Writing:

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An Introduction to EAP Academic Skills in
EnglishLesson 6

• Writing
• Comparison/Contrast
• Paragraphs

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Objective

• You will learn how to make comparisons in
  academic writing.
• You will learn more about the similarities and
  differences among three standard varieties of
  English.
• You will use what you have learnt to carry out a
  written assignment.

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Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs

• In a comparison/contrast paragraph, you explain
  the similarities and the differences between two
  items. It is used in all academic fields.
• There are two useful ways to organize a
  comparison/contrast essay. Read the two model
  paragraphs and find out.

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Two models of organization
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Block Organization

• You group all the similarities in one block.
• You put all the differences together in another
  block.
• You could discuss either block first.
• You often use a transition sentence between the
  two blocks.

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Point-by-Point Organization

• You make a list of the points of comparison.
• You discuss the similarities and/or the
  differences concerning each point.
• IN BOTH MODELS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS USE THE
  APPROPRIATE COMPARISON/CONTRAST SIGNAL WORDS AND
  PHRASES.

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Comparison/Contrast Signals
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Standards of the Inner Circle

• Three standard Englishes
• Britain, North America and Australia
• ? similarities and differences
• - across the three standards
• - across varieties of English within Britain
  and North America

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Vocabulary

• most noticeable level of divergence
• NAmE and BrE
• Words either not existing in one of the two
  varieties or having completely/partially
  different meaning
• Early settlers introduced new words via
• Extending meaning of existing English words (e.g.
  corn, robin)
• Creating new words (e.g. butte)
• Borrowing from indigenous languages (e.g.
  moccasin, squash, toboggan)
• Developments since independence of US
• technological innovation (e.g. NAmE windshield,
  hood, trunk vs. BrE windscreen, bonnet, boot)

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Categories of lexical differencesin EngEng and
USEng

• Trudgill and Hannah 2002
• Same word, different meaning
• Same word, additional meaning in one variety
• Same word, difference in style, connotation,
  frequency of use
• Same concept or item, different word

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Choose the correct category

• faucet - smart - sophomore - autumn - pants
• homely - school - quite - a queue - to fancy
• pavement - regular - corn
• Which category has the greatest potential for
  misunderstanding between speakers of English from
  the UK and from the US?

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Lexical differences 2

• British vs American slang http//www.youtube.com/
  watch?vwYmrg3owTRE
• Words and expressions that can cause embarrassing
  or comical misunderstandings
• to knock up fag rubber to root for to
  get pissed fanny bum buns queen thong
• tramp hamper mean suspenders Asian

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Australian English

• Borrowings from aboriginal languages (e.g.
  kangaroo, boomerang)
• some now widely known especially for fauna and
  flora now regarded as quintessentially
  Australian
• Words with different meanings (to barrack for
  support paddock field footpath pavement)
• Different slang words and phrases (a galah a
  fool to spit the dummy to lose your temper
  splosh money)
• Many abbreviations, clippings (barbecue barbie
  afternoon arvo Australian Aussie)

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Slang across the three standards

• When suprised, they say Bloody OATH! No way!
  /Shut the front door! Bloody Hell!
• When angry, they say Sod that! Bugger! God
  damn it!
• When showing approval, they say Sweet! Cool!
  Bargain!
• Amazed Gob smacked Blown away Far out
• Pleased Stoked Rapt Chuffed
• Friend Mate Sport Buddy
• Boy Guy/Dude Bloke/Lad Bloke
• Girl Sheila Chick/Gal Bird/Lass
• Toilet John/Can Dunny Loo
• Tired Knackered Bushed Beat
• Idiot Dumbass Git Drongo

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Differences in grammar and spelling

• EngEng and USEng (Trudgill and Hannah 2002)
• Verbs morphology (dived/dove got/gotten),
  auxiliaries (epistemic must cant/must not)
• Nouns noun endings (candidature/candidacy
  centenary/centennial) , using verbs as nouns (an
  invalid/a shut in an audition/ a try out)
• Adjectives and adverbs (different from/different
  than yet and already with simple past in USEng)
• Prepositions (behind/in back of in a street/on
  a street for ages/in ages)
• Spelling Words ending in -or (American) -our
  (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor,
  flavour etc.Words ending in -ize (American) -ise
  (British) recognize, recognise, patronize,
  patronise etc.

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Problems with differences

• Can you think of any other differences?
• Do any of these differences have the same
  potential for miscommunication as lexical
  differences do?
• Have you had any personal experience of
  miscommunication arising from grammatical
  differences in your own and an interlocutors
  English?