As Krauthammer’s article, “Spoken Language interference Pattern in Written English” notes, writing follows very different rules than speech. Even a competent native speaker has difficulty making the distinction between the different rules. Seemingly the most interesting about the translation of speech to written language is that students often make mistakes when writing, because when speaking these rules do not seem to apply. Of course, it is different when writing an e-mail off to a friend. Writing considered informal might be more forgiving of the “traps” students find themselves in, than academic prose. Many instructors prefer certain choices, like contractions, should not show up in this sort of academic prose.
What might seem a little scary for scholars of the English Language is the impact that speech communication can make on the evolving trends becoming more acceptable in written form. Many people (possibly me included, not really sure where I stand) believe that we need to protect the integrity of our language. Arguments against slang, text speak, and all other evils are infiltrating our language. What does this mean? In the context of this inquiry it means that there are a lot of people/instructors who are passionate about maintaining the rules of written communication, especially in an academic format. This passion can easily get in the way of student learning and get emphasized more than it probably should.
One cringe worthy pet-peeve of instructors happens to deal with confusing spelling issues. These things are easily explained characteristics of oral language. Yet, students who cannot make these distinctions are belittled with assumptions about their educational background. It might be possible that students are intimated by the process of moving from informal oral language to written academic language. With so many landmines to steer clear from, it is easy to see why students might have some difficulties.
Error maintains such a negative connotation. With speech, students can make simple mistakes, usually without fear of rebuke. With writing, student error lingers on the page.
Even the set-up for written language requires more care than the typical speech literacy. While students use oral language much more frequently, they are rarely called on to give a well-researched/framed oral assignment. True, students have been assigned speeches and debates, but written communication is different: takes time, there are some revisions that happen in mid-write. Basically, care and attention is placed on writing, causing the written form to have more ‘weight’ attached to it, causing more unrest, causing more formalized rules to distinguish the (educated) have’s and have not’s.
Why do students have trouble moving forms? It seems to me that they have so much stacked against them, I am honestly surprised “I” made it this far.
You mentioned something that came up for me the other day while tutoring a student in the Learning Center at Skyline College. This particular student used an unusual way of expressing some of her descriptions in an essay. She described her own mouth as "small-but-full-lips". I asked her about the construction, and she said that she reads a number of blogs and novels where she has seen this construction used successfully. I admired her ability to notice differences in language and to measure effectiveness. I told her that I did not mind the construction in her essay, but I also mentioned that it would be interesting to see how her professor responded to her style. Yes, she did have style and was willing to take risks with language. I am usually a defender of the integrity of our language, but I am equally a defender of risk-taking and fun with language. I will keep you posted on what the professor has to say about her "style".
ReplyDeleteI like how you point out how writing ease may vary depending on the situation, or, to be fancy, discourse communities. You are totally write that students feel comfortable texting, emailing, updating their facebook status. Beyond comfort, too, they probably have some awareness of what they are putting out in public. For my I'm TAing in Trainor's 414, I asked them about this. They realized that when they update their facebook status or twitter, they are pretty sensitive to how they sound, if they have grammar errors, and to what they are saying. When I reminded them that this was writing too, they were surprised! I think making this more apparent can be a way in to more formal academic writing for writers who have no interest in, or are having trouble bridging into, academic writing.
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