Communication Studies
Module 2 Practice Questions
Abishua Johnson
Read Susan’s monologue below, then answer questions 3-4
‘Lord, mi Chile, every time mi go by Tantie, she does seh mi does talk too bad. She does say ah does chop up de
words an dem and mix up de language too much. She does seh mi doesn’t ‘communicate’ right. Lord! Dem big
words dere she expec mi to use. She does seh I must speak the standard language so that I may move up in society.
An yu know, I was talking nice wid Merican accent an ting!’
(a) Susan laments being told by Tantie that she does not communicate well. Give THREE examples of structure
in Susan’s monologue to which Tantie would object.
1. Susan’s grammar e.g. “she does she ah does chop up de words dem”
2. The leaving off of letters of words e.g. expect become expec and American becomes Merican
3. The misspelling of words e.g. Chile instead of Child
(b) State FOUR reasons why Tantie sees the standard language as “good language”.
Tantie sees standard English as “good language” because of the following:
(a) This is what society tells her as Susan puts it “speak the standard language so that I may move up in
society”. Tantie believes that standard languages are the appropriate way to speak as it is enforced in
society.
(b) She may be unaware of the fact that Creole is a language.
(c) Our History has given details of plantation slavery where planters forced their languages onto the slaves.
It is this retention in Caribbean people that makes us think that standard English is “good languages”
(d) Education enforces the use of standard languages instead of Creole
4. (a) State four arguments you would use to convince Tantie that what Susan is speaking is a language.
Answer:
(a) Creole is used as a means of communication thus serving the purpose of languages
(b) It has its own grammar
(c) It has its own phonology
(d) It has similar characteristics as that of standard languages i.e. symbolic, arbitrary etc
(e) It has its lexicon
(b) Describe how history has influenced the language situation in a named territory you have studied.
Answer: Jamaica
It is evident that the way we speak in Jamaica is influenced by our African heritage as well as our European
heritage. Infact it has been a merging of both languages. Caribbean Slaves were forced on the plantation to
abandon their languages and take up that of Europeans masters. African Retention of their previous languages
made it difficult and so they simply merged such languages thus creating Jamaican Creole. We still use the
Standard English as the main means of communication especially in the schools and the workplace.
5. Read the scenario below, then answer the questions that follow.
In the Caribbean, it is normal for politicians to use Creole during election campaign when they move from district
to district. However, when they become government ministries, they typically make their speeches in the standard
language.
(a) Give two reason why a political might use the two languages varieties.
Answer:
- Being a politician means that he/ she has to make speeches and be public speakers at time hence standard
English is imperative in a formal situation
- Using Creole allows for easier understanding by the people in society, it creates an idea that the politician
is just a simply human as the rest of citizens and also adds to maintain culture among the people: this is
who we are and what we are proud of
(b) Identify THREE other groups of person who use the two different varieties in their spoken language.
Answer:
- Doctors
- Teachers
- Entertainers e.g. comedians
(c) For any ONE of the groups identified in 5 (b) (i) above, state the context in which each of the two language
varieties may be used.
Answer:
- Teachers use the Creole in class activities such as drama presentation to make it more cosmic and
interesting to the students
- Teachers use the Standard English when delivering a speech at a school function or when teacher a class.
6. Read the scenario illustrating below, then answer the questions that follow.
(a) In advising Paul against using too much Patios in the valedictory address, what point is Ron making about
language and setting.
Answer:
Ron is indicating that Patois is not an acceptable language to be used at that particular setting; the graduation is a
formal rather than informal occasion.
(b) What FOUR technological devices could Paul use to enhance his presentation?
Answer:
(a) A Microphone
(b) Tape Recorder
(c) The use of a projector
(d) The use of the computer
(ii) Explain how ONE device you identified in 6 (b) above could enhance Paul’s presentation.
Answer:
- The microphone allows for greater projection without the speaker straining his/her voice for listeners to
hear.
- He/she can record their voice on the tape recorder so as to notice where they are mis- pronouncing, or to
determine the best tone.