unit  1

Wordplay
The big question
Why and how is language powerful?
Key learnings
●● The English language has evolved over time.
●● Our language reflects our values and shapes our identities.
●● Language can be powerful, persuasive and playful.

knowledge, understanding and skills

Students will:
●● understand the origins of English and the different forms of English
●● understand the social importance of satire and other forms of humour
●● appreciate the power of words to express thoughts and feelings, to argue
a point of view, and to persuade.

1
Words, words, words . . .

‘English has always been a

vacuum-cleaner of language
— sucking in words from
any other language that its
speakers come into contact
with.’
— From Time Magazine, 1997,
by David Crystal,
British linguist

But words are things, and a small drop of ink,

Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions,
think.
— From ‘Don Juan’ by Lord Byron

  “When I use a word,” Humpty

Dumpty said in a rather scornful
tone, “it means just what I choose it
to mean - neither more nor less.”
  “The question is,” said Alice,
“whether you can make words mean
so many different things.”
  “The question is,” said Humpty
Dumpty, “which is to be master -
that’s all.”

Eh, look out! She’s there

again. That migaloo jalbu,
Sharyn. Hanging off her front
fence. She’s watching me go
past. She’s giving me that
smile, that mango-mouth
one. Maybe migaloos can’t see
those clouds that follow
you on bad days.
— From My Girragundji
by Meme McDonald
& Boori Pryor

2  English is … Year 9
Powerful and playful words
Take a look at the texts on the opposite page. As you can see, English is a complex and
surprising language. You might not even recognise some of the texts as English. What
they show us is that the English language doesn’t stand still. It is always changing
and evolving. These texts also highlight how powerful, even life-changing, words
can be. Words can inspire love, start a fight, move someone to tears, create a sense of
belonging and identity; they can also make us laugh and open our eyes to truths.

Tuning in
1 Think and say why: Of all the texts featured in the collage, which one has the most
meaning to you personally? Why? Which ones do you find difficult or confusing?
Why do you think this is?
2 Did you know?
●● We cannot really be sure how many words there are in the English language, but

half a million is a good estimate.

●● There are at least 400 million native speakers of English worldwide.

●● Globish is a condensed form of English developed by Jean-Paul Nerrière. There are

only 1500 words in Globish.

●● The longest nonsense word in English appears in James Joyce’s novel, Finnegan’s

Wake (1939). The word describes Tom Finnegan’s fall from a ladder:
Bothallchoractorschumminaroundgansumuminarumdrumstrumtruminahumptadu
mptawaultopoofoolooderuamaunsturnup.
3 Find out: Research Globish words and phrases. Think about the possible advantages
and disadvantages of a global form of English and list them in a two-column table.
4 Think and write: Respond to one of the following:
●● Do you agree with Humpty Dumpty that when you use a word, ‘it means just
Use the Globish-
what [you] choose it to mean?’ Can you think of instances when the meaning you English weblink in your
intended was not the meaning received? eBookPLUS to find the
●● What do you think Humpty Dumpty means when he says, ‘The question is .  .  . English words that are
part of Globish.
which is to be master — that’s all’?
●● Can a word be made to mean many different things, as Alice declares? Choose a

word and scribble down as many possible meanings as you can think of. Are all of
these meanings still understood these days?
●● What is your favourite word? Why?

Language link
Newspeak
Writer George Orwell coined the term Newspeak in his novel 1984. Newspeak is a shorthand
type of English. Orwell’s character Syme tells Winston Smith, the protagonist, ‘You don’t grasp
the beauty of the destruction of words. Do you know that Newspeak is the only language in
the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year?’ As Syme declares, ‘The whole aim of
Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought.’
Today, we might use the word Newspeak to refer to deliberately confusing or misleading
language used by politicians or government officials. It is also sometimes used to refer to
newly coined expressions.
Find some examples of Newspeak in a daily newspaper, perhaps in the politics or world
events section.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  3
 1.1   Changing words
Where did English come from?
What we call the English language is, in reality, a hotch-potch of many different
languages and dialects. In fact, hotch-potch comes from an old French word, hochepot,
meaning ‘stew or soup’. And English is still expanding and evolving. New words are
added to the language as populations change, technology develops, and trends
emerge.
A travel guide to English would begin with the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain,
home to various Celtic peoples, in the fifth century. It was not until the seventh and
eighth centuries that written records of Old English, or Anglo-Saxon English, began
to appear. The Anglo-Saxons gave us words such as earth, house, night and sleep. Next
to arrive in Britain were the Norse invaders from northern Germany and what we now
call Scandinavia. These people are known as the Vikings. With each invasion, came new
words or ‘loan words’ — for example, anger, silver, reindeer and egg.
Next stop on our tour of English is 1066, the year the Normans, from France, invaded
Britain. This is known as the Norman Conquest. Thousands of French words now
entered English, many of them based on Latin words; for example, parliament, beauty,
romance and mansion. No intrepid traveller can overlook Middle English, taking in the
sights and sounds of the period from 1000 to about 1500.
As the journey continues, we enter the Renaissance period (1500–1650) during
which many words were borrowed from Greek and Latin. Shakespeare added
some spice to the English language with inventions such as savagery, fashionable,
advertising, obscene and zany.
English expanded even more when the British started to travel the world and
establish colonies in America, Australia, Africa, India and the Caribbean.
Need to know The Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, also a time of great scientific
ballad  a type of poem that
tells a story and has the discovery, saw the invention and introduction of new words, such as crankshaft,
qualities of a regular rhyme tractor, stethoscope, vaccine and radiator.
and rhythm. Folk ballads were Today’s Digital Revolution has seen the creation of new words (neologisms), such
originally set to music and
as internet and byte, and the appropriation of existing words to take on entirely new
passed on by word of mouth.
Literary ballads originated as meanings, such as mouse and cache.
written, not spoken, poems.
dialect  a form of a language What do early forms of English look like?
specific to a particular region or Early forms of English can look very strange to us. It’s hard to believe that the fragment
group of people
of Beowulf on the opening page (top left corner) is written in Anglo-Saxon (also known
rhyme  agreement or
correspondence in the final
as Old English). It might as well be a foreign language. Medieval or Middle English is
sound of a word at the end of a slightly more recognisable to us, though words may be spelt differently.
line; for example, make/break,
yellow/mellow An early folk ballad
rhythm  a pattern of beats, ‘The Twa Corbies’ (which translates as ‘the two crows’) is a medieval Scottish version
or stressed and unstressed
of the English folk ballad ‘The Three Ravens’. It is written in a dialect, that is, a form
syllables. A regular rhythm is
a repeating pattern of beats of English specific to a particular region or group of people. The narrator of the poem
throughout a poem. recalls a conversation between two crows who discover the body of a dead knight.
alliteration  repetition of a The poem contains rhyme, rhythm and alliteration, which feature often in the
consonant at the start of words ballad form.
positioned close together in a
phrase or sentence
Before you read the poem, your teacher may ask you to complete the following
Ready to Read activities.

