Analysing Speech

In this module 3 candidates should:

Identify audience and purpose as a starting point (if not already given)
Annotate text/ plan out answer
Discuss features of speech by explaining why these features occur and how they link into speaker’s feelings.

Here are some extracts for you to practice with:

Text 1

BBC Radio Commentary: football match: Darlington v Wolves

Steve Gaughan (.) who now has the ball (0.5) in the outside left position (0.5) goes through two challenges (1.0) finds (0.5) Turner (.) Turner (0.5) to Roberts (0.5) into the box (.) hit by Glen Naylor Naylor’s shot blocked by Stowell (1.0) offside (.) er appeals in vain from the Wolves defence (1.0) but good chance there to Naylor (0.5) goo::d low shot (0.5) but Stowell saved that one well (.)

Key

(.)                      micropause
(1.0)                      pause in seconds
::                       elongation of sound

Text 2

Read the following examples of spoken English. They are all part of a short documentary feature that includes interviews and clips from the actors and directors speaking about the film, O Brother Where Art Thou. Excerpts from the film link the extracts below. The extracts are in chronological order as featured in the documentary feature (which is included on the DVD of the film).

Key

(.)                      micropause
(1.0)                      pause in seconds
::                       elongation of sound
underlining       particular emphasis of a word

Extract 1

Joel Coen (Co-director): it’s a kind of a a sophisticated (.) or maybe not so sophisticated (.) it’s a kind of Three Stooges movie in a lot of ways (.) sort of epic in scale (.) hopefully y’know sort of classic in (0.5) y’know scope

Ethan Coen (Co-director): you sort of combine The Three Stooges with Homer’s Odyssey

Extract 2

John Tuturro (Actor): George Clooney’s character is the (.) Ulysses (.) character

Extract 3

George Clooney (Actor): the n (.) name’s Ulysses Everett McGill (.) and he’s on an (.) odyssey (.) goin’ through (.) he meets the Sirens (.) he meets the Cyclops

Extract 4

John Tuturro: Holly Hunter’s (.) er (.) Penelope

Extract 5

Holly Hunter (Actor): she’s (.) er (.) almost mythical (.) erm (.) she represents home (.) she represents love (.) er (.) family love

Extract 6

Ethan Coen: an’ yet erm (.) its dumb guys cuttin’ up an’ actin stupid

Extract 7

John Tuturro: I may be talkin’ a little funny first of all in this interview cos of my (.) teeth (He gives a big grin to the camera to show off his teeth)

Extract 8

Ethan Coen: we like working’ with John an’ we like to mix it up with John

Joel Coen: we got this message back that (.) John loves his teeth (1.0) ha (.) an that’s (.) John was really (.) I think he got the whole character from his teeth.

Extract 9

Holly Hunter: I always think that Joel and Ethan write from a real imaginary (.) place anyway so that the worlds they create are not necessarily (.) based on reality (.) as we know it

Extract 10

George Clooney: just the idea (.) of getting’ the chance to work with guys like that (he shrugs) was a thrill (.) the fact that they showed up an’ offered me this role (0.5) and said y’know (.) we think you can do this (1.0) is an enormous amount of trust on their part (1.0) y’know in thinking that (.) I could pull it off

Extract 11

Joel Coen: George seemed like a really logical choice to us (1.0) a::nd we couldn’t really think of anyone close he was (.) the first person that we offered it to (.) a::nd I think we would have been hard pressed to (.) come up with an alternative

Extract 12

Ethan Coen: I mean he’s a really skilled actor (.) but we didn’t know at the time an’ what most people probably don’t know (.) is that he is also a goofball (.) which sort of lends itself to the part as well (.) George is pretty funny in spite of how he looks he’s n (laughs) he’s not given to vanity either

Extract 13

Tim Blake Nelson (Actor): what Joel and Ethan manage to do (.) i::s to (.) really plumb (.) certain depths (.) with comedy (.) an’ if they were willin’ to listen to me right now (.) they they’d they’d (.) laugh at me ‘n say I was a complete pretentious idiot (he smiles) I would say that this movie however (0.5) is their least violent (0.5) film

