To what extent does the way in which an individual talks tell you about this person, in terms of, for example, age, gender, ethnic background, occupation and level of education, among other possible social variables?
Important notes:
It should be around 3000 words
Ensure you provide a clear introduction to the assignment, outlining what you intend to discuss; and make sure that the rest of your essay reflects this.
1) Make sure you supply complete reference details for any ideas you use that are not your own, and that this list is set out consistently, at the end, or before, your appendices.
2) In general, try and avoid internet-based articles (as sources of academic authority) unless: these are from recognised refereed journals, or you are using a website as a source of evidence/data, in which case you may use it freely
a) Remember that website authors must be acknowledged and full reference details provided, as far as is possible.
b) You will gain credit for the following:
(1) the depth and clarity of your discussion
(2) use and close discussion of an example(s)
(3) relevant use and discussion of ‘reputable’ published literature (from books and journals), whether as sources of factual information, ideas to support your arguments or as propositions that you refute.
References:
Bell, A. (1991). The Language of News Media. Oxford: Blackwell.
Labov, W. (1966). The Social Stratification of English in New York City. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.