4  English is … Year 9
 READY TO READ …
●● Look at the illustration that appears with the poem. Which of the following words come to mind
when you think of crows?
– cute – sweet
– scary – gentle
– spooky – nasty
●● What does the illustration suggest the poem might be about?
●● Scan the poem. Do you think you will find this difficult to read? If 1 is easy and 5 is difficult, how
would you rate this poem?

corbies: ravens The Twa Corbies The ballad consists of a series of

mane: moan quatrains or four-line stanzas. The
As I was walking all alane, regular rhyme of a-a-b-b makes the
tane: the one I heard twa corbies makin a mane; ballad easy to commit to memory.
ither: other The tane unto the ither say, The story of the two crows begins
sall: shall ‘Whar sall we gang and dine the day?’ with the first-person point of view.
gang: go ‘In ahint yon auld fail dyke, The narrator briefly introduces
the story. Stanzas 2 to 5 consist
ahint: behind I wot there lies a new slain knight;
entirely of dialogue between the
fail dyke: turf wall And nane do ken that he lies there, two crows.
wot: know
But his hawk, his hound an his lady fair.’
The unusual-looking words in bold
ken: know ‘His hound is tae the huntin gane, type are examples of the Scottish
tae: to
His hawk tae fetch the wild-fowl hame, dialect of English.
His lady’s tain anither mate, The repetition of ‘his’ adds to the
tain: taken
So we may mak oor dinner swate.’ poem’s rhythm and pace.
hause-bane: collarbone
‘Ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane, Alliteration is used to strengthen
bonny: pretty, lovely
And I’ll pike oot his bonny blue een; the poem’s rhythm (mony, makes,
een: eyes
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair mane).
theek: thatch We’ll theek oor nest whan it grows bare.’ Most lines have four main beats,
oer: over or stressed syllables. For example:
‘Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken whar he isgane.
But nane sall ken whar he is gane;
The underlining shows where these
Oer his white banes, whan they are bare, main beats or stresses occur. This
The wind sall blaw for evermair.’ regular rhythm helps to unify the
poem, making it easy to remember
(Anonymous)
and pleasing to the ear.

The ballad is so old that no-one

knows who wrote it. It was
probably altered and added to by
those who sang it or retold it.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  5
 Activities . . .
Understanding a folk ballad
Getting started
 1 Try reading the poem aloud. Does this make understanding the Scottish dialect
easier or more difficult?
 2 With a partner, decide which is the least recognisable word in the poem.
Working through
  3 Have a go at working out the meanings of the following words. Find where they
appear in the poem. Do the words around them give you any clues? Try saying
them aloud to see if they sound similar to any modern English words.
●● alane ●● swate

●● auld ●● pike oot

●● gowden ●● evermair

●● hame

  4 Which of the following features of a typical folk ballad can you identify in the
poem? (See the Literature link, about features of a folk ballad on this page.) Use
quoted lines from the poem to support your answers.
a Regular rhyme
b Regular rhythm or beat
c A dramatic story
d Repetition
Literature link e Alliteration
  5 Why do you think the poet has included direct speech or dialogue between the
The features of
crows?
a folk ballad
Going further
The word ballad comes from
the French word ballare,
  6 With a partner, write out the poem in modern English. Did you agree on this?
meaning ‘song’. The word
ballet also comes from this Analysing and interpreting a folk ballad
same root word. Folk ballads
Getting started
were originally songs or
tales passed on by word of  7 When you read this poem aloud or to yourself, how does it make you feel?
mouth — they were not  8 The crows are described as ‘making a mane’ (making a noise). What modern
written down — so they word for a type of sound does mane look and sound like?
had to be easy to remember.
The characteristics of a
 9 If the annotations were removed, would you have understood the poem?
traditional folk ballad may Working through
include: 10 The poem contains strong visual imagery. For example:
●● a regular rhythm
●● a regular rhyme scheme
Ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane,
●● quatrains or four-line And I’ll pike oot his bonny blue een.
stanzas a Which words in the ballad are the most powerful in giving you a vivid picture
●● a dramatic story, often
of the crows feasting on the dead knight?
featuring themes of
death, love and revenge b If hause means ‘house’ and bane means ‘bone’, can you explain why hause-
●● repetition bane means ‘collarbone’?
●● a refrain or chorus
11 List the particular words in the poem that help to create a sad mood or tone.
●● dialogue.
12 Even though the poem uses an unfamiliar form of English, it still has the power to
Can you think of a modern affect us emotionally. How is the reader made to feel sorry for the slain knight?
ballad? Look up the song
‘Hurricane’ by Bob Dylan Going further
on the internet. Is it a 13 Why do you think it’s important to read the poem in the original dialect, rather
ballad? Why? than using a modern English translation?

6  English is … Year 9
Wordsmith . . .
Loan words in English
When we come across unfamiliar words, it helps if we understand some of the origins
of the English language. Words borrowed from another language are called ‘loan
words’ and English is full of them.
During the Renaissance period of English history (roughly 1300s to 1600s), ancient
Greek and Latin texts were extremely popular. This meant that many Greek and Latin
words were borrowed and adapted by the English.
The word education, for example, comes from the Latin, educat, meaning ‘to rear or
bring up’. The word atmosphere derives from the Greek words atmos meaning ‘vapour
or steam’ and spharia meaning ‘sphere’.
Using a dictionary or the internet, find out the origins and meanings of these words:
●● bicycle

●● photography

●● agoraphobia

●● skeleton

●● bacteria.

The following loan words entered English during the period of colonisation in the Use the Loan words
weblink in your
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when scientific knowledge was also expanding
eBookPLUS to see an
rapidly. Using your dictionary or the internet again, see if you can find out where they alphabetical list of
came from: English loan words.
●● raccoon

●● barbecue

●● banana

●● assassin

●● carnival

●● syrup.

Reverse loan words

Other languages have also adopted and adapted English words. Words such as cool,
basketball, weekend and sandwich are used by French speakers, for example.
Japlish is the term for English words that are given a Japanese pronunciation (such
as errebator for elevator). The strange spelling is phonetic, meaning that the word is
spelled as it is pronounced (in Japanese).
Can you work out what languages are combined with English to form Russlish,
Chinglish and Singlish?
What do you think the following phonetically spelt ‘reverse loan words’ mean?
●● aisukrimu

●● shusi

●● nekutai

●● herkot

●● muving pikceris

Over to you …
Write a short dialogue between two people using English words that are spelt
phonetically. See if a classmate can work out what is being said.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  7
 How does our language reflect what we value?
Need to know Language is hard to separate from the culture and time period in which it operates.
attitudes  our ways of thinking It reflects attitudes and values, often acting as an empowering or disempowering
about people and the world
agent within that culture. Language and how it is used by different members of a
values  the principles that are
important to us, and which
culture can indicate our ethnicity, educational background, social and economic
guide the way we live our lives status and even gender. A member of the upper classes in eighteenth-century England
ethnicity  the state of would use language differently from a servant in his household. Similarly, a medieval
belonging to a particular group peasant would use language differently to someone living today. In all cultures and
that has a common cultural times, language portrays what we think, feel and believe.
tradition
The following extracts represent different cultures and times. The first, from
first-person point of
view  narration that uses the Robinson Crusoe, was written in 1719 by Daniel Defoe. It tells, from a first-person
personal pronouns such as I, point of view, the story of an Englishman who is shipwrecked and captured by pirates
me, we and us, and is told by before being rescued. He sets out once again on an expedition to acquire African
someone who is part of the
slaves, only to be shipwrecked on an island. He builds a life on the island and befriends
story
a native man whom he calls ‘Friday’.
third-person point of
view  narration that uses The second extract is from A Little Princess written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in
pronouns such as he, she and 1905. Sara Crewe, the daughter of a rich soldier based in India, is sent to an English
they, and is told by someone boarding school. Her father’s death reduces her to poverty and she is forced to work as
who is not part of the story
a servant. The story is written from a third-person point of view.
The final extract is from an Australian novel, Njunjul the Sun, written by Meme
McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor in 2002. Narrated from a first-person point of view,
it tells the story of Njunjul’s move to the city to make something of his life, only to find
that he feels lost and directionless.
Before you read the extracts, your teacher may ask you to complete the following
Ready to Read activities.

