AMERICAN ENGLISH

I. Answer these questions.

1) "Do Americans speak English or American?"

What in the status of the English language in the USA?

2) What are the causes of lexical divergencies between BrE and AmE?

3) What are the sources of Americanisms?

4) How can lexical divergencies between BrE and AmE be classified?

II. Explain how you understand the following statements. Would you agree or disagree with them? Give reasons for your answer.

1) There are a vast number of Englishes. (Strevens)

2) British and American English are "super varieties" within English as a native language. (N. Grishiani)

3) Lexical differences between BrE and AmE are more and more viewed as preferences rather than "mutual exlusions".

III. Discuss the future of American English.

IV. Give the American equivalents for the following words:

petrol, luggage, puncture, pavement, queue, taxi, motorway, return ticket, railway carriage, engine driver, pram, aerial, rubber, wardrobe, curtains, tap, paraffin, biscuit, rubbish, nappy, tights, term.

V. Identify the etymology of the following Americanisms:

Ohio, ranch, squash, mosquito, banjo, toboggan, pickaninny, Mississippi, sombrero, prairie, auto, wigwam, rattlesnake, copperhead, fire-water, foxberry, tornado, drugstore, hamberger.

VI. A. Translate the following words giving both the British and American variants:

каникулы, трамвай, консервная банка, конфеты, метро, студент II, III, IV курса, чемодан, бумажник, почтальон, тачка, шашки, салфетка.

B. Translate the following phrases into BrE and AmE. Pay special attention to the prepositions:

жить на улице N., без четверти девять, четверть десятого, заполнить бланк, стоять на углу, быть в списке, ездить на поезде.

VII. Explain the difference in the meaning of the following words in AmE and BrE:

bill, the first floor, pants, potato chips, vest, wash up, corn, guess, braces, lift, flat, mad.

VIII. Classify the given words into the groups: BrE and AmE. Match the equivalents:

damster, ground, truck, candy, frying pan, stove, cookie, skillet, earth, skip, cooker, lorry, sweets.

IX. Who do you think is most likely to be speaking, an American or a British person? What would someone who speaks the other variety have said instead?

1) I lost my way at the big intersection just south of the city?

2) Why are there always so many shopping trolleys left in the car park?

3) Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, then turn left.

4) You'll see the petrol station just after the fly – over the A 56.

5) Once you get on to the Interstate, it'll only take you two hours to get there.

6) There is a creek at the end of the trail. It's about three miles from here.

X. Write the same story in BrE.

Trudi (USA):

I got up at seven-thirty. I put on my bath robe, went into the bathroom and turned on the bath-tub faucets. After my bath I ate breakfast with my parents on the deck. Our apartment's on the fifteenth floor, sо the view's terrific. At eight о'clock my mom and I took the elevator to the parking lot underneath our apartment block. First we stopped for gas, then she drove me tо school. The freeway was really busy - automobiles everywhere. When I got to school it was raining. Luckily I'd brought my goloshes and an umbrella, sо I didn't get wet.

School was ОК except that we had а math test before recess. I think I flunked it. Anyway, after school I took а bus downtown to meet my sister, Susan. She became а grade school teacher after she left college last year. We ate out at а Chinese restaurant. Personally I don' t like rice, sо I ordered french-fries instead. Susan disapproved. After dessert and coffee we paid the check and left. It had stopped raining but the sidewalks were still wet. Susan gave me а ride home then I did а history assignment for the next day, watched а movie on TV and went to bed around 11.30. I was pooped!

X. In conversation, some words used as short responses are much more frequent in one variety of English than the other. The ticks in the table show in which variety the word is more frequent.

Now, cover the table and label these conversations "most likely AmE" or "most likely BrE".

1) - The plane arrives at 6.30.

- Brilliant. I'll meet you at the exit.

2) - I'm coming to town this weekend.

- Wonderful! Let's eat together Friday.

3) - Will you help us tomorrow?

- Sure! No problem!

4) - I'll pick you up at 8.30.

- Fine.

5) - I just got a new bike.

- Cool!
15. THE COMMUNICATIVE ASPECT OF THE ENGLISH LEXICON

I. What types of speech information do you know? How are they conveyed?

Can you identify different "layers" of speech information in the following passage?

The next morning I looked at my glum mug in the mirror and said to myself, Bill, you are going to wipe the scowl from that sour puss of yours today. You are going to smile.

II. Name the main components of the communicative act. Give examples to show how they influence the choice of vocabulary in speech communication.

III. Compare the definitions of the terms "functional style" and "register" and discuss the difference between the concepts.

IV. What registers are usually identified in linguistics for teaching purposes?

What does the choice of register depend upon?

How important is to speak and to write in the appropriate register?

V. Make the conversation more informal by changing some of the words.

Jim: Annie, can you lend me five pounds?

Annie: What for?

