Monday 16 June 2014

Analysis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4GjPlR6BAE

For my analysis, I have chosen my own clip, which is the video of a little boy attempting to say 'Peanut Butter' and a variety of other words. What particularly amused me with this clip is that the pronunciation of the particular words were different to what other toddlers may say, through the use of non-standard grammar 'bettus' rather than stating the full completion of the word 'peanut butter'. This could perhaps indicate that the child may have been using such amusing language in order to entertain. Because it is posted on well-known sites, such as YouTube, as well as being easily acceptable, we can see there that the audience is for not just little children, but for a multi-audience. For example, adults who may be interested in baby pronunciation may find this amusing, as well as teenagers who could perhaps find this sort of entertainment hilarious, which thus gives the purpose away, in which is predominantly is to entertain groups of individuals who could perhaps have been ‘surfing the web’ and suddenly came across this particular clip.

Since it is a child attempting to speak particular words, this video would highly suit its audience as because, contextually, the use of pauses, fillers, and false starts such as ‘Buutus-butus (.) honey’ as well as the paralinguistic features such as the laughter and smiles this could highly appeal to a wide range of groups and would suddenly realise that the child may not have the ability to fluently pronounce 'Peanut butter' and instead states the noun 'Honey' in order to perhaps try and gain laughter from others within the room. The use of the multiple interrogatives 'You want me to do it? you want me to fix it?' suggests a sense of reassurance upon the child, therefore in terms of theory, this can show some elements of Language and power through the use of repetition, for instance, as the child demanded his mother to fix it, the mother immediately gave in and allowed herself to feel inferior due to the child's age.
Second Transcript of my choice.
This transcript is a choice of my own, a little boy is attempting to say a variety of words, and i chose this one in particular because this clip gives me a variety of things to discuss about as well as being amusing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4GjPlR6BAE 

(.) - Brief pause
 (1.0) longer pause   A Rising intonation
 ↓  A Falling intonation.
 (3) a slightly longer pause

//Overlap
|| Unidentified noise & information
A: //Overlap (with B) (Mutters)
B:Maybe we can glue it.
A:No!  
B: Ya think we can fix it? (1.0)
A:Yeah  (voice slightly breaks)
B:With Glue
A:         // Yeah
B: Let's ask mum and see if she can do it
A: (Background voices overlap) //
                       y-you do it!
YOU DO IT!  
C: You want me to do it? (,) want me to fix it?
A: yeah (.)
C: Can you say glue?
A: goo-g (.)
C: Glue?
A: y-yes (.)
|| Background chatter
A: gluu (.)
C: Can you say Horse Shoes?
A: Horse (.) shoes (.) 
C: wow! (.) that was really good!
(2.0) Can you say itsy bitsy spider?
A: (non-fluent response) itsy(mumbles)
C: can you say Peanut butter?
A: Pitchy (2.0) Butter
C: Can you say peanut butter and honey?
A: buttus(.)honey(.)butt(2) Honey..
              [Both laugh and smile together]








Transcript of a Little Girl describing star wars.

(.) - Brief pause
 (1.0) longer pause  A Rising intonation
  A Falling intonation.
 (3) a slightly longer pause

Well (1.0) Well (2.0) Ok (.) The sound people capture robots (.) and drive  (.) and (.) and sell 'em (2.0) in a garage sale (.) its like a garage sale (.) except you're selling robots  (2.0) and nobodys gonna buy R2 and the sindy guy  the sindy guy always worries. Lukes gonna guy loads (.) and obi kanobis is a teaser  hes (.) teasing (.) Luke. how to (.) l-learn how to do his little light up sword (.) hes gonna try and block the little pokey ball (.) he tried to to do it (.) without seen. Obi Kanobi sometimes moves things around (.) sometimes he disappears. Princess leya got outta jail and on this basip (.) and they got (1.0)  the big thing that blown up (mutters) we blown it up together (1.0) it blown up princess leyas planet! But don't talk back to Darth Fader  or he'll get ya! it's an exciting movie! (.) 

Friday 13 June 2014

Group Task - Our Hero Text

In our group, we have chosen to discuss a text that contains two different texts which both contrast, in terms in gender. For example, one text we discussed had contained persuasion, by influencing 'strong' men to donate blood. What we found highly interesting within this is that the text is indirectly implying that, women are not as strong? And this is evident by the title containing 'weakened' which, pragmatically is directing women to be somewhat weak. Whereas the other contrasting text is mainly aimed at women as well as using the conventions of a movie poster.

One of the most interesting things we discussed in our group is the type of audience that the text is trying to appeal to. In the first text, the title immediately captivated us and allowed us to generalise and as a result we came to a conclusion that the first text was aimed at mainly males because of the title, which had been ''Strong men help those who are weakened''. The use of 'weakened' also intrigued us, as we were all discussing that the text may imply that those who are potentially weakened are 'female' and may be dependent on men to 'come to the rescue' and treat them. What also intrigued us is the particular 'entry requirements' that are needed to access the blood donation. For example, one requirement was that they had to be 'male' and 'strong' therefore this clearly gives away that the text targets men and portrays men having masculinity and strength and ability. 
Initially, for the other text our group thought that the text was mainly aimed at men too due to the conventions of a film poster, which allowed the man to feel like he was the 'hero' and trying to 'get her back' and this further implies that, if he can get 1/3rd off his railcard, he can 'get' her back too? this almost makes the woman feel like an object, according to our discussion in class.

We also found that there were a couple of theories that linked closely to certain aspects of this text, such as the gender theory, as well as the power theory. within the first text, our group discussed that the text was slightly influential due to its direct address, persuading to give blood, this will further allow the reader to 'give in' and try to prove their 'masculinity' therefore the use of 'strength' will help reinforce this. In terms of gender, is also evident, for example, the use of 'strong' will help the reader define their status, therefore the pairings 'Status vs Support by Tannen is significant in this text, and in terms of support, it is almost seen that the women who are possibly portrayed as 'weakened' are those who are in need of support, so the man therefore needs to show this strength and build his status.