READY TO READ …
●● Look at the book covers above. Which one makes you feel you would enjoy reading the
book? Why?
●● Read each extract and note any words that are unfamiliar. Look these up in a dictionary and
record their meanings.
●● Which extract did you find the easiest to understand? Why do you think this is?
●● Which of these extracts would be most appealing to boys? Which would appeal most to girls?
Explain why.

8  English is … Year 9
 Extract 1 We recognise this text as a
narrative because it tells a story
from Robinson Crusoe involving characters.
by Daniel Defoe
1 He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made, with straight, comely: attractive or pleasing in
strong limbs, not too large, tall, and well-shaped, and, as I reckoned, appearance (1)
about twenty-six years of age. He had a very good countenance, not a First-person point of view is
fierce and surly aspect, but seemed to have something very manly in his used in this narrative. Closely
5 face; and yet he had all the sweetness and softness of an European in observed details reflect the
narrator’s curiosity. (2,16)
his countenance too, especially when he smiled. His hair was long and
black, not curled like wool; his forehead very high and large; and a great countenance: face (3)
vivacity and sparkling sharpness in his eyes. The color of his skin was
Long sentences are common in
not quite black, but very tawny; and yet not of an ugly, yellow, nauseous the writing of the eighteenth
10 tawny, as the Brazilians and Virginians, and other natives of America and nineteenth centuries. (8–12)
are, but of a bright kind of a dun olive color, that had in it something
very agreeable, though not very easy to describe. His face was round and
plump; his nose small, not flat like the negroes; a very good mouth, thin negroes: This word was
lips, and his fine teeth well set, and white as ivory. acceptable at the time. (13)
15 After he had slumbered, rather than slept, about half-an-hour, he The narrator lists Friday’s
awoke again, and came out of the cave to me, for I had been milking my physical attributes as though he
goats, which I had in the enclosure just by. When he espied me, he came is observing a new species of
animal. (13–14)
running to me, laying himself down again upon the ground, with all
the possible signs of an humble, thankful disposition, making as many
20 antic gestures to show it. At last he lays his head flat upon the ground, antic: crazy or frenzied (20)
close to my foot, and sets my other foot upon his head, as he had done
before, and after this made all the signs to me of subjection, servitude, All these words indicate Crusoe
and submission imaginable, to let me know how he would serve me as expects to be the master in the
relationship. (23–24)
long as he lived. I understood him in many things, and let him know I
25 was very well pleased with him. In a little time I began to speak to him,
and teach him to speak to me; and, first, I made him know his name
should be Friday, which was the day I saved his life. I called him so for
the memory of the time. I likewise taught him to say master, and then This confirms for the reader the
let him know that was to be my name. roles that will apply. (28–29)

Extract 2 This extract is narrated using

the third-person point of view.
from A Little Princess Notice that we still get to know
by Frances Hodgson Burnett what Sara is thinking and
feeling, even though she is not
1 She knew she need not hesitate to use the little piece of money. It narrating the story herself. (1)
had evidently been lying in the mud for some time, and its owner was
completely lost in the stream of passing people who crowded and jostled
each other all day long.
5 ‘But I’ll go and ask the baker woman if she has lost anything,’ she said In modern English, we would
to herself, rather faintly. So she crossed the pavement and put her wet simply use the word baker. In
Victorian texts, people were
foot on the step. As she did so she saw something that made her stop.
frequently identified as male
It was a little figure more forlorn even than herself – a little figure or female by job titles such as
which was not much more than a bundle of rags, from which small, bare, washerwoman and dustman (a
10 red muddy feet peeped out .  .  . Above the rags appeared a shock head of rubbish collector). (5)
tangled hair, and a dirty face with big, hollow, hungry eyes.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  9
 Sara knew they were hungry eyes the moment she saw them, and she
felt a sudden sympathy.
‘This,’ she said to herself, with a little sigh, ‘is one of the populace — populace: the general public.
15 and she is hungrier than I am.’ It comes from the Latin word
The child — this ‘one of the populace’ — stared up at Sara, and shuffled populus, meaning ‘people’. The
word was associated with ‘the
herself aside a little, so as to give her room to pass. She was used to being
masses’ or the ‘lower’ classes.
made to give room to everybody. She knew that if a policeman chanced (16)
to see her he would tell her to ‘move on.’
20 Sara clutched her little fourpenny piece and hesitated a few seconds. No nothin’ and Never got
Then she spoke to her. nothin’ are examples of a
‘Are you hungry?’ she asked. double negative, which is not
considered correct in Standard
The child shuffled herself and her rags a little more.
English. (27, 29)
‘Ain’t I jist?’ she said in a hoarse whisper. ‘Jist ain’t I?’
25 ‘Haven’t you had any dinner?’ said Sara. The beggar speaks a London
dialect of English called
‘No dinner,’ – more hoarsely still and with more shuffling.
Cockney. Axed means ‘asked’.
‘Nor yet bre’fast – nor yet no supper. No nothin’.’ The spelling of asked as axed is
‘Since when?’ asked Sara. another way of indicating the
‘Dunno. Never got nothin’ to-day — nowhere. I’ve axed an’ axed.’ girl’s lower social position. (29)

Present tense creates a sense of

immediacy and makes us feel
Extract 3 we are really getting to know
Njunjul, the narrator. (1,4)
from Njunjul the Sun
shiakking: mucking around (5)
by Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
bungies: friends (6)
1 We come back down to Rhonda’s flat and crash. I’m fighting off that
girragundji: an Indigenous
sleep, but. Not wanting to sink into that dark place. Dying is one thing.
Australian word for ‘green tree
Getting caught up in your own bad dreams is something else. frog’: Njunjul’s totem — an
Those dreams are taking me over. Every night now, the same. Starts animal spirit that will guide and
5 all smooth, crystal clear sea, waves lapping, running, shiakking along the protect him. (7)
beach, with Cedric, or Rhonda, or my other bungies. Having fun. I’m wongy: an Indigenous word
hearing that girragundji voice and I’m strong and I feel good. meaning ‘nuts’ or ‘crazy’ (8)
It never lasts, but. It always turns bad. The words go all wongy, the tape fullas: an Indigenous Australian
gets tangled up in the sound machine. And the dark comes down. Fullas pronunciation and spelling of
10 that I can’t see are chasing me. Grabbing me, hurting, rubbing m’face in fellas, slang for fellows (9)
something worse than dirt. Kicking me. I’m struggling to get out, to get Contractions or shortened
away. I’m running. M’head pounding. I’m hearing that language, old full words are used to capture what
language, like some voice reaching out to me. It doesn’t make no sense, Njunjul’s voice might sound
but. I can’t understand the words. I’m getting gooli-up. Like that voice’s like. This makes us feel he is
talking to us. (12,16)
15 teasing me, disappearing back in time somewhere I can’t follow. I’ve got
none of m’own language. Not just that language from way back, from gooli-up: an Indigenous
the old people. But the language of me now, from the inside. I’m trying Australian word meaning
to call out. I can’t, but. I’m running too fast. I got no words to call with. ‘angry’ (14)
Njunjul uses but at the end of
his sentences. Altering English
grammar is how the writer
expresses Njunjul’s voice in a
natural way. (14,18)

10  English is … Year 9

Activities . . .
Understanding texts from different times
and places
Getting started
 1 Rank the extracts in the order in which they were written, from oldest to most
recent. Find the dates for each in the information on page 8.
 2 Give each extract a title that sums up the situation or event being described.
Working through
  3 Complete the table below, giving examples of the different language features
in each extract. Draw a similar table in your notebook or use the ‘Insert table’
function in Word.