Extract 14

Joel Coen: well the music is er (.) a huge part of the movie (0.5) almost to the extent that the movie kind of erm (.) well you wouldn’t call it a musical (.) it almost operates like (.) it almost moves like a musical (.) because the (.) there is so much music incorporated into the er (.) scenes (.) at one point the main the principle characters go down to a river an’ there are these beautiful women washing clothes down there (.) singing a song (.) to seduce these guys

Extract 15

Tim Blake Nelson: what’s really collaborative about how they really are (.) is that (.) when you then see (.) their movies (.) it feels like (1.0) they’re directed to within an inch of their lives

Text 3

A: Hello, David.
B: Hi.
A: I wonder if you can tell me something about what your daughter is like at school.
B: Very good… er… the reports we get back… no problems and… er… really intelligent-
A: And friendships… and friendships?
B: Er… not too many friendships I’m afraid… we’ve only li-moved up to this area in the last two years.
A: Erm… was sh… when at the previous area how were friendships then?
B: Very good.
A: Erm.
B: Er… but she she was still a bit of a problem… not as much as she is now.
A: Erm… it it is of course extremely difficult to know what’s going on in your every individual case… you say… you’ve actually had got a bit of advice?
B: Oh yes.
A: Erm.
B: We’ve gone for a bout five or six sessions with the er… child psychiatry department.
A: Yes.
B: And… obviously the end response it er… upsets my wife so much that we’re ending up quarrelling and then we’re… you know… there’s a family problem.
A: Erm… how… how does it make your wife feel then?
B: Well obviously… I mean… if she’s got a child that’s er… doesn’t-
A: -Oh, yeah right.
B: Doesn’t do what she’s told… or she’s disobedient.
A: Yeah yeah!
B: Insolent.
A: Yeah?
B: You know… but I leave that one to you.
A: well yes yeah… I clearly don’t know whether I’m able to help you…

Analysing Prose and Drama

Always begin with the given passage. You should write 50% of your answer on this extract examining stylistic features and examples of language here and how they help to embellish attitudes and values.
Then you should draw in other issues from the rest of the book.

