Forensic Linguistics

A long read, and some graphic details, but an excellent account of the work of forensic linguists with a number of striking example cases. 

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/07/23/words-on-trial

Internet language

Not a bad article, here, though it's not watertight -- no mention of creative emoticons of the type used in the headline, for instance -- and could do with a clearer model of language functions: it tantalisingly refers to 'interpersonal' communication, but this is just an empty premodifier, I think -- rather than, accurately, noting that most of the forms mentioned really do focus on managing the tenor of Internet discourse, showing feelings and managing human speech roles in the absence of tone, expression and gesture. 

http://gizmodo.com/is-the-innanet-ruining-teh-english-language-_o-1680686542

The definite article in decline...

Interesting, if somewhat dubious, research. The example given from the political speeches is inconclusive -- Obama is taking quite a different sort of opening tack from Washington. Perhaps it is broad rhetorical approaches that are changing; there's nothing inherently 'formal' about 'the', though it'd be informal to use a lot of ellipsis, which might include eliding the definite article. (For instance, if I'd started sentence two of his post 'Example give from political speeches...')

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/15/definite-article-radical-decline-last-century-research?CMP=fb_gu

Lesson Blog for AS and more...

Don't forget about the existence of the Park Language Lesson Blog, which is presently tracking AS lessons, and has archives of A2 Language Diversity and Child Language Acquisition lessons from previous years.


Invaluable for revision for A2s especially, and crucial to follow for current AS students -- just put your email in the box in the upper right corner (they may send you a confirmation email, so check your inbox!) and you'll have a summary of each topic winging its way to you a couple of days after the lesson -- I usually update on Mondays and/or Thursdays.