Language features Extract 1 Extract 2 Extract 3

Fragment sentences

Long, complete sentences

Slang or dialect

Contracted or abbreviated words

Non-English words

Dialogue (direct speech)

Figurative language (e.g. similes,

metaphors)

  4 Using a thesaurus if necessary, find synonyms for the following words used in
Extract 1, other than those given in the annotations.
a comely
b vivacity
c surly
d tawny
e agreeable
f likewise
  5 What are the proper, formal English versions of the following words and phrases
from Extract 2?
a Ain’t I jist?
b nothin’
c dunno
d axed
e bre’fast
f never got nothin’ today
  6 Of all the abbreviated words or Indigenous Australian words in Extract 3, which
ones do you recognise?

Analysing and interpreting values in texts

Getting started
 7 Of the three narrative extracts, which one did you enjoy reading the most? Why?
 8 How do you feel about reading Indigenous words in a text such as Njunjul the
Sun? Would you prefer their English meanings to be included as well? Why?

  Unit 1   Wordplay  11
 Working through
 9 Complete the following table by drawing up one in your notebook or using the
‘Insert table’ function in Word. Use a tick to indicate which extract illustrates or
represents each value or attitude.

Values and attitudes represented Extract 1 Extract 2 Extract 3

The words we use link us to the past.

Poor, homeless people are an

unpleasant sight.

Savage, uncivilised people can be

highly amusing and child-like.

It is essential for indigenous peoples

to maintain their own languages.

It is important to teach people from

other cultures how to adopt our
customs and ways of life.

Poor and disadvantaged people will

be very grateful for any help we can
give them.

It can be confusing to be caught

between two cultures and two
languages.

10 a In Extract 1, make a list of the words that refer to native people, including
Friday, and the words that refer to European people.
b What do your lists reveal about European attitudes to indigenous people in
the eighteenth century?
11 Predict what Sara Crewe will do after her conversation with the starving girl.
12 What kind of person is Sara? Do you find her irritating or unpleasant in any way?
Explain.
13 What point is Njunjul, the narrator in Extract 3, making about words and
language?
14 Compare Extract 1 and Extract 3. What do you see as the main differences
between the tone of the language in each extract?
Going further
15 a Start a dictionary of Indigenous Australian words, beginning with the words
featured in Extract 3. Use the library or the internet to search for words.
Try to find out which particular Aboriginal language they come from.
b Is it important for Indigenous Australians to be able to speak
both Standard Australian English and their particular
Aboriginal language? Why or why not?

My view . . .
Do you think it is valuable to know how the English language originated and
developed? If our language is always changing, how important is it to write and
speak ‘proper English’? To what extent is language a product of culture and vice
versa?

12  English is … Year 9

   Powerful words
1.2
How can words be used to persuade and promote?
What do you think is the most powerful word in the English language? According to Need to know
many marketing researchers, that word is you. It speaks to the individual; it makes us marketing  the business of
feel special and unique and at the centre of things. promoting or selling products
or services. Marketing involves
Any time we use words, it is with a particular purpose. Every time we pick up a pen identifying and satisfying
to write or we mumble an answer to a question, we are using language purposefully customers’ needs and desires.
and persuasively. Even complimenting someone on a great haircut is a form of propaganda  information
persuasion; we want to be liked, and we want friends to feel good about themselves. provided by an organisation,
political group or government
to promote a cause or policy;
deceptive information that
is deliberately and carefully
spread
dystopia  a disturbing world
which is the opposite of a
utopian (ideal or perfect)
world

Words can also be used to coerce or to trick people. Forms of persuasion such as
propaganda, for example, work to indoctrinate or to make people act and think in
ways they normally wouldn’t.
In the dystopian novel Ads R Us, the character Barrett Trent spent his childhood in
a remote, protected community called Simplicity. At Simplicity, there are no modern
electronic devices or newspapers and magazines. Life is about ‘living in tune with
nature’. When his uncle dies, Barrett has to go and live with his Aunt Kara, Uncle Adrian
and cousin Taylor in the ‘Chattering World’. As far as Taylor is concerned, her country
cousin is a ‘freekoid’, a ‘bleeb’.
In the Chattering World, people eat processed food and are subject to constant
advertising. In the words of Aunt Kara, ‘advertising is an indispensable element in our
way of life. It educates the public, and pays for so many things we take for granted’.

Language link
Dystopian fiction
Utopian fiction represents the ideal world The novel introduced the world to the concept
— one that is better than the real world. In of ‘Big Brother’, a way for the government
contrast, dystopian fiction is a nightmare to maintain continuous surveillance over its
world, often featuring poverty, oppression citizens.
and a denial of basic human rights. The term
Claire Carmichael’s novel, Ads R Us, is a more
utopia comes from a novel by the same name,
recent dystopian novel aimed at young adult
written by Thomas More and published in
readers.
1551. It depicts a society based on the ideals of
equality, social justice and political harmony. Dystopian films include The Matrix, the
The word dystopia was coined in 1868 to mean Terminator series and Gattaca.
the opposite of utopia. Search the internet using the key words
One of the most famous dystopian novels is dystopian novels or dystopian films and
George Orwell’s 1984, which he wrote in 1949. make a list of some examples of both.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  13
 Before you read the extract, your teacher may ask you to complete the
following Ready to Read activities.

READY TO READ …
●● Do you think words could persuade you to do,
believe or buy something against your better
judgement?
●● Find a print advertisement in a magazine,
newspaper or on a billboard that you find
particularly persuasive and effective. List three
things that you think make it a successful
advertisement.
●● Skim the extract from Ads R Us for difficult
words. List them and check their meaning in a
dictionary or in the annotations before you read
the extract.

from Ads R Us
by Claire Carmichael Ugly duckling to swan is an
intertextual reference; that is, a
1 As Taylor began tapping on various buttons, I said to Aunt Kara, ‘What’s reference or allusion to another
Ugly-D to Teen Queen?’ text. ‘The Ugly Duckling’ is a
‘A transformation program. Ugly duckling to swan, with every step fairytale by Hans Christian
of the process shown on television to an audience of millions.’ She Andersen. (3)
5 showed her even, white teeth in a broad smile. ‘Excellent advertising
opportunities, particularly for product placement. Thousands of girls will Aunt Kara’s character
be lining up, hoping to get selected. Countless more will be glued to is established through
the screen, watching the program. For companies with the appropriate direct speech and physical
description. She uses the jargon
products, this provides a most desirable teen-young adult demographic.’
of advertising and marketing,
10 It was almost unthinkable to contemplate strangers peering into such as product placement and
someone’s life this way. ‘How horrible to have no privacy.’ demographic. (6,9)
My comment amused my aunt. ‘Privacy is an outdated concept,
Barrett. People will do anything to put their intimate selves in front of
an audience. It validates them, makes them feel worthwhile.’
15 ‘These Ugly-D girls — why would admitting they believe they’re
unsightly make them feel worthwhile?’
‘Because a sincere interest is taken in the challenges their imperfections Aunt Kara uses the passive
present.’ voice (a sincere interest is taken)
instead of the active voice (we
‘Sincere interest?’ Now I was the one being sarcastic.
take a sincere interest in the girls).
20 Aunt Kara waved my comment away. ‘To be the focus of everyone’s This makes her seem more
attention is very empowering. Not all of us are lucky enough to be good- detached and clinical. (17)
looking and socially adept, Barrett. Unattractive girls in particular have
a hard time. The program provides an opportunity for selected young
women to have access to transformation specialists.’
25 I didn’t want to hear any more, but I didn’t know how to say so, without
appearing rude.
.  .  .

