Speaking Test

The video that I analysed for the speaking project:

Text C

"JillyB<JillyB@postchat.co.uk> wrote:
>how have the holydays been treating everyone?
>lots of lounging about I trust.

<Jimbo@postchat.co.uk> wrote:
>Lounging and som blowing-of-the-gift-money shopping today. And
>I don't have to be back at work until January 5!

Geoff <Geoff@postcht.co.uk> wrote:
>I am doing the very same! I got a new BOOK! Off to read it!
>Jimbo, what day you wanna hang out? Tues, Wed or Thurs? Not free Fri or Sat or Sun!!!"

The previous text is and extract from an IM (instant message) conversation between 3 people. in the extract there are many different features of oral and written language as this type of text does not fit into either category.

They use word shortening for all of the days of the week to save time when typing (Tues, Wed or Thurs? Not free Fri or Sat or Sun)

Geoff wrote "BOOK!" to show how excited he was about his new book, this shown by the upper case and exclamation mark.


Not all of the sentences follow the rules and are cut short with words missing to be faster at putting the message.


Jimbo uses the phrase "blowing-of-the-gift-money" which is not very formal and means that he is sort of wasting the gift money on things he does not need.


The need for speed is what causes this text type to have these features, it needs to be like a  conversation as opposed to a letter so items are left out or over looked which is why it is not in either category but sot of in the middle as it contains a bit of both.

E-texts

In today's modern world the use of texts in an electronic format is growing greatly. It includes a wide range of applications including websites, E-mails and text messages (SMS). With these new text types come a problem as they start mix written and oral languague.

Features of written and oral Language:

Written Language	Oral Language
Planned	Spontaneous
Delayed Interaction	Instant Interaction
Discourse Markers	Tone, Pitch
Traditional Syntax	Loosely Constructed

Text Messages:

Text massages use most of the ideas related with E-mails but they also have a few extra features:

Phonetic spelling -> LUV (for "love") and NE (for "any")
Letter homophones -> C (for "see") and U (for "you")
Number homophones -> 2 (for "to") and 4 (for "for")