Where YouthDISCOURSEand Adults CollideSherilyn CarrID # 00048321LDP Assignment 3Due 9 October, 2009

Collision of worlds / wordsYouth don’t understand older adults“what they went through isn’t the same” (13 yr old)“times have changed” (18 yr old)Older adults don’t understand youth“they haven’t experienced the things you have that have influenced your thinking” (72 yr old)

Why don’t they understand each other when surely they’re speaking the same language?

But it’s not the same language!How would you ask the following to get ready to go to the shops?A 2 ½ year old childA teenagerA 40 year oldA 65 year oldHow do you react in the following situations where you are delayed?in a supermarket queueat the doctors surgerywaiting for a friendwaiting for your partner

We use language appropriate to the context of a social interaction“A form of language that varies according to participants, settings, and topics” (Berko Gleason & Bernstein Ratner, 2009, p 479)As we learn language from early childhood we develop the ability to use a variety of registers and this development continues right through to old age((Berko Gleason & Bernstein Ratner, 2009, p 437)

As we learn language from early childhood we develop the ability to use a variety of registers and this development continues right through to old age((Berko Gleason & Bernstein Ratner, 2009, p 437)

Adolescent RegistersPhonologicallyThe use of intonation to “put down” someone.A mother compliments her 14 yr old daughter and gets this response:(The Weekend Australian Magazine, 12-13/09/2009, p9)

Adolescent Registers continuedSyntacticallyNon-standard use of discourse markers such as “like” which may be used in a variety of ways:approximative, exemplificatory, metalinguistic, hesitational/linking(Stenstrom, Andersen & Hasund, 2002, p 117)SemanticallyUse of coined words, slang etc to provoke and otherize outsiders while retaining bonds with peers (Stenstrom, Andersen & Hasund, 2002, p 67-68)

Similarities in the responses “what they went through isn’t the same” (13 yr old)“they haven’t experienced the things you have that have influenced your thinking” (72 yr old)Use of pronouns“they” to divide into us and them groups“you” and “yours” to include the listener as part of the speaker’s group

Similarities in the responses continued“what they went through isn’t the same” (13 yr old)“times have changed” (18 yr old)“they haven’t experienced the things you have that have influenced your thinking” (72 yr old)Views of the world around themtheir agreement that the experiences of life are different for both age groups

Similarities in the responses continuedViews of the world around them continuedtheir presumption of the other age group being ignorant

Okay, they can be different – why?“Oneself-identity is inextricably bound up with one’s language, for it is in the communicative process – the process of sending out messages and having them “bounced” back – that such identities are confirmed, shaped and reshaped.”(Brown, 2007, p 69)

Youth vs. Adult Registers

Is there any hope of avoiding collision?We use a variety of language registers throughout lifeNeed to recognise the register of adolescents as valuableAs with new student-centred method of education (Study Guide, 2009, p 21) perhaps adults need to relinquish their domination over youth

ReferencesBerko Gleason, J. & Bernstein Ratner, N. (2009). The development of language (7th ed.). Boston: Pearson EducationBrown, H.D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). (pp. 57-75). White Plains: LongmanMaushart, S. (12-13/09/2009). No pain, no gain. (p 9) Brisbane: The Weekend Australian Magazine.Stenstrom, A.-B., Andersen, G., & Hasund, I.K. (2002). Trends in teenage talk: Corpus compilation, analysis and findings. Amsterdam; Philadelphia: John BenjaminsStudy Guide. (2009). Study guide for language, discourse & power. Massey University, School of Language Studies.

Appendix ATwo questions extracted from the questionnaire:For children living at home: Do you think that adults (between ages 50-80 yrs) understand you?Yes / No (circle one)For older adults: Do you think that children (between ages 12-25 yrs) understand you?Yes / No (circle one)

Two questions extracted from the questionnaire:

For children living at home: Do you think that adults (between ages 50-80 yrs) understand you?

For older adults: Do you think that children (between ages 12-25 yrs) understand you?

Appendix B – newspaper article