14  English is … Year 9

 ‘Doctors, life stylists, and others who are part of the transformation
team become famous as well .  .  . At the end of three exciting months,
30 Prince Charming — some minor celebrity, so he won’t be too expensive
— picks the most beautiful of the ten finalists. The lucky young woman
is crowned Transformed Teen Queen. That final program is guaranteed Titles, such as Transformed Teen
to achieve stratospheric ratings.’ Queen, are capitalised. This is
also a alliterative and captures
.  .  . the reader’s attention. (32)
35 ‘So there’s one Teen Queen, and all the other girls lose?’
Aunt Kara frowned. ‘They’re much better looking than they were
before, so they’ve gained something very valuable.’
.  .  .
Cousin Taylor broke into my thoughts with the announcement she
40 was starving. wake: a gathering of people
after a funeral in memory of the
‘You can’t possibly be,’ said Aunt Kara. ‘There was ample food at the
deceased person (42)
wake.’
‘That homemade stuff ? Couldn’t eat it. Oh, come on, Mum. Look up Direct speech includes
ahead. There’s a Cluck Cluck.’ sentence fragments and
45 My aunt gave an exasperated sigh, but she turned off the road and colloquial language to create a
realistic effect. (43)
joined a line of cars beside a square, purple-and-white building with a
huge yellow chicken on the roof. There was a big grin on its beak and its
wings were extended like welcoming arms.  .  . A simile (like welcoming arms)
She leaned out to speak into a small box, creates a strong visual image
50 also shaped like a smiling chicken. ‘Cluck for the reader. (48)

Cluck Special for two,’ she said.

‘Any drinks with that?’ inquired a
disembodied voice. disembodied: a voice that
‘I want a jumbo Octo,’ came from the appears not to come from a
55 back seat. human body (53)

‘Two jumbo Octo-Kolas,’ said my

aunt. ‘And one medium coffee. Black. No
sweetener.’
The tinny voice responded in a singsong,
60 ‘For two, Cluck Cluck Special. The chicken Cluck Cluck is an example of
chickens recommend! And two jumbo onomatopoeia. ‘Cluck’ sounds
like the noise a chicken makes.
Octo-Kolas. Eight secret ingredients,
(60)
eight ways to drinking pleasure with its
zesty, besty taste!’
65 ‘Is this fast food?’ I asked, having heard
of it from my uncle, but only in terms of
how the industry threatened the health of
the nation  .  .  . Rapid restaurant is an example
My aunt had no such negative view. of a euphemism — a mild
70 ‘Not fast food, Barrett,’ she said. ‘The expression used instead of
a phrase that has negative
term is rapid restaurant. Food-to-go is an connotations. Alliteration
enormous industry, every day supplying makes the term catchy
millions of nutritious meals to families and easy to remember. (71)
too busy to worry about cooking for
75 themselves.’

  Unit
  Unit 1   Wordplay 
5   Interpretation 15
Need to know Activities . . .
neologism  a new, invented
word. The Greek prefix neo Understanding the language of persuasion
means ‘new’; the suffix
logos means ‘word’. Getting started
jargon  language specific to a  1 Find some examples of neologisms, or new words, in the extract.
particular group of people or  2 What are some reality TV shows, similar to Ugly-D to Teen Queen, that involve
profession some sort of dramatic personal transformation?
 3 Why are these shows so popular? Suggest two reasons.
 4 a W
 hat kinds of products might be featured or advertised during the
following reality TV shows?
●● MasterChef

●● The Beauty and the Geek

●● Sixty-Minute Makeover

●● Undercover Boss

●● Survivor

●● How Clean Is Your House?

b If the Greek word demos means ‘the public’ or ‘group of people’ and
graphia means ‘description of’, what do you think demographic means?
Come up with a meaning and then check it in a print or online dictionary.
c What do you think is the demographic profile of the people who watch
each of the shows listed above? (For example, the demographic profile
(or demographic) for the television show Fishing Australia might be
the married, male, blue collar, aged 35 to 65, high-school-educated
demographic.)
Working through
 5 Find some examples of jargon in the extract.
 6 Of the following sentences, which ones would you use to define the purpose
of advertising?
a Advertising is entertaining and gives us a break from life’s serious issues.
b Advertising is all about selling products and making money.
c Advertising offers us not just things to buy, but lifestyles and values.
d Advertising fills in blank magazine pages and makes television shows last
longer.
e Advertising aims to persuade us we need something in order to live a
better life.
 7 What are some of the marketing strategies used by Cluck Cluck to entice
people to consume its products?

Analysing and interpreting a dystopian text

Getting started
 8 What’s your impression of Aunt Kara? Do you find her:
a easy-going and open to different ideas
b single-minded and obsessive
c cold and unfeeling?
Explain your choice. What other adjectives can you use to describe her?
 9 What bothers Barrett about the Ugly-D to Teen Queen contest?
10 Do you think Aunt Kara is really interested in whether the Ugly-D to
Teen Queen contest makes contestants feel better about their physical
appearance? Explain your view.

16  English is … Year 9

Working through
11 What do you think people in the Chattering World value or regard as important?
See how many values you can add to the following list.
●● Following the rules

●● Public image

●● Physical attractiveness

12 Why has the author included the reference to Aunt Kara’s ‘even, white teeth’? Need to know
13 Read the definitions of euphemism, denotation and connotation in the Need to euphemism  a mild,
know at right. Rapid restaurant is a euphemism for fast food. The literal meaning, inoffensive word or phrase
that replaces a harsher word.
or denotation, of fast food is ‘food prepared quickly’. However, fast food also has Euphemisms can be used to
negative connotations. Why does Aunt Kara prefer to describe Cluck Cluck as a conceal or soften the truth.
rapid restaurant, which serves food-to-go, rather than as a fast food joint? denotation  the literal
14 ‘The chicken chickens recommend’ is a slogan. How do slogans work on the meaning of a word
audience for an advertisement? connotation  an additional
attribute or meaning that is
Going further implied or suggested by a word
15 Find an example of onomatopoeia in the extract. What would be the slogan  a short, catchy phrase
advantages for an advertiser in using such a literary device? Can you think of any used in advertisements to
real-life advertisements that use literary devices? appeal to an audience
16 Barrett’s uncle was very critical of life in the Chattering World, where ‘people’s onomatopoeia  the use of
words that imitate the sound
minds are controlled, their willpower sapped. An individual only has the illusion they refer to, such as hiss,
of freedom of choice — everyone is a pitiful, brainwashed consumer, all too meow, murmur, buzz
willing to be manipulated.’ Write a paragraph in which you comment on his view
that people are easily brainwashed and manipulated by advertising and the
desire to buy.
17 Later in the novel, a teacher at Fysher-Platt Academy, Mr Dunne, causes a
stir when he declares: ‘Persuasion in advertising frequently uses many of the
strategies employed by propaganda and political campaigns .  .  . These strategies
include repeating the same message over and over with strong conviction, as
if by doing this it somehow makes the message true, deliberate exaggeration,
unsubstantiated claims, and appeals to the audience’s emotions, not their
intellects.’
a List or find examples of ads in the contemporary world that use one or more
of these strategies.
b Taylor and Barrett’s school, Fysher-Platt Academy, is sponsored by
Fysher Pharmaceuticals. Teachers wear overshirts that promote
the company sponsoring their lesson. What do you think are the
dangers of schools promoting companies and endorsing
products in this way?

