Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
1 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
DELTA International House London (centre number: 10294)
LSA 1 Language Systems - Lexis: Helping higher-level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively Background Essay
Amelia Hoseason (candidate number: 006) 12 Oct 2014
Word Count: 2475
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
2 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
CONTENTS PAGE
INTROODUCTION 3
ANALYSIS.. 3 Meaning and Use .. 3 Form 4 Pronunciation. 7
LEARNERS PROBLEMS / TEACHING SUGGESTIONS.. 8 Problem & Suggestion 1... 8 Problem & Suggestion 2 9 Problem & Suggestion 3 10 Problem & Suggestion 4 11
CONCLUSION.. 13
BIBLIOGRAPHY 14
APPENDICES. 15
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
3 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Introduction It is often necessary to add depth to a word allowing for greater expression; using intensifiers allows you to express this depth. However, I have seen students struggle with this. As Grange points out leaners under-use native collocations such as intensifying adverbs.. (Grange, 1998:152) and I believe this is due to the lack of clarity given to intensifiers in syllabuses, leading to learner confusion and frustration. This assignment will look specifically at the intensifying adverbs of degree focussing on higher levels, and aims to explore raising their awareness of use and the impact they have on the listener.
Analysis Meaning and Use Intensifiers are a group of words that strengthens, intensifies or focuses on a particular aspect of the meaning of an item (Cartar, & McCarthy, 2006:908). It can boost or amplify (intensifier) or it can down play/down tone it (mitigator). She is remarkably intelligent - Intensifier I was faintly amused - Mitigator There are numerous ways of describing Intensifiers, e.g.: degree modifiers (Huddleston, 2002); submodifiers (Sinclair, 1990); adverb of degree (Parrott, 2002) intensifiers (learnenglish.britishcouncil.org). I tend to agree with Huddleston (2002: 585) when he says the term intensifier is a functional term and is no improvement on the traditional term degree modifier. However, for the purpose of this assignment I have chosen to use the more common term: intensifier. Intensifiers both syntactically modify a clause as well as semantically change the emotion of it. I am extremely annoyed. Extremely interrupts the verb and its adjective, emphasizing the adjective, while showing the speakers heightened displeasure.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
4 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Lorenz (1998:56) discusses the Quirkin categories, which groups intensifiers according to the level of degree they express: Maximisers absolutely Boosters highly Approximators nearly Compromisers pretty Diminishes a little Minimizers scarcely
Intensifiers encompass two lexical subgroups: Adverbs of degree e.g.:
pretty amazingly
Intensifying adjectives e.g.:
complete perfect
There are rules to guide a learner but, as Parrott explains, Choosing an intensifier depends not only on the degree of intensification (e.g.: extremely stronger than very) but also on the meaning of what we want to intensify, the grammar of what is intensified (e.g.: adjective or verb) and on style. (Parrott, 2010: 69). To what degree and meaning is fairly easy to define; However, style, is harder to explain, as with most strong collocations, and needs to be learnt individually. Form Adverbs of degree (AdvD) AdvD + adjective
It is important to note that not all AdvD collocate with every adjective. You need to decide if it is a non-gradable adjective or a gradable adjective. Non-gradable expresses absoluteness whereas gradable doesnt.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
5 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Impossible - non-gradable adjectives Beautiful gradable adjectives To intensify non-gradable adjectives an AdvD indicating absoluteness is used. For gradable adjectives any AdvD can be used, but check meaning before collocating. AdvD + Non-gradable AdvD + Gradable absolutely impossible especially beautiful extraordinarily unique intensely mauve.
