A-Level English Language Terminology

TEXT

An example of spoken or written language for analysis.

DISCOURSE

A continous stretch of language (especially spoken) that is longer than a sentence.

TRANSCRIPT

An accurate written record of a conversation or monologue, including hesitations and pauses.

SCRIPT

A pre-planned and written out speech.

GENRE

The category or type of a text, such as comedy, tragedy and horror.

CONTEXT

The place or situation where the text might be read or spoken.

AUDIENCE

The people for whom the text was produced.

PURPOSE

The reason why a text has been produced.

FORMALITY

The language patterns and words a text uses and whether they are formal or informal.

MODE

The medium of communication, for example speech or writing.

OPPOSITIONAL VIEW

A broad way of defining modes, which suggests that their qualities are strictly opposites, for example writing is formal, speech is informal.

CONTINUUM

A way of representing differences by placing texts along a line showing degrees of various features.

PROTOTYPE

A "best-fit" example of a particular category. For example, for many people, an apple is a prototypical fruit.

SUB-MODE

A sub-division of a mode, such as poetry, drama or conversation.

TYPE

A form of text such as play, short story and recipe.

MULTIMODAL TEXTS

Texts that combine word, image and sound to produce meaning, for example a children's storybook that includes images to support the text.