1. Answer the following two questions for each of utterances a, b, and c, below.

(i) What information does the utterance provide about the relationship between the people talking in the context
of their talk?
(ii) What is the function of the utterance in the context? Does it convey primarily affective or referential
information?

(a) Here is the forecast for the Wellington district until midnight Tuesday issued by the meteorological service at
6 o’clock on Monday evening. It will be rather cloudy overnight with some drizzle, becoming fine again on Tuesday
morning. The outlook for Wednesday – a few morning showers then fine.
(b) Good morning little one – you had a good big sleep, didn’t you, pet?
(c) Excuse me, Mr Clayton. I’ve finished your letters, sir.

2. Insert in the appropriate column an example number from this chapter which illustrates the relevant reason for
switching
Reasons for code-switching Quote an example number from this chapter
Change in a feature of the domain or social situation
Setting
Participant features
Addressee specification
Ethnic identity marker
Express solidarity
Express social distance
Assert social status
Topic
Quoting someone
Proverb
Aspect of the function or purpose of interaction
Add emphasis
Add authority
Express feelings (vs describing facts)

3. Using the social dimensions introduced in chapter 1 – solidarity, status, formality, and function – consider
the social characteristics of the following linguistic varieties described in this chapter.
(a) vernacular
(b) standard
(c) lingua franca
(d) pidgin
(e) creole

4. US or British?
(a) When you go window-shopping do you walk on the pavement or the sidewalk?
(b) Do you put your shopping in the car’s trunk or in the boot?
(c) When the car’s engine needs oil do you open the bonnet or the hood?
(d) Do you fill up the car with gas or with petrol?
(e) When it is cold do you put on a jersey or a sweater?
(f) When the baby is wet does it need a dry diaper or nappy?
(g) Do you get to the top of the building in an elevator or a lift?
(h) When the children are hungry do you open a can or a tin of beans?
(i) When you go on holiday do you take luggage or baggage?
(j) When you’ve made an error do you remove it with an eraser or a rubber?

5. Ask five people over 70 years old and five people aged between 15 and 25 from similar social backgrounds to
tell you what words they would use in the following contexts:
(a) I’ve just got a new car. It’s ___________________
(Ask for two or three words meaning they like it and think it is good.)
(b) The Australians were beaten by 6 wickets and I’m not surprised. Their playing was ___________________
(Ask for two or three words meaning it was terrible.)
(c) I heard a talk about personality types on the radio today. The speaker didn’t know a thing
about the subject. It was ___________________
(Ask for two or three words meaning it was wrong or misleading.)
5. Match a, b, c, and 1, 2, 3
a. the typical (age-graded) pattern for a stable vernacular variable or the pattern for a vernacular variable which is
being replaced by a standard or prestige
b. variable (with young people resisting the new standard) or the pattern for a new vernacular variable which is
spreading and replacing a standard variable
c. a temporary pattern and the form will disappear when it goes out of fashion
1. in young adults’ speech 2. in middle age 3. in old age

6. Identify the contexts in which you would expect to see or hear the following, and one feature
of each which served as a linguistic clue.
(a) NO NUKES
(b) Who’s a lovely little girl then eh? Who’s a lovely little girl?
(c) Where any registered security interest is discharged, the person entered in the register as the secured party
shall, within 10 working days of the date on which the security interest is discharged, apply to . . .
(d) txt 4 lift b gr8 2 c u
(e) I have no desire to be a party to this on-going useless debate. I therefore wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this
list.

7. Can you translate the sentences above into non-sexist terms?

(a) Alone among the animals man uses language to communicate.
(b) ‘Speech’ wrote Benjamin Lee Whorf ‘is the best show man puts on’ man in his thinking. The average student
might hear 100,000 words a day. If he has a modest reading speed he would cover 90,000 words a day. He could
easily be exposed to three quarters of a billion words a year. And anyone could easily increase that if he wanted.
(c) Man has been civilized for centuries. He no longer needs to hunt for food for his women and children.
(d) The two Oxford Union debaters most ably supported by a woman debater from Victoria made entertaining
contributions.
(e) The pioneers who established the farms of this country, who toiled together with their lives and children to
break in the land, knew little of what was happening in the towns.

8. Identify at least two functions which could be expressed simultaneously by each of the following utterances.
(a) Fire!
(b) Keep up that excellent work.

(c) I’d like to see Sam in my office at four.

(d) I’m very tired.