Spoken Communication Analysis
Variety of Spoken Communication
Many aspects of spoken communication are distinct in their uses of language. This distinction is for the fact that each variety of spoken communication, in return, uses the functions of language in their own specific ways and for their own specific purposes. Language of radio announcers is but one form which illustrates this distinction and the discussion of this essay attempts to explore the use of language within this variety of spoken communication – through the evident use of lexical, syntactic and phonological features and furthermore in discourse structure. This exploration can be achieved in reference to presenter Leighton Smith’s radio interview of Prime Minister John Key, which featured May 16th on the Newstalk ZB radio channel.
Background
The language of radio presenters is a form of spoken communication which in itself consists of different genres each specific to their own use of language. On a generic level, radio broadcast, as form of spoken conversation is often one which has been generated in a studio by means of a ‘scripted speech’ (Finch, 2003). According to Finch (2003) this in return means that the use of language is more ‘orderly and formal than spoken language’ (p 73). Finch further argues at the ‘occasional colloquialism and sentence fragment to disguise the fact that it is written’ (p 73). As mentioned there can be many genres within radio broadcast, however in the specific occasion of a political interview such as that between Smith and Key, the primary purpose is to be informative and present a particular view on a subject (Paviour-Smith, 2012) – to give a representation of ideas which are significant to society.
Lexical Features
As defined by Thompson (2003) the lexical features of language refer to, the ‘set of words used in a language’. Put in context, this refers to the vocabulary specific to a language variety and clearly, there are many lexical elements within radio talkback shows and
Many aspects of spoken communication are distinct in their uses of language. This distinction is for the fact that each variety of spoken communication, in return, uses the functions of language in their own specific ways and for their own specific purposes. Language of radio announcers is but one form which illustrates this distinction and the discussion of this essay attempts to explore the use of language within this variety of spoken communication – through the evident use of lexical, syntactic and phonological features and furthermore in discourse structure. This exploration can be achieved in reference to presenter Leighton Smith’s radio interview of Prime Minister John Key, which featured May 16th on the Newstalk ZB radio channel.
Background
The language of radio presenters is a form of spoken communication which in itself consists of different genres each specific to their own use of language. On a generic level, radio broadcast, as form of spoken conversation is often one which has been generated in a studio by means of a ‘scripted speech’ (Finch, 2003). According to Finch (2003) this in return means that the use of language is more ‘orderly and formal than spoken language’ (p 73). Finch further argues at the ‘occasional colloquialism and sentence fragment to disguise the fact that it is written’ (p 73). As mentioned there can be many genres within radio broadcast, however in the specific occasion of a political interview such as that between Smith and Key, the primary purpose is to be informative and present a particular view on a subject (Paviour-Smith, 2012) – to give a representation of ideas which are significant to society.
Lexical Features
As defined by Thompson (2003) the lexical features of language refer to, the ‘set of words used in a language’. Put in context, this refers to the vocabulary specific to a language variety and clearly, there are many lexical elements within radio talkback shows and
References: Finch, G (2003). Virtual Words. Word of mouth: A new introduction to language and communication (pp 72-85). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Paltridge, B (2000) Conversation analysis. Making sense of discourse analysis. Pp 83-102. Brisbane: Gerd Stabler. Paviour-Smith, G Paviour-Smith, G (2012). Lecture 15 – Ways of Analysing Speech Varieties [Lecture Notes]. Wellington, New Zealand: Massey University. Newstalk ZB (Producer). (2012, May 16). John Key with Leighton Smith. Politics – Newstalk ZB. Retrieved from http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/rss/podcast/politics/ Thompson, N (2003)