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bridgetc · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 23

Hi all, I am going to be very cheeky and attempt to pick your brains if I may.

I am teaching in England now, and also undertaking the dreaded DTE(E)LLS course which is a complete nightmare (anyone else?). There is assignment after assignment which I've managed one way or another, but now comes the most feared of all tasks.... the Powerpoint presentation!

Anyway, I have spent the last three weeks mulling over my topic (which I chose myself - so no nasty tutor to blame here!) and am still a bit stumped. The topic (as the title hints) is "generational differences in English". My first problem came with interpretation of the topic... my initial thought was the difference between the language of older and younger people at any given point in time. I then shared the topic with my boyfriend who is also an EAL teacher and his first thoughts were that it concerned differences between English in... say the 90s and the 60s. Hmm. So I asked my tutor who very helpfully replied "good point, you could take it in either way". Helpful!

Anyway, now I am stuck with that most luxurious of problems - too much freedom in a huge subject area. So what I would love any kind, obliging soul to offer is some perspective on which interpretation they immediately (on reading the topic) think is more appropriate.

Like I said, I know it's cheeky to ask - it is my assignment and my task after all - but I would really appreciate any comment/input from people who know their stuff (moreso than my 80 year old neighbour anyway!). No, seriously, it'd be very much appreciated.

Cheers in advance! Bridget

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I think 'at any given point in time' would be quite difficult to study - how could you effectively address how/why young and old people spoke differently in, say, the 1960s?

I think you could study how English was different in the 60s as versus now, but I think even that would need geographical limits - for example, think of the differences between British slang and North American slang...it's a tremendously huge topic.

If this were my task, I think I'd next need to review the literature and then narrow the topic to something that I could address within the parameters of the presentation.

johnslat · Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject:

Dear spiral78,

" . . . how could you effectively address how/why young and old people spoke differently in, say, the 1960s?"

Well, it would all necessarily be anecdotal, of course, but geezers such as myself can actually recall a lot of the "how" and much of the "why."

Regards,
John (pushing 66 years old)

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I was around then, too:)
But I was thinking about the then-elder generation perhaps being difficult to interview or whatever by now...of course, that depends what 'elder' definition is applied.

bridgetc · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 23

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

There's a good 9-part PBS documentary with an accompanying book on the English Language done over 10 years ago: The Story of English. I remember one part discussing how street slang filters its way up the social ladder to acceptability in England. Makes me think of my mother's comment about how 'vulgar' her mother tongue had become when she returned to her birthplace 19 years later.

Compared with the 60s and 70s. the increased availability of higher education coupled with the digital and information age have definitely increased everyone's specialized vocabulary and ability to metaphorize.
Is it just me or does anybody remember how 'geeky' virtual computer terminology such as 'desktop' and 'directory" seemed back in the late 80s and early 90s. I'll bet no one approaching computers for the first time now, has that feeling regardless of age.

Imagine listening in on a 2058 conversation. I think it'd be far easier for someone in 1968 to comprehend a 2008 conversation.

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

Dear LongShiKong,

" . . . kindergarten now has a curriculum."

Heck, pre-school has curricula, and syllabi, and lesson plans. Having taught Head Start (3 to 5 years olds), I can vouch for that.

Regards,
John

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

Why couldn't you also talk about differences in speech now? Why does it have to be in the '60s?

If you were doing the current period, you could interview people, both young and old, as well as examine examples of tapes of interviews with older and younger people and look at differences in usage of structures and vocabulary.

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

[quote="johnslat"]Dear LongShiKong,

" . . . kindergarten now has a curriculum."

Sorry, folks. Longslat's quoted something I've since removed because I felt I was getting off topic. I think most people are aware of the changes in education over the past few decades but thanks, Longslat for that info.

Bridget, another avenue you may pursue is slang and idioms. Some are quite connected to time and place.