Language link
Advertising
Advertising: ●● appeals to the reader’s emotions and ●● may rely on a slogan to deliver the key
●● is designed to sell or promote a product desires; for example, the desire to message.
●● uses a combination of visuals, words belong to a group
Evaluate an advertisement, either in
and other messages to grab the ●● is designed to be easy to relate to
print or on television, at the movies or
reader’s attention ●● uses short, sharp words to heighten the
on a billboard, to see if it conforms to
●● presents the reader with familiar, sense of immediacy
these features listed.
usually simplistic, representations

  Unit 1   Wordplay  17
 Wordsmith . . .
CREATING PORTMANTEAU WORDS
A portmanteau is a type of small case that opens in the middle (from the French word
manteau, meaning ‘cloak’ and porter, meaning ‘to carry’). A portmanteau word is one
that blends two different words. This term was first coined by Lewis Carroll because
he created so many new words from two separate words. In Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty is explaining the poem Jabberwocky to Alice. When she
asks what the word slithy means in the opening lines, ‘Twas brillig and the slithy toves/
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe’, he explains:
‘Well, ‘slithy’ means ‘lithe and slimy’. ‘Lithe’ is the same as ‘active’. You see, it’s like a
portmanteau — there are two words packed up in one word.’
In the novel Ads R Us, Barrett is taken to Shoppaganza, a word that combines
shopping and extravaganza.
Try to work out which words have been combined to make the following
portmanteau words.
● blog ● infotainment
Interactivity:
● brunch ● sitcom
You be the writer:
● camcorder ● intercom
Portmanteau words
● internet ● workaholic
Searchlight ID: int-3049
Now create portmanteau words for each of the following combinations.
● education and entertainment ● emotion and icon

● guess and estimate ● documentary and drama

● information and commercial ● smoke and fog

Now fill in the spaces in the following paragraph, choosing portmanteau words from
the list below.
blog brocation netiquette
tankini fantabulous frappucino
fanzine chocoholic chillaxing

I was at home, __________, and reading Johnno’s _______ to get the goss on the
boys’ ____________ at the Gold Coast. It sounded ________. Mind you, they
have no idea about ____________. The whole thing was written in upper
case with lots of exclamation marks. By the way, you must catch Pink’s
__________. Apparently, she’s a real __________. She loves Mars
Bars almost as much as you like a ___________. And yet she still
looks great wearing a ___________ !

OVER TO YOU …
Now write a paragraph that uses at least five portmanteau words. Suggested topics are:
● your favourite hobby

● life as a teenager in Australia

● a great holiday.

See if a classmate can decode your portmanteau words.

18 English is … Year 9
The language of propaganda
Propaganda is information, or disinformation, provided by an organisation, political
group or government to promote a cause or policy. It uses language very cleverly to
make people believe, act or think in a certain way. The purpose of propaganda is to
persuade and shape opinion, and this is done by carefully selecting and presenting
‘information’ so that it influences the emotions and insecurities of the audience.
Propaganda is often used by governments during times of war to unite people in
opposing the enemy and to strengthen support for the government. It is also used to Need to know
denigrate the enemy. Over the years, propaganda has come in many forms, such as denigrate  to criticise
someone or make them appear
speeches, documentaries, articles and newsreels (short news films shown in cinemas unimportant; to belittle
before the late 1960s). It has also appeared in posters and advertisements, like those
below and on the next page.

This text imitates a ‘wanted’ poster that police use when

seeking criminals. This is an example of intertextuality,
as the poster alludes to another type of text.
The poster’s stark message
with minimal words
Block capitals and immediately captures our
an exclamation mark attention.
give urgency to the
poster’s message.

Propaganda during war-time

appeals to the emotions; its
aim is to make people feel
The photograph is
insecure and threatened,
head-and-shoulders,
and willing to trust the
like a police mug-
government. The highly
shot, at odds with
emotive word murder
the image of an
deliberately overstates what
attractive woman.
the woman has done in order
This underlines
to create fear.
the message that
ordinary people can
do the wrong thing.

World War II posters about

‘careless talk’ depicted
women as the most likely
Although the subject
offenders, making use of the
of the photo is
stereotype of the gossiping
attractive, her smile
female. Stereotypes work well
seems a little sinister.
in propaganda because they
This helps to prevent
are a kind of visual shorthand
the viewer from
— we do not have to think
sympathising with
about them.
her too much.

Underlining and
red type emphasise
important information.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  19
 The poster appeals to what are believed to
be women’s fears and insecurities: that they
will be neglected, perhaps abandoned, if
they prevent their ‘young men’ from fighting
for their country.

You think is in underlined block letters. This

confronts the audience: the young women
whose husbands or boyfriends may not
have yet signed up to fight for their country.
The capital letters are aggressive and create
an accusatory tone designed to make
women feel guilty.

There is also a flattering appeal to women’s

supposed need to feel they have influence
over their ‘young men’ — it is up to them to
convince men to fight.

Some of the verbs are imperatives — that

is, they are in the form of commands or
instructions, and have an unstated subject
(you). Sometimes called ‘bossy verbs’,
imperatives persuade people to act: Don’t
pity the girl who is alone, Think it over, Join the
army to-day.

Underlined words emphasise

key words in the overall message.

Language link
Propaganda
Propaganda:
●● conveys a political message
●● uses information that supports a particular point of view
Use the Propaganda ●● appeals to an audience’s emotions and values
weblink in your ●● often uses short, punchy slogans that are easy to remember
eBookPLUS to see ●● often uses striking, interesting or confronting images that support the message
other examples of ●● frequently relies on stereotypes to convey messages.
propaganda posters
Discuss in small groups whether advertising could be classed as propaganda. How are they
produced during
similar and how are they different?
World War II.

20  English is … Year 9

Activities . . . 
Understanding the features of propaganda
Getting started
 1 Where would you expect to see a ‘wanted’ poster displayed?
 2 Does the woman in the Wanted poster look like someone wanted for murder?
Explain.
 3 Which words are we meant to notice in the Young Women of London poster?
How are they made to stand out?
Working through
  4 To which of the following emotions is the Wanted poster appealing?
a fear
b suspicion
c anxiety
d insecurity
What emotions can you add to this list?
  5 Who is the target audience for each poster? Need to know
  6 Explain the choice of colours used in the Wanted poster: black, red and a sepia target audience  the audience
brown for the photo of the woman. to whom an advertisement is
directed
  7 What is the effect of having no visual imagery in the Young Women of London
stereotype  a limited,
poster? Would this sort of poster work for today’s target audiences? Why or oversimplified way of classifying
why not? people or social groups on the
basis of whether they fit into
Interpreting the purpose of propaganda a certain category or ‘type’

Working through
  8 Why does propaganda involve the selective use of information?
  9 Do you think the Wanted poster would have been as effective if it had used the
face of a serviceman or servicewoman? Explain.
10 In the Young Women of London poster, why are the words you, think and worthy
underlined?
11 Why is the Young Women of London poster aimed at women?
12 In what ways is this poster insulting to women? Is it also insulting to men?
Going further
13 To what extent does propaganda rely on stereotypes?
14 Why do you think women were the target audiences for these posters? How
would women today react to such a poster?

My view . . .
Now that you have worked through this section, reflect on the following
children’s rhyme:
Sticks and stones will break my bones,
But words will never hurt me.
Is this true? You have just explored how the forceful and calculating use of words
can evoke fear, guilt or uncertainty. Well-chosen words can also make us think we
want something that we really don’t need, or adopt an opinion at odds with our
own. When have words hurt you? When have words protected and inspired you?

