Written Language as Being Superior to Speech
English language has two main features; it can be presented in a
written form or in the form of speech. Hence, the debate on the topic
of which form of language is more significant than the other is
becoming greater as time is passing. This is because more and more new
technology is being created by the day to help people who are unable
to speak or others who are unable to write. And, the use of these
proves they can lead a normal life without the feature of English
which they are incapable of using.
Language can be spoken by all people naturally from a young age. And,
also if this language is not one which is of a mother tongue then it
can still be learnt from the presence of other people speaking this
foreign language. However, in that case only the verbal element of
this language is learnt. A language needs to be learnt fully and to do
this writing it is the most appropriate way as it enables one to
expand on their uses of different words. This leads me to believe that
written language is more important than speech, especially in this day
and age as more and more people are using the internet to communicate
rather than the slowly disappearing home telephone. Also, the majority
of people are also using mobile phones these days and instead of
talking they are using the form of text which allows them to say what
they want in a short space for a lower cost. This also allows people
to say exactly what they want. So, this leads me to believe this form
of communication is better as when in a verbal conversation it can be
diverted. A survey was recently carried out by The Times newspaper
showing results that 3 in 5 people prefer using the text service on
their mobile phones rather than talking over the phone.
When a person writes more their speech is improved as they gain
knowledge of new words and they begin using these in everyday speech.
Language, whether oral, or written is the primary type of interaction we have. In “Learn! Learn!” by Hugo Martinez-Serros, the author stress the importance of language and education in society rather than your social class. He shows the importance of language to us by outlining the everyday life of a hard working Mexican that lingers in developing his authorship, and really likes to criticize the writing of the higher class enlightened priest. He lives in the south side of Chicago, and in his spare time he loves to study and critic others writings for improvement.
There are two forms of languages; public and private. The "private" language only spoken with family and close intimate relationships. The "public" language used in society, work, and school. Both of these help form two identities, that help us connect and communicate with one another. In the essay “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan and also in the article “Speech Communities” by Paul Roberts ,we will see how both private and public language demonstrate how we view, and grow from each language.
“Mother Tongue” is an essay that show the power of language and how Amy Tan uses the many forms of English and the different ways in which the language she knew impacted her life. I feel connected to Tan’s essay because I also come from a multilingual home. I have smart emigrant parents who are educated, but even though they are educated they still need my help with communicating with people occasionally. I believe the most important idea in Tan’s “Mother Tongue” is the limitation that an imperfect English can cause in a society and the richness that such English can bring to
Tan, Amy. “Mother Tongue." 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. 4th Edition. Ed. Samuel Cohen. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 417-23. Print.
For this summary I watched a video called Voices of the World: The Extinction of Language and Linguistic Diversity. The video starts off with how people believe that there are about 6, 000 languages. David Crystal talks about how with all these different languages half of them are endangered of becoming extinct. Each different language offers a different point of view of the world and culture. He said that if different languages are lost then “we lose the meaning what is it to be human.”
In both stories “Text-Speak is Harming Teens’ Writing Skills” and “Text-Speak Can Help Students” they involve in arguing over what to call this “text-speech”, whether it being harmful or not, I would support both of the fact that it would support and harm the way of writing today, but in the way that you are putting it. The way of typing while you're writing an essay, you wouldn’t want to say: Lol (laugh out loud), tbh (to be honest) , smh (shaking my head), or R4T (Ready for Tonight). Spelling them out is better than just typing out the initials, because a lot of people don’t understand what the person is communicating to them. Yet, it can help when you are in a hurry to work or if your talking to someone on the internet.
For the international students, if they want to study abroad, like United States, they have to take many exams, like SAT or ACT, TOEFL or IELTS and AP. It is a big challenge for people whose home language is not English. At my high school, which is in China, we only need to write about 5 sentences or 120 words for an essay on the exam. However, when we prepare for the SAT, we need to write an 800 words minimum essay in 25 minutes. And for the TOEFL test, we need to write two different essays, which are 500 words minimum on each one in 60 minutes. That sounds like an impossible mission for someone who doesn’t write like that before. For me, those are definitely hard works. Nevertheless, I got through the exams in one year and became an international student in United States, specifically at Michigan State University, where I need to complete my language test and study English until I pass it.
The Features of Written Language and Speech In English language there are two different ways of actually presenting language. These are written language and speech. These two factors of speech both include many different features between themselves. These features are mostly opposite to each other as they are completely different ways of presenting language. Written language is structured into paragraphs unlike general speech which is hardly thought about before being said and is flowing naturally.
Spoken word is a broad term that encompasses many mediums of art and literature. Slam poetry, motivational speeches, rap, and song are all popular ways the world interacts with spoken word. However, despite the large amount of people that participate in spoken word, few see it’s value, and may often look down upon it. Searching it on the internet brings up hundreds of articles titled, “Why I Hate Spoken Word” or “Why Spoken Word Is Bad”. Many don’t even bother listening to it, nor understanding what it’s trying to show. Nonetheless, this doesn’t stop many artists and writers to continue with their craft. So what do people get from spoken word?
writing is made up of marks on a surface - such as this full stop at
Oral language development is the foundation of learning to read and write. When we first make our big entrance into the world, our oral language starts developing. As we grow up, we hear all kinds of sounds such as words, songs, traffic and much more. Oral language is all about using spoken words to express knowledge, ideas, and feelings. According to an article called “Stay at Home Educators” oral language plays a tremendous role for literacy development. There are four great examples that they discuss in this article that I thought was very informative. Oral language helps develop vocabulary concepts. When students discover the meaning and pronunciation of words, they are understanding different types of speech.
Language is the basis of human communication. It is a cultural and social interaction, and the way language is used is influenced by the circumstances in which it takes place (Emmitt, 2010, p. 49; Green, 2006, p. 2). Children become aware that there are different types of language, including languages used at home, at childcare and at school, as they observe and participate in various language situations (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 39). Some of these languages may be unfamiliar, and children will need to learn the different roles and uses of language. The different roles of language in a child’s life are, therefore, part of their growing understanding of how to behave in society and in a particular context. As they experience different types and uses of language, children develop an understanding of how to use language appropriately for any given situation.
Language is used to communicate in our daily lives and routines. Language helps people write, speak, read, and actively communicate with one another. Language also tends to build community; with that we gain a sense of belonging within others around us. Through language we can relate with other people and fit in with our personal experiences. The importance of language allows us to interact with all other parts of the world in an effective way. I love the language I speak, I wouldn’t change it for anything, it is part of who I am, it is part of my identity.
The mother tongue is part of a child’s personal, social and cultural identity. It is this identification we get from speaking our mother tongue that enforces successful social patterns of acting and speaking. Our diverse social backgrounds make us unique and appealing in society. The mother tongue is an indispensable instrument for the development of intellectual, physical and moral aspects of education. Habits, conducts, values, virtues, customs and beliefs are all shaped through the mother tongue. Needless to say, weakness in the mother tongue means a paralysis of all thought and power of expression.
...minated or dead. The key to avoiding improper expressions is to speak or communicate clearly and effectively to obtain the best first impression of your listener.