Jim: Well, I have to go and visit mother and father, and my bicycle is not working, so I’ll have to take a taxi.

Annie: Can’t you telephone them and say you can’t come?

Jim: Well, I could but I want to go because they always have a lot of food, and the refrigerator in my flat is empty, as usual.

Annie: Can’t you go by Underground?

Jim: Erm...

Annie: Anyway the answer is no.

VI. Say whether you feel the following remarks/sentences are appropriate to the situation described. If the remark is unsuitable, explain why and suggest what the person might say instead.

1) (Teenage boy to teenage girl at disco):

D’you fancy an appointment one night next week?

2) (Parent to another parent at a school parent meeting):

How many offspring do you have at the school?

3) (Dinner guest to hostess): No, thanks, I never consume alcoholic beverages when I’m driving.

4) (Student to University professor): Hey! Will there be lab demo next week?

5) (Business letter to a newspaper office): Dear Sir/Madam, I should like to enquire about the current charges for ads in your paper. My company is considering...

VII. What does the language used in the conversations below tell you about the speakers? Explain.

1) - Your new mobile is wicked. – I'll text you from uni this afternoon.

2) - I really had a lovely time at the dance.

- Yeah, I had a great time too.

3) A. Coach:... we need you for the game next weekend.

Teenager: Do you think we can win?

Coach: I’m sure we can, we’ll have to try our hardest.

B. Coach:... we need you for the game next weekend.

Teenager: Can we whip them, Coach?

Coach: There ain't no way we can lose if we hustle.

4) -Your electrocardiogram indicates that your episodes of chest pain on exertion are suggestive of angina pectoris.

- What does this mean?

VIII. Read these introductions of two linguists and identify the register. Give reasons for your answer. Suggest a situation in which each introduction may be appropriate.

1) Hallo, today we are going to hear from Roger Shuy from Washington, D.C. and Dennis Preston from Fredonia, N.Y. about language change in different situations...

2) Ladies and gentlemen, we take great pleasure in presenting for today’s discussion of the ranges of appropriateness in American English two distinguished scholars in the field. First, Professor Roger W. Shuy, the eminent sociologist, director of the Sociolinguistics Program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and Associate Director...

3) Hi! Here’s Roger and Dennis to talk to you about the way we use different words in different ways...

4) Welcome to today’s program "Varieties of American English". Your hosts are two well-known sociolinguists, Dr. Roger Shuy of Georgetown University and the Center for Applied Linguistics and Dr. Dennis Preston from the State University of New York, College at Fredonia.

IX. The following conversation is in the casual register. Point out the items of vocabulary that prove it. Now rewrite this conversation in the consultative or the formal register. Characterise the changes.

On Campus.

Sarah:Can you beat that! I read my stupid eyes out last night and couldn’t pass that Bio exam.

Mary: Oh, yeah. That Davidson, he’s a real jerk. You know, I’ll bet he gets his tests from old PhD. Exams.

Sarah:Wouldn’t put it past him. Well, got to go. Catch you later.

Mary: Right. See you at the dorm. So long.

Discuss in what situations the consultative/formal alternative may be suitable.

QUIZ

ACROSS:

1. Making a new word from a syllable or two of the original word.

2. The ability of words to have more than one meaning.

3. Formation of words by adding derivational suffixes to stems.

4. One who names an object.

5. The branch of lexicology studying the theory and practice of dictionary making.

6. Similarity of meaning.

7. The branch of lexicology that studies meaning.

8. The smallest indivisible component of the word possessing a meaning of its own.

9. The relationship of inclusion.

DOWN:

10. The branch of linguistics which studies words.

ACROSS:

1. A partial or total adaptation of a borrowed word to the norms of the borrowing language.

2. Formation of words by adding derivational suffixes to stems.

3. Words which are identical in sound form but different in meaning

4. The branch of linguistics studying nomination.

DOWN:

5. The branch of linguistics studying the origin & history of words.

6. The process of giving names to things.

7. Inventing a new word or phrase.

8. A branch of linguistics which studies words.

9. The subordinate term.

10. A word which has come from another language.

Set 1

1) “To drink” – “a drink” is an example of

A) shortening

B) conversion

B) back-formation

C) affixation

2) What is the basic unit of morphemic analysis?

A) morpheme

B) morph

C) Ultimate Constituent

D) Immediate Constituent

3) The smallest indivisible significant unit is

A) the morpheme

B) the word

C) the letter

D) the allomorph

4) “i.e.” is

A) a graphical shortening

B) a lexical shortening

C) an abbreviation

D) a blend

5) The superordinate term, the classifier which serves to describe the LSG is called…

A) a hyponym

B) a hyperonym

C) a synonym

D) a paronym

6) Find a phraseological fusion

A) to wash one’s dirty linen in public

B) to bear a grudge

C) to give one the bird

D) to shriek like mad

7) Which way of arranging word meanings in the entry doesn’t exist?

A) historical order

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