Table of Contents

No. Contents Page

1.0 Introduction 2
2.0 Nature and Function of the English Language 2
3.0 Pronunciation Problems 3-4
4.0 Interpretation of Meaning of Words, Texts, and Discourse 4-5
Using the Knowledge of Semantics and Pragmatics
5.0 Conclusion 6
6.0 Attachment 7-8
7.0 Reference 9

1.0 INTRODUCTION

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 Linguistic is the study of the way in which language works (Collins Dictionary, 2018).
The knowledge of linguistics is especially important in order to achieve good
communication between language users and to ensure that the message can be
accepted and understood by the addressee or addressees. Evaluation of the spoken and
written discourses is crucial for a teacher to successfully distinguish mistakes and
correct them. In the matter of language, it is a system of communication which consists
of a set of sounds and written symbols which are used by the people of a particular
country or region for talking or writing (Collins Dictionary, 2018). Based on Finocchiaro
(1964), it is a system of arbitrary, vocal symbols which permit all people in a certain
culture, or the people who have learned the system of that culture, to communicate or to
interact. As semester one Teaching English as a Second Language(TESL) students in
Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Gaya (IPGKG), we are required to critically evaluate
written and spoken discourses from a variety of sources. Consequently, this coursework
will touch on the nature and functions of the English language used, the pronunciation
problems and the categorization of phonemes using the International Phonetic Alphabet
(IPA) and the interpretation of the meaning of words, texts, and discourse using the
knowledge of semantics and pragmatics.

2.0 NATURE AND FUNCTION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

One of the natures of language in linguistics is arbitrariness. Arbitrariness is the

absence of any natural or necessary connection between a word's meaning and its sound
or form. An antithesis to sound symbolism, which does exhibit an apparent connection
between sound and sense, arbitrariness is one of the characteristics shared between
all languages. There is no connection between the linguistic form and its corresponding
linguistic meaning or concept.

The function of the language that is used by the actors in the video clip I have chosen
acts as an interactional language. According to the British Council (n. d.), interactional
language is the language we use to build and maintain relationships. It can be
compared to transactional language, which normally carries a message and is the
language used to get things done. To maintain interaction, speakers use
interactional strategies. In the classroom, teachers can present element of
interactional language through videos and authentic conversations where students
can learn to use paralinguistic features such as gestures, eye contact and body
language (British Council, n. d.).

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3.0 PRONUNCIATION PROBLEMS

Based on the accent of the actors in the video clip that I have sampled as a spoken
discourse, their first language is obviously not English. According to Sapon (1952), it is
common for non-native speakers to have pronunciation problems and also speak English
using their accent. Some of the pronunciation problems that can be found are as follows;

No Word Pronunciation in Pronunciation Description

. Spoken Discourse according to the
International Phonetic
Alphabet (IPA)
1. The zɪ ðiː The speaker
replaced the ‘ð’
sound with the
‘z’ sound.
2. Killer kɪle kɪlə The speaker
used the sound
‘e’ instead of ‘ə’.
3. Deduction dɪdʊkʃən dɪˈdʌkʃən The sound ‘ʌ’
was replaced
with the sound
‘ʊ’.
4. Three friː θriː The speaker
pronounced the
consonant ‘θ’ as
‘f’.
5. There ðeʊ ðeə The sound ‘ə’
was replace with
the sound ‘ʊ’.
6. Kitten kiːtən kɪtn The ‘ə’ sound is
unnecessary.
The ‘ɪ’ sound
was replaced
with the sound
‘i’.
7. Because bɪkʊz bɪkɒz The sound ‘ɒ’
was replaced
with the sound

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 ‘ʊ’.
8. Hide aɪd haɪd The speaker did
not include the
sound ‘h’.
9. Justice ʤuːstiːs ʤʌstɪs The sound ‘ʌ’
was replaced
with the sound
‘uː’. The sound ‘ɪ’
was replaced
with the sound
‘iː’.
10. Is iːz  ɪz The sound ‘ɪ’
was replaced
with the sound
‘iː’.
11. France fwɑːns frɑːns The speaker
replaced the
sound ‘r’ with the
sound ‘w’.

