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Plll 331:The Language We Use Question Paper

Plll 331:The Language We Use

Course:Bachelor Of Education Primary Option

Institution: Chuka University question papers

Exam Year:2010

INSTRUCTIONS:
Answer three questions including question One.
1. (a) Briefly explain the major concerns of discourse analysis. [5 marks]
(b) Giving examples, discuss the following functions of language.
(i) Transactional function [5 marks]
(ii) Interactional function [5 marks]
(c) Study the following conversation between a teacher and a pupil.
Teacher: Otieno, why are you late again?
Otieno: I’m sorry teacher, the process was no longer than I thought.
Teacher: Why don’t you try elsewhere?
Otieno: Well, it’s the price, they are cheaper.
Using the notion of ‘context’ analyze the conversation, identifying the gaps that would require ‘context’ to fill. [6 marks]
2
(d) (i) Briefly explain the Gricean Conversational maxims. [4 marks]
(ii) Study the conversation below.
Speaker A: I haven’t seen Jane for quite sometime.
Speaker B: There’s a new clothes shop at Biashara street.
Using the Gricean approach to discourse, explain which maxim has been flouted and the effect it has on the meaning derived from the exchange. [5 marks]
2. (a) Giving examples, discuss Halliday’s ‘tonic syllable’ approach to ‘new’ and ‘given’ information. [8 marks]
(b) What is the major weakness in Halliday’s approach?
(c) Study these sentences. [2 marks]
(i) I saw Mary yesterday. She has since gone to Nairobi.
(ii) We saw a thief run away. The thief was stoned to death.
(iii) Be careful. It’s falling.
(iv) She is coming, the headmistress.
(v) The U.S Vice President came to Kenya. The Vice President spoke about the Constitution.
Analyse the above sentences in terms of ‘given’ and ‘new’ information, stating clearly the kind of relationships present in the structures. [10 marks]
3. (a) Define ‘theme’ and ‘rheme’. [3 marks]
(b) (i) Analyse this sentence in terms of ‘theme’ and ‘rheme’.
‘The President greeted Mary.’ [2 marks]
3
(ii) Give five other forms expressing the same proposition. [5 marks]
(iii) In each of the five forms, explain how the change of focus affects the meaning. [10 marks]
4. (a) Outline the challenges that a discourse analyst may experience in attempting to analyse ‘topics’ in natural conversation. [10 marks]
(b) Differentiate between ‘system’ and ‘text’ sentences. [5 marks]
(c) Explain with examples the term ‘deixis’. [5 marks]
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Plll 331:The Language We Use Question Paper

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