Description
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the metalinguistic terminology connected with the features of a commentary: contextual factors, social purpose, register and stylistic and discourse features. (See pp. 3-4 and the Glossary on pp. 77-83.)
While using these features to guide your analysis, you must also demonstrate an ability to use “relevant descriptive and metalanguistic tools” — relating to at least two subsystems. Given that the linguistic features must be connected to, and guided by, the meaning and the mode of the text, the most prevalent subsystems will be lexicology, syntax, semantics and discourse.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the metalinguistic terminology connected with the features of a commentary: contextual factors, social purpose, register and stylistic and discourse features.
Chapter 2 outlines a model (“rule of thumb”) structure, which can be adapted to a range of written and spoken texts — in both formal and informal registers.
Chapters 3 and 4 provide extensive plans (9) and commentaries (12) on a range of text types for written and spoken communication modes — both formal and informal. The transcripts are drawn from “past examinations” for English Language set by the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) and can be accessed via their website.
Each commentary establishes a connection with Unit 3: “Language variation and social purpose” and Unit 4: “Language variation and identity”.
- For more information, please see How to Write an Analytical Commentary
- Please see our Welcome Page: Overview of English Works Notes and Resources