Language as a badge of identity Essay

vocabulary is designd every day to communicate with whizz an early(a) only beneath that conversation lies another message. The speakers use of language gives listeners insight as to who they ar, worry a badge of individuation on their chest. Australian Englishs unique phonemics and lexicon is recognised globally and distinguishes it from other emphasiss, giving the speaker a overtake national identity. Ethno-lects be spoken by a specific crowd of people who have the same cultural background. These ethno-lects not only second express an individuals identity and shed light on themselves from the rest, but in same manner assist in bringing to imbibeher speakers from similar backgrounds much like a football jersey. Text speak is constantly evolving as lexemes are taking on parvenue changes. Many teenagers and younger children have begun to embroil this in an attempt to identify with others and fit in. Through language, we can get a glimpse of a persons identity but they can use the same medium to change that identity as well.Australian English is unlike other Englishes in many contrasting aspects, especially phonetically morphologically and semantically. Phonology plays a great determination in national identity as it is what creates different accents. The broad, ocker Australian accent with its trademark nasal, flattened vowels is one of the key elements of Australian linguistics that sets it unconnected from the rest of the world. Diphthongs in lexemes like high are more rounded, resulting in /ho/. Phonetic features such(prenominal) as these are easily place as Australian. Slang is another feature of Australian English that sets it asunder from others. Replacing suffixes with vowels is a good example of this. Afternoon becomes arvo, names like Barry becomes Bazza and by replacing the last element with an -o, the adjective povo has undergone a war cry class shift from the noun poverty. Popular culture has withal influenced Australian Englis h, with ABC television series Jamie, Private School lady friend introducing a semantic and word class shift of quiche (a noun meaning a savoury open-faced pastry) to an adjective to describe an attractive individual. Australias linguistic mutation displays individuality and opposes claims that slang is borrowed from America.Australian English shows both national pride and identity.Teenagers are at the age when they are starting to establish their identity. Neologisms are created by teenagers to claim a different identity from that of children or adults. As adults become more familiar with these lexemes and their use, teenagers aban wear off them or alter the semantics and use to maintain a linguistic breastwork. A good example of this is the long-familiar acronym lol which stands for Laugh Out Loud. As more adults become aware of this lexical item and start to include it in their daily texts, teenagers have brought it into barbarism as an exclamatory and discourse particle. The c ase of the letters now also alters the semantics when typed in lower-case, lol is sarcastic whilst LOL in capital letters shows true amusement. It is unmingled that this constant changing of terms by teenagers is a sign of uprising and an effort to keep a linguistic barrier between themselves and adults, frankincense maintaining a separate identity. The malleability of the lexicon is taken advantage of by teenagers to plaster cast a linguistic barrier between themselves and unwanted people such as adults and other teenagers who dont belong in their classify. Thus, a unique identity is maintained.While teenagers are constantly seeking to separate themselves from children and adults, they are also pressured to conform to the teenage group. Acronyms such as idek (I dont even know) and tbh (to be honest) are now frequently utilize lexicon in a teenagers text vocabulary cod to connotations of cool and modern being associated with them. Similarly, whatever was once popular amongst a teenagers discourse. In time, it was shortened to whatevs and this trend spread right away amongst them as a result of peer pressure and the need to be fashionable. Professor Steven Pinker suggests the reason for this is because the coolest kids decide to talk that way and it spreads like wildfire. Individuals who manage to associate with others who sit higher on the social pyramid ordain pick up their speech habits and wear it as a new badge of identity. Having their own exclusive vocabulary allows teenagers to relate to each other and share the same identity, giving them a sense of belonging to a group.Language can be worn as a badge of identity, giving speakers national,interpersonal and intrapersonal identity. The phonology of Australian English gives the speaker a distinct accent and, paired along with its unique slang, makes it identifiable crosswise the globe. In order to separate themselves from adults and children, teenagers build a linguistic barrier by creating neolog isms and maintaining that barrier by constantly altering lexicon to avoid adults fit too familiar with them. On the other hand, inside the teenage group is a drive to conform and use similar language in an attempt to fit in with peers and to have a sense of belonging. Language is used as a badge of identity regardless of what that identity is.BibliographyDas, S, 2005. Struth Someones nicked me Strine. The Age, 29 January. 34.Seaton, M, 2001. Word Up. Guardian, 21 September. 46.