CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 38
Talking about language
A
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Specialist
terms for talking about language
Syntax: the grammar and word order Different languages express modality
in different ways. [meanings such as possibility and necessity]
English does it with modal verbs like
must, could and should.
Phonology: the sound system, i.e. pronunciation and intonation
All languages have phonemes,
such as /b/ and /v/. [different sounds that distinguish meanings]
English has ten diphthongs.
[sounds made by combining vowels, such as /eɪ/
and /aÊŠ/]
Lexicon: specialised term for vocabulary
Orthography: specialised term for writing systems and spelling
The English alphabet has 26 characters.
[letters or symbols] Some writing systems, such as Chinese, are not
alphabetic but have pictograms or ideograms. [characters representing
pictures] [characters representing ideas/concepts]
Morphology: how words are formed In English, there are three morphemes
in unthinkable: un, think and able. [units of
meaning]
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B
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Other useful words for talking about
language
Many
words in English are polysemous. [they have a number of different
meanings] The meaning will usually be clear from its context. [the language
or situation around it]
Words
are often used in a metaphorical way – a way that is not literal,
e.g. to see the light, meaning ‘to understand something’ rather than
literally to see a light.
Language
usage inevitably changes with time. [the way words are used] Some
words become obsolete while new words are coined. [fall out of
use] [of words, created]
Any
language has a number of different registers. [style of language used in
a particular situation, e.g. formal, informal] Jargon is used to
describe a specific type of language that is used by a particular group of
people sharing a job or interest, e.g. military jargon, computer
jargon.
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C
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Using language well or badly
Someone
who uses language well can be described as articulate [able to express
their ideas clearly in words] or eloquent. [able to express ideas or
opinions clearly, in a way that may influence others] They may express something
in a succinct way [clearly and using few words], and they may always
be able to think of the mot juste. [French for ‘correct word’ –
exactly the right word or phrase for a particular situation] Someone who does
not use language well can be described as inarticulate. [unable to
express their ideas clearly in words] If you are speechless or lost
for words, you are so surprised that you are unable to say anything. If
you put your foot in it, you say something without thinking carefully
and may upset or embarrass someone.
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EXERCISES
38.1
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Rewrite
these sentences using more appropriate technical terms from A opposite
instead of the underlined words.
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38.2
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Complete
the word formation table below. Use a dictionary if necessary. If your dictionary
gives pronunciations, mark any differences in stress between the noun form and
the adjective form.
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38.3
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The
sentences below are examples of the different types of language in the box.
What is each an example of?
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38.4
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Complete
the sentences with the words in the box.
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38.5
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Over to you
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How is your language written – in letters, pictograms or ideograms?
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Do learners of your language find the syntax difficult? Why?
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Does your language have diphthongs?
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Does your language have modal verbs? If not, how does it express modality?
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Do you know anyone who is very eloquent?
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Have you ever been lost for words? When?
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ANSWER KEY
38.1
Suggested answers:
1 The orthography of Burmese / Burmese orthography is quite difficult for a foreign learner. 2 Japanese uses several different writing systems, with hundreds of characters. 3 The lexicon of a language like English is constantly changing. 4 Unlike English, some world languages have very few vowel phonemes and no diphthongs. 5 This ancient and beautiful alphabet uses pictograms to express meaning. 6 Modality is expressed in different forms in different languages.
38.2
Stressed syllables are shown in bold:
38.3
1 metaphor
2 obsolete language 3 polysemy 4 computer jargon
38.4
1 mot juste
2 eloquent
3 speechless
4 succinct
5 foot
6 words
7 inarticulate
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