English A2 - oral assessment

[jackie_mackie]

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas what I can talk about on my oral assessment in English A2 HL.

The question I'm to answer is: What is the imporance of coining new words and expressions?

I need ideas! x)

[sweetnsimple786]

I think we can better help you if you tell us what you're thinking. We can't think for you, but we'd like to help you consider what you might not have and elaborate. =)

[masochist]

Well the most generic idea is keeping a language fresh/evolving with future generations. You'd have to elaborate and make it your own point.

[Hedron123]

Hey, is this your IOA? If so try to be more specific as regards the help you need. What are your views, opinions on the subject. We cannot just solve the question for you since it would be going against the rules of the IBO.

[Charizard]

Well, English is a vernacular language, so it's supposed to be continuously developing and changing so as to fit the culture of its speakers (see: Sapir-Whorf hypothesis), as opposed to, say, Latin, which is generally considered a 'dead language' and has strict rules to adhere to. Of course, there are rules to abide by in English as well but they are commonly broken by modern poets and writers alike. Shakespeare (supposedly) made up a lot of terms, and they have come to be commonplace in modern vocabulary. If you think about the slang of today (especially webslang), you could talk about how it is entirely possible that it becomes the normal language of tomorrow. Formal dictionaries are increasingly adding more webslang - Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year 2007 was 'w00t'.

You could also talk about the perils of making up words at random; see Lewis Carrol's 'Jabberwocky', which goes:

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought--

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

If you look up the context from Alice in Wonderland, there's some interesting stuff about making words mean what you want them to mean and the purpose of language.

[jackie_mackie]

Thank you so much Charizard for the tips! I'll try to combine that with my own ideas and hope I'll make it through the discussion alive.

To the other people answering my question: I didn't plan to cheat or anything, just looking for a bit of support.

[Charizard]

No problem, though it worries me a bit that you're choosing this topic for an English oral, which I always thought would be more literary-based. This stuff on the nature of language reminds me a bit of TOK.

[jackie_mackie]

Oh I didn't choose the topic myself! My teacher did

But I'm in IB1 and this is just practise for the real oral assessment in IB2.

Still, it will be recorded so it better not be crap. :/