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	Advice on Module 3 Module 3 Analysing Speech - Text 1 Text 2 Text3 \| Analysing Prose and Drama Analysing Speech In this module 3 candidates should: Identify audience and purpose as a starting point (if not already given) Annotate text/ plan out answer Discuss features of speech by explaining why these features occur and how they link into speaker’s feelings. Here are some extracts for you to practice with: Text 1 BBC Radio Commentary: football match: Darlington v Wolves Steve Gaughan (.) who now has the ball (0.5) in the outside left position (0.5) goes through two challenges (1.0) finds (0.5) Turner (.) Turner (0.5) to Roberts (0.5) into the box (.) hit by Glen Naylor Naylor’s shot blocked by Stowell (1.0) offside (.) er appeals in vain from the Wolves defence (1.0) but good chance there to Naylor (0.5) goo::d low shot (0.5) but Stowell saved that one well (.) Key (.) micropause (1.0) pause in seconds :: elongation of sound Text 2 Read the following examples of spoken English. They are all part of a short documentary feature that includes interviews and clips from the actors and directors speaking about the film, O Brother Where Art Thou. Excerpts from the film link the extracts below. The extracts are in chronological order as featured in the documentary feature (which is included on the DVD of the film). Key (.) micropause (1.0) pause in seconds :: elongation of sound underlining particular emphasis of a word Extract 1 Joel Coen (Co-director): it’s a kind of a a sophisticated (.) or maybe not so sophisticated (.) it’s a kind of Three Stooges movie in a lot of ways (.) sort of epic in scale (.) hopefully y’know sort of classic in (0.5) y’know scope Ethan Coen (Co-director): you sort of combine The Three Stooges with Homer’s Odyssey Extract 2 John Tuturro (Actor): George Clooney’s character is the (.) Ulysses (.) character Extract 3 George Clooney (Actor): the n (.) name’s Ulysses Everett McGill (.) and he’s on an (.) odyssey (.) goin’ through (.) he meets the Sirens (.) he meets the Cyclops Extract 4 John Tuturro: Holly Hunter’s (.) er (.) Penelope Extract 5 Holly Hunter (Actor): she’s (.) er (.) almost mythical (.) erm (.) she represents home (.) she represents love (.) er (.) family love Extract 6 Ethan Coen: an’ yet erm (.) its dumb guys cuttin’ up an’ actin stupid Extract 7 John Tuturro: I may be talkin’ a little funny first of all in this interview cos of my (.) teeth (He gives a big grin to the camera to show off his teeth) Extract 8 Ethan Coen: we like working’ with John an’ we like to mix it up with John Joel Coen: we got this message back that (.) John loves his teeth (1.0) ha (.) an that’s (.) John was really (.) I think he got the whole character from his teeth. Extract 9 Holly Hunter: I always think that Joel and Ethan write from a real imaginary (.) place anyway so that the worlds they create are not necessarily (.) based on reality (.) as we know it Extract 10 George Clooney: just the idea (.) of getting’ the chance to work with guys like that (he shrugs) was a thrill (.) the fact that they showed up an’ offered me this role (0.5) and said y’know (.) we think you can do this (1.0) is an enormous amount of trust on their part (1.0) y’know in thinking that (.) I could pull it off Extract 11 Joel Coen: George seemed like a really logical choice to us (1.0) a::nd we couldn’t really think of anyone close he was (.) the first person that we offered it to (.) a::nd I think we would have been hard pressed to (.) come up with an alternative Extract 12 Ethan Coen: I mean he’s a really skilled actor (.) but we didn’t know at the time an’ what most people probably don’t know (.) is that he is also a goofball (.) which sort of lends itself to the part as well (.) George is pretty funny in spite of how he looks he’s n (laughs) he’s not given to vanity either Extract 13 Tim Blake Nelson (Actor): what Joel and Ethan manage to do (.) i::s to (.) really plumb (.) certain depths (.) with comedy (.) an’ if they were willin’ to listen to me right now (.) they they’d they’d (.) laugh at me ‘n say I was a complete pretentious idiot (he smiles) I would say that this movie however (0.5) is their least violent (0.5) film Extract 14 Joel Coen: well the music is er (.) a huge part of the movie (0.5) almost to the extent that the movie kind of erm (.) well you wouldn’t call it a musical (.) it almost operates like (.) it almost moves like a musical (.) because the (.) there is so much music incorporated into the er (.) scenes (.) at one point the main the principle characters go down to a river an’ there are these beautiful women washing clothes down there (.) singing a song (.) to seduce these guys Extract 15 Tim Blake Nelson: what’s really collaborative about how they really are (.) is that (.) when you then see (.) their movies (.) it feels like (1.0) they’re directed to within an inch of their lives Text 3 A: Hello, David. B: Hi. A: I wonder if you can tell me something about what your daughter is like at school. B: Very good… er… the reports we get back… no problems and… er… really intelligent- A: And friendships… and friendships? B: Er… not too many friendships I’m afraid… we’ve only li-moved up to this area in the last two years. A: Erm… was sh… when at the previous area how were friendships then? B: Very good. A: Erm. B: Er… but she she was still a bit of a problem… not as much as she is now. A: Erm… it it is of course extremely difficult to know what’s going on in your every individual case… you say… you’ve actually had got a bit of advice? B: Oh yes. A: Erm. B: We’ve gone for a bout five or six sessions with the er… child psychiatry department. A: Yes. B: And… obviously the end response it er… upsets my wife so much that we’re ending up quarrelling and then we’re… you know… there’s a family problem. A: Erm… how… how does it make your wife feel then? B: Well obviously… I mean… if she’s got a child that’s er… doesn’t- A: -Oh, yeah right. B: Doesn’t do what she’s told… or she’s disobedient. A: Yeah yeah! B: Insolent. A: Yeah? B: You know… but I leave that one to you. A: well yes yeah… I clearly don’t know whether I’m able to help you… Analysing Prose and Drama Always begin with the given passage. You should write 50% of your answer on this extract examining stylistic features and examples of language here and how they help to embellish attitudes and values. Then you should draw in other issues from the rest of the book. Back to Key Stage 5 \| Back to English Homepage