops and on streets, connotation A baby stroller
food. quaint of an action
towns, done without
lakeshore a fixed
areas. destination
or plan,
Language and communication

while stroll
emphasizes
the pleasure
taken in the
activity.

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 ENGLISH LANGUAGE III

To walk in The zombies featured on Situations Subjects: To stagger (See

an the movie looked much in which People who To shuffle reference for
awkward, like people. They walked someone walk stagger).
lazy, or on two legs and spoke like has to walk awkwardly To shuffle is
unsteady real men and women. But shuffling or do not feel to walk with
manner, their walk was a noisy, their feet well. short sliding
shuffling graceless shamble, and due to ill steps, barely
their words came out too lifting one’s
TO SHAMBLE

the feet. health or

fast, twisted around a awkward feet.
strange, inhuman tongue. ness. Shambling
involves
Although he was in a shuffling
terrible condition, after one’s feet.
puking, he Shuffling
would shamble back into may be due
his study and write verses to old age, or
for two hours. the need to
move across
a dangerous
place.

Examples: Adapted and simplified from COCA.

Illustrations: from Fotosearch.com

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 Here is an example of an evaluation instrument that you can construct yourself (and then
share with another student so as to give and receive peer feedback) to consolidate your
knowledge about word domains.

EVALUATION ON WORD DOMAINS: Based on the visual prompts provided,

construct a brief descriptive or narrative paragraph (3 to 5 sentences) below
the picture that follows. Try to convey the greatest semantic specificity by
using suitable words studied under the various domains.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
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Language and communication

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 Summary of grammatical structures and linking devices to be reviewed. Many of the exercises
you have been exposed to (particularly, sentence building and sentence transformation
exercises) contain structures and connecting devices you may have learned in the past or in
other courses you have taken. It is convenient at this point to review the rules that regulate
their use. The following register includes the most important ones, but you should be able to
identify others and complete your register. Make sure you go back to the texts and/or
exercises in which you first encountered them in this material:

REVIEW

1) Structures of incremental repetition (e.g., the more + clause, the more+

clause)

2) Structures to indicate emphasis (e.g., inversion of subject and verb in

structures beginning with negative elements such as “Only when”).

3) Use of “regardless of,” “beyond,” “in addition to,” “along with” (at the
beginning of sentences or in any other place).

4) Use of “thus,” “as opposed to,” “other than,” “rather than” and “in
order for.”

5) Use of “whereas.”

6) Different structures to indicate comparison, preference and choice.

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All photographs from Fotosearch.com

The authors have used the following resources extensively:

Online bank of quotations about language at

https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=quotes+about+language&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=63
7&tbm=isch&imgil=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%253A%253BgpN26q2e4oO6ZM%253Bhttp%25253A%
25252F%25252Fquotesgram.com%25252Fquotes-for-language-
learners%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%253A%252CgpN26q2e4oO6ZM
%252C_&usg=__aNpivzmohU0WVwhm6UD1wvoyW-
E%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjNvfCMvOzOAhWIj5AKHbl5B8YQyjcIJQ&ei=1zrHV432I4ifwgS5852w
DA#imgrc=2vVilnKKk_9YFM%3A

https://www.brainpickings.org

Corpus of Contemporary American English at http://corpus.byu.edu/coca/

Language and communication

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