AdvD + noun phrase/prepositional phrase
incredibly bright student completely out of control AdvD + adverb
This is sometimes referred to as submodification and, when one is repeated twice, iteration (Huddleston, 2002:585) quite amazingly irresponsible. - submodification very, very good. iteration AdvD + verb
As Willis (2003) illustrates they can also be placed at the beginning or the end of a clause, before the verb, but never between the verb and its object. Truly, I enjoyed the party beginning I enjoyed the party truly end I truly enjoyed the party before verb I enjoyed truly the party between verb and object
With modal sentences the AdvD comes before the modal or before main verb, depending on what is being expressed. I really must tidy my room overdue task LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
6 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
I must really tidy my room detailed clean needed
AdvD in Comparatives or Superlatives
Due to the restrictions of this assignment, I am not focussing on this category. Sinclair (1990) goes into great depth explaining each case and its significance. However, here are a few examples to highlight the subtlety an AdvD can place on comparatives /superlatives.
relatively brighter than. ..the very earliest computers.
Individual cases Very: can be used with gradable and non-gradable adjectives, but not with verbs. I was very lost Dee is very beautiful I very enjoyed the party I very much enjoyed the party very + much with verb Too cannot be used before a verb. too enjoyed the party verb
Quite can be used with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives and acts as either an intensifier or mitigator depending on the intonation.
She is quite pretty.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
7 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
So is used before an adjective. The results were so amazing Such is used with a noun phrase. It was such a big deal.
Pronunciation In terms of pronunciation, its the use of the suprasegmental features that can cause problems. As Underhill highlights, ..inappropriate intonation can at times gives rise not just to obscuration of the message but to reception of quite a different message (Underhill, 2005:75) What an incredibly stylish hairdo. If the intonation is positively stressed on incredibly or stylish an emphasis is given to the compliment. However, if negative intonation is stressed on either, this sentence then becomes a sarcastic criticism.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
8 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Learners Problems / Teaching Suggestions Problem 1
Both in my multi-lingual and monolingual classes I have encountered problems with the use of very and much when learners want to intensify verbs.
I very love my boyfriend
I love very much my boyfriend
I love much my boyfriend
I believe this is because it has either become, as Selinker (1972) calls it, fossilized language (an incorrect rule learnt and never relearnt correctly) or is translated directly from L1. What I found interesting was the deep rootedness of this fossilised behaviour, they could recognise the error but continued to repeat it when under the pressures of real time speech.
Suggestion 1 Aim Use a rule discovery approach with learners noticing errors and identifying rule. According to cognitive learning theory this conscious process of noticing the input results in intake (Thornbury, 2002:106), which will hopefully dislodge the fossilised language they have acquired and shine a light on the difference with their L1. Procedure Hand out a dialogue mix of correct and incorrect examples of very and much. Individual then pairs: identify the incorrect sentences. Look for rule. Open class identify the rule (very not with verb but ok with adjectives or noun phrases; very much ok with verbs, but not between verb and object), discuss if they use that structure, what frustrations they had. Jumbled sentences individual work (controlled practice with the correct order). Closely monitoring any errors e.g.:
me remind you very of sister my much am very this summer I she is visit me coming excited to
Personalisation: Write sentences they feel they have used or would use, but in correct word order. Close monitoring on word order. Open class feedback sharing sentences. LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
9 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Open questions using correct structure checking comprehension and encouraging natural use.
Evaluation By getting the students to notice the rule, their own mistakes and then correcting them raised their awareness of this problem, so that next time they wanted to use these structures they could begin to auto-correct. A useful follow up activity would be to explore other intensifiers that could help expand the depth of what they want to express. Problem 2
Whilst teaching 10 th grade ESL at a bilingual school in Colombia, I noticed my students (B2) were struggling with collocating intensifiers when working on their creative writing portfolio. I was very petrified. Syllabuses and books perhaps mention intensifiers, but most likely as an added on grammar focus with a confusing mix of rules included in the reference section, and no further follow up (Appendix 1). This creates confusion, the learner forgets due to no practise, or the teacher misses it out completely. Suggestion 2 Aim Using a task-based approach, I gave the students an extract from a story. The authenticity of the text kept the students focussed on their creative writing, whilst raising their awareness of the collocation rules. Procedure Using an extract from the class literature book, learners read the text and answer a comprehension question. In pairs notice adjectives in text and try to categorise. Concept checking (cline to illustrate degree), guiding to notice the categories were gradable and non-gradable. Students identify what words complemented the adjectives and what effect they had on them. Students look for rule (adverbs intensify adjectives) Using the cline, identify only absolute adverbs intensify absolute adjectives. Categorising exercise. Group gradable and non-gradable adjectives then group absolute and non-absolute adverbs. Dictionaries were allowed, raising their awareness of adjectives available to them. Matching exercise: adverbs with adjectives. LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
10 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Follow up activity: use new collocations in next creative writing piece.