4.0 INTERPRETATION OF MEANING OF WORDS, TEXTS, AND DISCOURSE USING

THE KNOWLEDGE OF SEMANTICS AND PRAGMATICS

Semantics is a term used to study the meaning of sentences (Trask, 2007). It has
been one of the most difficult and trickiest areas of language study due to the failures
faced by philosophers to distinguish two different aspects of meaning. Fortunately,
according to Trask (2007), their understanding towards it increased in time and as a
result, they created the term ‘pragmatics’ which is the study of how utterances convey
meaning in context to distinguish between literal meanings and the contextual meanings
of the sentences. From analysing the lyrics from the song ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift, I have
found that there are a lot of interpretations that can be made;

No. Words used Literal Meaning (Semantics) Intended Meaning

(Pragmatics)
1. And there's a The persona cannot figure The persona feels like
dazzling haze, a out whether they know the they have known the

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 mysterious way person they were referring to person forever but still
about you, dear or not. has more details to get to
Have I known you know about him/her.
twenty seconds or
twenty years?
2. Can we always be The persona is asking the The persona is asking
this close forever person if they can be whether the person would
and ever? physically attached to each want to be in an intimate
other. relationship with her
forever.
3. I’ve loved you three The persona wants to spend The persona wants to
summers now, all the summers with her dedicate her life to her
honey, but I want significant other. lover.
them all.
4. Ladies and The persona confesses her The persona is
gentlemen, will you love for her significant other exchanging wedding vows
please stand? in front of a crowd of people. with her lover in holy
With every guitar matrimony.
string scar on my
hand
I take this magnetic
force of a man to be
my lover.
5. My heart’s been In a literal sense, the This is a play on the
borrowed and yours persona’s heart was wedding superstition that
has been blue. borrowed while the other every ceremony should
person’s heart has been include “something old,
coloured blue. something new,
something borrowed, and
something blue.”
6. And at every table, The persona will always save The persona wants to
I’ll save you a seat, a seat for her lover. include her lover in every
lover. aspect of her life.

In order to understand the song itself, we need to have sufficient knowledge in

semantics and pragmatics to understand whether each word used represents its
denotative or connotative meaning. Also, through prevarication, we can communicate or
interpret about things that are not verifiable or where there is no empirical proof. The

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 words can mean anything but we can derive the ideas and interpret them based on the
knowledge that we already possess.

5.0 CONCLUSION

To sum up, it is a rational thing to do to try to master linguistics especially for those
who are on the path of committing their lives into teaching language such as the TESL
trainee teachers. Through this, miscommunication can be avoided and a community
where everybody will be able to understand each other can exist. Lastly, through grasping
linguistics, the ability and quality of student can escalate.

6.0 ATTACHMENT

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Lover lyrics by Taylor Swift

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 We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January

This is our place, we make the rules

And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear

Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close forever and ever?

And oh, take me out and take me home

You're my, my, my, my

Lover

We could let our friends crash in the living room

This is our place, we make the call

And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you

I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?

With every guitar string scar on my hand

I take this magnetic force of a man to be my

Lover

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

All's well that ends well to end up with you

And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me

And at every table, I'll save you a seat

Lover

7.0 REFERENCE

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Alsaawi, A. (2016). Written Discourse Analysis and its Application in English Language
Teaching. Arab Worlrd English Journal,7(2), 244-254. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304580039_Written_Discourse_Analysis_an
d_Its_Application_in_English_Language_Teaching/citation/download

British Council. (n. d.). Interactional Language. Retrieved from

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/transactional-language

British Council. (n. d.). Transactional Language. Retrieved from

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/transactional-language

Cornish, F. (2014). Encyclopaedia of Language and Linguistics (2 nd ed.). Understanding

Spoken Discourse, 13, 227-230. Retrieved from https://hal-univ-tlse2.archives-
ouvertes.fr/hal-00952132/document

Finocchiaro, M., & Huebener, T. (1964). Teaching Children Foreign Language. New York:

McGraw-Hill.

Language [Def. 1]. (2018). In Collins English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged (13th ed.).
Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/language

Linguistics [Def. 2]. (2018). In Collins English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged (13th ed.).
Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/linguistic

Movieclips. (2013, July 31). The Pink Panther (1/12) Movie CLIP – Clouseau’s Press
Conference (2016) HD [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uDqSQGOtixE&list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpgrxKcSlnnoA3Jgg-G443a&index=1

Sapon, S. M. (1952). An application of psychological theory to pronunciation problems in

second language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 36(3), 111-114.

Trask, R. L. (2007). Language and linguistics: The key concepts. Routledge.

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