What is content in English Language?
In this article, I am going to be demystifying the term 'context'... it seems to be thrown around a lot with students in VCE English Language and it seems that many students don't understand this crucial concept underlying all of our communications. It's very important you understand what context means simply because it could be assessed in your short answer, but it definitely is assessed in your analytical commentary! You can also (and I highly recommend you do) refer to it in your essays. So, as you can see it plays an important part in all of your English Language assessments.
To begin, let's look at a brief definition sourced from Dictionary.com:
the parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect
the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.
- You're at school (situational context)
- You're Australian (cultural context), so you may use Australian colloquialisms
- You're relationships with your friends will drastically affect your language (e.g. swearing)
- The topic! Yes, the topic can affect the semantic field. For example, if you're discussing English Language ideas with your friends, the semantic field will include an immense amount of English Language jargon
- The purpose - every form of communication has a function, so when you're talking at lunchtime with your friends at school, the purpose is usually to build rapport (known as the phatic function), so language will be geared towards that social purpose. Therefore, you'll use slang terms and swearing to effectively strengthen the relationship with those around you.
Different types of context
Below I have summarised the main contextual factors you can talk about in any given text:
-
Situational context (literally where you are)
- For example, if you're in a library receiving tutoring, you may speak in a quiet voice compared to if the lesson were to be conducted at your home. I've noticed from prior experience that when I conduct lessons at libraries I am much quieter compared to when these lessons occur at home.
-
Cultural context (what culture are you in and what are the values of that society)
- For example, it is taboo to openly talk about death in western societies, so we euphemise much of our language to negotiate this taboo topic.
- If you're in Australian society, the lexical choices you employ will oftentimes reflect underlying Australian cultural values such as egalitarianism, mateship and friendliness.
-
Relationship with participants
- Whether you've just met the person or you're best friends with them, the language will be drastically different. For example, compare a relationship with a prospective employer at a job interview with a conversation at a party.
-
Topical context
- When you're communicating with someone, there will be an underlying topic you're talking about. This will therefore affect the language choices used - often reflecting the semantic field. For example, if you're talking about footy with one of your best mates, the semantic field will include jargon from the AFL.
-
Purpose
- With each form of communication comes a social purpose. WHY are you communicating? The language used will reflect this purpose. For example, think of an evacuation procedure at your school - you'll notice that the instructions are clearly formatted (discourse: coherence) to ensure intelligibility and clarity of the information being presented.
So, now with that in mind, I'd like you to comment and/or think about the following contextual factors above and apply it to a hypothetical scenario. This scenario is this:
You're receiving tutoring in a public library for VCE English Language and you've known your tutor now for six months. The tutor is a university student who is 20 years old and you both get along well with each other.
I'd like you to ponder this hypothetical situation and APPLY all of the contextual factors noted above. Write your answers down on a piece of paper and always ask yourself, "HOW WOULD THIS FACTOR AFFECT THE LANGUAGE BEING USED?".
Once you've done this, you may choose to comment your answers below. 🙂
About Learnmate
Learnmate is a trusted Australian community platform that connects students who want 1:1 or small group study support, with tutors who are looking to share their knowledge and earn an income. From primary school to high school subjects — from science and maths to niche subjects like visual communication — Learnmate can help you improve academic performance or boost confidence, at your pace with the tutor that you choose.
We pride ourselves in offering a reliable and positive experience for both our students and tutors. Every tutor that joins the platform is vetted to meet a level of academic excellence, teaching qualification or relevant experience. All tutors are provided the opportunity to complete professional training.
Students and parents can easily find and screen for tutors based on their location, their subject results or skill level, and whether they provide in-person or online sessions. Learnmate is proud to provide tutors in Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth & Adelaide, and other locations.
Learnmate also has tutors for all curriculums: HSC, IB, QCE, BSSS, SACE, TASC, WACE, VCE and UMAT