Evaluation
This activity worked really well, rather than be given a list, learners discovered the rules themselves. The use of the dictionary really encouraged learner independence in investigating new adjectives and adverbs. The authentic text also exemplified how they could develop their own creative writing.
Problem 3
During my time in Malta, I worked on pronunciation with an advanced Italian business student, who was preparing for his IELTS. We focussed a lot on stress and intonation and I noticed his over emphasis on certain words produced either a complete change in meaning (as discussed in the analysis) or sometimes had an impact on me, the listener, and my impression of him. For example, as he was describing a graph:
Our share value has POSITIVELY increased this month, even though our product output is VERY low.
This created two problems: firstly, the stress on positively sounded unnatural and made him sound, in a business context, insincere. Secondly, the stress on very (although not the correct intensifier) created the impression, as a listener, that he lacked confidence in the results.
I believe this is a problem is consistent within Latinate L1 students. Their L1 uses emphasis a lot and translating this across can often lead to inappropriate use in English, especially in a business context. This isnt helped by the fact that course books barely look at stress or intonation with intensifiers and definitely dont highlight the pitfalls of inappropriate use. (Appendix 2).
Suggestion 3 Aim I wanted to raise the learners awareness of the important role intonation can play, and the subconscious effect it had on the listener. There is a common understanding between speakers of a language.. about ways of saying things, (Underhill, 2005:74) and this can be lost when the language isnt your L1.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
11 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Procedure Live listening using a sales report extract. 1 st time learner listens for comprehension. 2 nd time learner takes notes of key points. Feedback: his version of sales report. Learner looks at transcript and identifies how results were described Learner identifies use of intensifiers and adjectives in text (comprehension check using cline/mime to explain degree). Listen while I model the text (over emphasised). Leaner identifies how intonation changes meaning. Controlled oral practice with same text experimenting with intonation. Feedback and open questions about impact intonation has on listener in business context. In following lessons developed vocabulary for business intensifiers and adjectives.
Evaluation Although the controlled practice as Kelly highlights sometimes requires students to use patterns which feel alien to them and they can feel embarrassed about repeating patterns.. (Kelly, 2007:96), it really helped raise the learners awareness about the effect intonation can have in different situations.
Problem 4
In Malta, I had a few long-term students who had local friends and so had acquired a lot of colloquial language habits. One of these being iteration:
My weekend was so so chilled.
This in itself didnt pose a problem, in fact it helped with their fluency in a social context. However, when they wanted to practise their job interviews and use a more formal English, it did.
In my previous job I was really really respectful of the rules.
The over use of really isnt appropriate during an interview. There is a definite divide between the style and selection of intensifiers used when in a social or business context. I believe learners need to be made aware of this, so they can alter their register and use of language depending on their circumstances. LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
12 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Suggestion 4 Aim To raise learners consciousness of how different contexts require different styles of intensifiers. Specifically, that iteration is perfectly natural in spoken informal situations and in a business context different intensifiers and adjectives are required. Procedure Listening Activity: two incorrect dialogues, (social and job interview).
Social dialogue e.g.: I have significantly improved my social activities
Job interviews e.g.: I am really, really good at filing and I have had so, so much experience of answering the phones.
1 st time played dialogues together. Listen for comprehension. Elicited context of each dialogue. 2 nd time played separately, learners had to note down problems with dialogues. They identified incorrect vocabulary. Transcript of listening: Learners underlined inappropriate words for each context. Feedback, CCQs (is this suitable for a social situation? Why?) elicited informal expressions are used socially and a wider vocabulary is used in business. In pairs: why really, really and so, so wasnt suitable for a job interview. Feedback. I modelled.
Due to my previous work experience, I am an extremely efficient filer and feel very comfortable managing the phones.
In pairs discussed which is more suitable for a job interview. Feedback: identified iteration is natural in social context but not in formal environment Modelled iteration from dialogue with a student, repeated in pairs and discussed would you employ that person? Why not? Rebuild Dialogue in each context using correct style and use of intensifiers. Role-played the dialogues in pairs.
Evaluation By comparing the two incorrect dialogues the students were able to notice the inappropriateness of iteration in a formal context yet the naturalness in a social context. LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
13 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
They became aware of how important choosing the correct style of language was in relation to the context they were in, or, the objective they had for their communication.
Conclusion Researching this assignment has highlighted the lack of accessible information for teachers and learners concerning how to use intensifiers. It has also shown me that with higher-level students, there is a definite need to provide them with the right tools, to help them explain nuances in their emotions and in the way they want to express them. As they move towards a more proficient understanding of English, I believe discussions on the effects of suprasegmental features, register and genre specific vocabulary should be given more of a focus, thus providing them with depth and access to a more natural expression.
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
14 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Bibliography Books Cartar, R;& McCarthy,M.(2006) Cambridge Grammar of English. CUP. p.908 (referenced on page 3) Grange (1998) in OKeefe, A & McCarthy, M & Walsh, S. (2009) Vocabulary Matrix. Heinle Cenage LearningP.35 (referenced on page 3) Huddleston, R & Pullum, G. (2002) The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language CUP. p.585 (referenced on page 3,5) Kelly, G. (2007) How to Teach Pronunciation Longman 2007. p.94 (referenced on page 11) Lorenz, G. (1998) Overstatement in advanced learners writing: Stylistic aspects of adjective intensification, in S. Granger (1998) Learner English on Computer. Longman.. p.53-66 (referenced on page 4) Parrott, M. (2010) Grammar for the English Teacher. CUP. p.69 (referenced on page 3,4) Selinker (1972) in Ellis, R.( 2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. OUP p.963 (referenced on page8) Sinclair, J.(1990) Collins Cobuild English Grammar.HCP. p.93,97-100 (referenced on page 3,6) Thornbury,S. (2002) A to Z of ELT. Macmillan. p.106 (referenced on page 8) Underhill, A. (2005) Sound foundations Macmillan p.74,75 (referenced on page 7,10) Willis,D. (2003) Rules, Patterns, Words. CUP. p.32-33 (referenced on page 5)
Websites British Council, Learn English Intensifiers. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english- grammar/adjectives/intensifier (9.10 2014)
Coursebooks Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. p.11,27 (referenced on page 9, Appendix 1) Moore,P.(2005)New Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate. p.68 (referenced on page 9 Appendix 2)
LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
15 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Appendix 1 An example of how course books treat intensifiers. More often than not they are treated as an add- on with all the rules thrown together in the reference section at the back.
Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. p.11 (referenced on page 9)
Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. P.27 (referenced on page 9) LSA1: Systems Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.
16 Amelia Hoseason Background Essay
Appendix 2 An example of how course books treat the pronunciation of intensifiers. If they do discuss it, they dont look at the effects the suprasegmental features can have on the listener.
Moore,P.(2005)New Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate. p.68 (referenced on page 9)
Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life) (The Surrounded by Idiots Series) by Thomas Erikson: Key Takeaways, Summary & Analysis