  Unit 1   Wordplay  21
   Playful words
1.3
How does language create humour?
We all enjoy a great joke or a witty one-liner. Humour gives us a healthy perspective on
life so that we don’t become overwhelmed by the serious stuff. Humour also helps us
to build relationships through sharing a joke or an amusing story. Humour can allow
us to deal with events and experiences that would otherwise be overwhelming.
Language link ‘Black humour’, for instance, sheds a funny light on dark or more serious subjects.
Word games
A palindrome is a phrase
that reads the same
backwards as forwards: Language link
Madam, I’m Adam.
A sense of ‘humour’
A pangram is a sentence In medieval times, people believed that sanguine; someone with too much phlegm
that uses every letter of the the human body was made up of different was phlegmatic; someone with too much
alphabet: The quick brown ‘humours’ or bodily fluids. (The word yellow bile was choleric; and someone
fox jumps over the lazy dog. with too much black bile was melancholic.
humour comes from a Latin word meaning
An anagram is a word or ‘moisture’.) The precise mixture of these Some of these words are still used to
phrase made by mixing up humours determined a person’s character and describe people’s personalities today. A
the letters of another word personality. The four humours were blood, balanced person would have an equal
or phrase: tea cup and cut phlegm, yellow bile and black bile, and they mix of humours, which is the origin of the
pea or literate and tree tail. were associated with particular areas of the compound adjective good-humoured.

Can you think up some body. Someone with too much blood was Which of the four humours describes you?
other examples of each of
the above?
The language of popular
satire
Satire is largely a literary technique in
which humour is used for the serious
purpose of criticising or drawing
attention to a type of person, an
institution or a practice. However,
it can also be found in visual media
such as film and television. Kath
and Kim, for instance, pokes fun at
suburban life. Summer Heights High
Need to know
parody  a humorous imitation
highlights, through humour and
or send-up of a text or text type parody, the foibles and quirks of school
sarcasm  a sharp or cutting students and their teachers.
remark that is intended to Newspapers and magazines usually include
hurt or to ridicule. A sarcastic a humorous opinion column that provides
comment usually involves
saying one thing while meaning some relief from the serious news. These
something else. columns may relate to a recent news event;
however, their purpose is usually to mock or take
a light-hearted look at some aspect of everyday
life. Words are used playfully and inventively,
and the tone is often sarcastic. Like all good
satire, the column on the next page softens a
serious message with mockery.
Before you read the article, your teacher
may ask you to complete the following
Ready to Read activities.

22  English is … Year 9

 READY TO READ …
●● Read the title of the article. What do you notice about it?
Predict what it might be about.
●● Skim through and see if you can see any words or
sentences that support your prediction.
●● Where can you find the writer’s name?
●● Where can you find in which publication this column
appeared?

1 A hunch about lunch

by Danny Katz

Twenty, 30 years from now, I worry that the streets of Melbourne will be Catchy title uses rhyme to grab
the reader’s attention. (1)
devoid of all adult folk. Our workplaces and parklands and coffee houses,
5 empty — every adult Melburnian will instead be sitting in a waiting First person (using the
room, buckled over in crippling back pain, unable to work, sleep, mate, pronouns I and we) is used to
waiting to see a physio who isn’t around at the moment because they’re establish a connection with the
reader. (3)
also sitting in a waiting room waiting to see a physio. All because 20,
30 years earlier, which if I have any understanding of basic mathematics In the introductory paragraph,
10 is about now, all school kids were subjected to a daily regime of Student- the writer establishes his thesis
or argument. (3–11)
Schoolbag Spinal-Snappage.
It starts at the earliest age: you see little preppies walking to school Compound words are a feature
with their parents, their frail developing spinal-columns bending beneath of journalistic writing, allowing
a schoolbag the size and weight of a James Bond rocket-fuelled jet the writer to compress ideas.
Alliteration adds ‘punch’. (10–11)
15 pack. They’re not even actually walking because the bag is three times
bigger than them so their little feet dangle in midair while their parent Far-fetched analogies or
drags them along by the hand, saying ‘C’mon Kayyleb and Xannder, comparisons add humour.
(14–15)
don’t wanna be late for school, getta move on Faleeeesha-Dellluhlahh-
Bonniqqqqqqua-Lee!’ Hyperbole or exaggeration is
20 So what’s in the bag? What do preppies need to carry around that’s used to emphasise the point.
(15–16,27)
so heavy? Lunches: ridiculous over-the-top three-chefs-hatted lunches.
Hokkien-noodle Thermoses, Moroccan lamb tagines, a fold-out Neil Rhetorical question is used to
Perry teppanyaki grill. ‘signpost’ the next stage of the
writer’s argument. (20)
But these preppies just suffer mild early onset lunch-hunch: with each
25 passing year of school, the schoolbag increases in size/weight/atomic
mass, so by the time a kid’s in grade five, they’re hauling around huge
chiselled-granite pyramid-sized schoolbags. You see them entering Historical and Biblical
schoolyards, great long rows of sweating, straining enslaved Israelite- references, or allusions, add
depth and interest to the
students, crawling on bleeding knees past wicked Vice-Principal Rameses
argument. (28–30)
30 II, standing at the school gate wielding his flogging clipboard.
The writer assumes that the
So what’s in the bag? What do little grade fivers need to carry that’s so reader will have the necessary
heavy? Homework. Homework from NAPLAN-nervous teachers: kilos knowledge to understand the
NAPLAN reference. (32)

  Unit 1   Wordplay  23
 of textbooks, exercise books, art books containing nothing but scrawls
of stick men doing whizzes onto stick men doing plops. And a pencil
35 case the size of a Honda Civic four-door, with every colour Texta in the
Pantone colour swatch guide.
But grade-fivers just suffer moderate Quasimodo-level vertebrae-
shattering: wait until they reach high school. This is when backbones
buckle like a $1.99 wire coathanger. You see them getting onto buses
40 every morning and afternoon, eyeballs popping out of sockets, neck veins Verbs — popping, pulsing,
pulsing, lugging schoolbags behind them like Guinness World Record lugging, pulling — help to
create a vivid picture for the
strongmen pulling an iron ore truck using nothing but the pimples
reader. (40,41,42)
on their scrawny adolescent shoulder blades. Old, feeble people offer
their bus seats to them, heavily pregnant women jump to their feet and
45 say ‘Please sit, my foetus is only carrying a light, manageable placenta
backpack’.
So what’s in the high-schooler’s bag? Now parents and teachers are Another rhetorical question
working in collusion, trying to encourage kids to be the best they can is used as the topic sentence
be — making them cart around the entire National Library of Australia of a new paragraph. This is a
slight variation on an earlier
50 on their broken mule backs, and 50 different changes of sports gear/
topic sentence, which creates
gym wear/weightlifting apparatus, and a physics project where they cohesion or unity in the article.
constructed an actual collapsed nebula that’s sucking in all light and (47)
matter in the universe.
My own kids, they come home from school and drop their bags near
55 the front door and the entire house tips on its axis, then they slowly try Metaphor creates a visual
to stand straight and it makes a gruesome bone-splintering, cartilage- image for the reader. (55)
resetting American Werewolf in London sound effect. I yell, ‘Kids! Don’t
leave your bags by the front door, move them inside!’ But then I think,
no, help them, give them relief from their back-
60 breaking torment. So I try to move the bags, try
Original compound adjective
lifting them, and then say ‘Y’know, maybe we
created by the writer (64–65)
can just leave them here a bit’.
Twenty, 30 years from now, I worry that all In the concluding paragraph,
the writer sums up the
adults will be permanently, painfully, speed
serious point of the column.
65 skater-hunched if we don’t lighten our kids’ (63–70)
loads now — the school bag is a metaphor
The last two lines bring the
for the weight of expectations we place on
reader back to a less
them, the buckles are the constraints on their literary style. (69–70)
childhood innocence, the zippers, well, they’re
70 zippers, what else would they be?

Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2010

24  English is … Year 9

Activities . . .
UNDERSTANDING the features of a humorous column
Getting started
1 See if you can come up with an alternative title for this article. Remember to
make it catchy and attention-grabbing.
2 What is Danny Katz satirising in this column?
3 Create an illustration for one the following quotations from the article:
a ‘making them cart around the entire National Library of Australia on their
broken mule backs’
b ‘a schoolbag the size and weight of a James Bond rocket-fuelled jet pack’
c ‘You see them getting onto buses every morning and afternoon, eyeballs
popping out of sockets, neck veins pulsing, lugging schoolbags behind them
like Guinness World Record strongmen pulling an iron ore truck’.
Working through
4 What makes you laugh when you read Danny Katz’s column? How did the writer
achieve this?
5 In what type of publication would you expect to find this column? Why?
6 A satirical column uses language features to entertain and engage readers.
Which of the following features can you identify in the article? Give examples.
a alliteration
b compound words
c references to popular culture
d direct speech NEED TO KNOW
e rhetorical questions rhetorical question a
question that the speaker or
f hyperbole or exaggeration
writer does not expect to be
g emotive vocabulary answered
h metaphor hyperbole (pronounced
i original compound adjectives hi-per-buh-lee) exaggeration,
often for comic effect
INTERPRETING and RESPONDING to a humorous column journalese a style of
newspaper writing, lacking
Working through in freshness and originality
7 What is the serious message Danny Katz is trying to communicate in ‘A hunch
about lunch’?
8 What implied criticism is he making of today’s parents?
9 What evidence can you find that the writer is cynical or skeptical about what
children do at school these days?
10 a Why do you think Katz ends with the statement, ‘the zippers, well, they’re
zippers, what else would they be?’
b What effect does this have on the serious point he just made.
Going further
11 You’ve probably heard of the terms ‘helicopter parent’ and ‘hovercraft parenting’.
What do they mean? What are some examples of helicopter parenting in the
article? What are some real-life helicopter parent behaviours?
12 Why do many parents seem to have become over-protective?
13 Is this column an example of journalese or is it of a higher standard of writng?
Explain your view, using supporting evidence from the column.

UNIT 1 Wordplay 25
 The language of literary satire
Literature has a long tradition of satire. The word comes from the Latin satira and its
earlier version satura, meaning ‘mixture’ or ‘a dish of mixed ingredients’. In ancient
Need to know Rome, a satire was a verse melody. The ancient Greeks were also known for their
irony  a literary technique (or satirical verse dramas. The term has come to mean the use of wit and irony to
visual media technique) in highlight and poke fun at human weaknesses.
which the surface meaning
of a text is the opposite of
English satirist Jonathan Swift wrote ‘A Modest Proposal’ in 1729. It is his tongue-
that intended by the writer or in-cheek response to the ‘Irish problem’. At the time, all of Ireland was governed by
creator. The reader or viewer Britain which, according to Swift, seemed to want to ruin the Irish people for profit. A
usually understands and agrees common attitude among the English was that the Irish were little better than animals.
with the creator’s attitudes,
while enjoying the fact that the ‘A Modest Proposal’ offers a different way of addressing the problem.
characters in the text do not. Before you read the extract, your teacher may ask you to complete the following
Ready to Read activities.

READY TO READ …
●● Scan the text below and check the meanings of any unfamiliar words, with the help of a dictionary and
the annotations.
●● ‘A Modest Proposal’, below, was written in an earlier century, as were Robinson Crusoe and A Little
Princess. Which of the following language features do you expect to find in this new extract?
–  Long, complicated sentences
–  Unusual spelling
–  Old-fashioned and unfamiliar words
●● Do you feel reluctant or keen to read a text written in an eighteenth-century form of English? Why?

from A Modest Proposal

1 For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from The long-winded, elaborate
being a burden to their parents or country, and for making sub-title establishes the writer’s
satirical response. (1–3)
them beneficial to the publick
by Dr Swift The first paragraph sets up the
problem: poverty. Swift appears
5 It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or to sympathise with the poor
travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin- people he describes. (5–12)
doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four,
publick: This spelling was
or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. conventional at the time,
These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, though spelling tended to vary
10 are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their greatly. (3)
helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of importuning … for an alms:
work, or leave their dear native country  .  .  . begging (8)
I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of
stroling: strolling (10)
children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers,
15 and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the
Each paragraph focuses on a
kingdom, a very great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could point in his argument. (13–19)
find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound
and useful members of the common-wealth, would deserve so well of
the publick, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.

26  English is … Year 9

20 … I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl before twelve Children are described as
years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this though they are livestock. (21)
age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a Pounds and crowns were units
crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to of British currency. (22–23)
the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been
25 at least four times that value.
I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope The writer establishes what
will not be liable to the least objection. seems to be his purpose: to set
out his ideas for addressing
I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance
the problem of too many poor
in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a children. (26–27)
30 most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed,
We are shocked when
roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve
we realise what Swift is
in a fricasie, or a ragoust. suggesting, because the writer
I do therefore humbly offer it to publick consideration, that of the had seemed rational. (29–30)
hundred and twenty thousand children, already computed, twenty
35 thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one fourth part to Long complex sentences are
be males; which is more than we allow to sheep, black cattle, or swine, not uncommon in eighteenth-
and my reason is, that these children are seldom the fruits of marriage, century texts. (33–39)
a circumstance not much regarded by our savages, therefore, one male The writer’s tone is detached
will be sufficient to serve four females. That the remaining hundred and clinical. By doing this, he
40 thousand may, at a year old, be offered in sale to the persons of quality makes the reader appalled by
what he is suggesting. His style
and fortune, through the kingdom, always advising the mother to let
mimics that of other writers
them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump, and at the time who suggested
fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment cold and heartless schemes for
for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will solving poverty. (33–46)
45 make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be whereof: an old-fashioned
very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter. word meaning ‘of which’ (35)
I have reckoned upon a medium, that a
References to weights and
child just born will weigh 12  pounds, prices make the arguments
and in a solar year, if tolerably nursed, seem to be based on facts and
50 encreaseth to 28 pounds. careful calculations. (48,50)
I grant this food will be somewhat dear, encreaseth: In early forms of
and therefore very proper for landlords, modern English, present tense,
who, as they have already devoured most third-person singular verbs
of the parents, seem to have the ended in –eth; by the early
best title to the children. seventeenth century, these
verbs gradually started
to take on the modern
–s/–es ending. (50)

Use the A Modest

Proposal weblink in
your eBookPLUS to
read the essay online.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  27
 Activities . . . 
Understanding literary satire
Need to know Getting started
synonym  a word with the  1 Using a dictionary or the internet, find synonyms and antonyms for the
same or similar meaning to following words used in ‘A Modest Proposal’.
another word
Word Synonym Antonym
antonym  a word opposite in
meaning to another word modest
tone  the prevailing mood beneficial
created by the language nourishing
humbly
sufficient
seldom
dear
prodigious

Working through
  2 How would you describe the tone of ‘A Modest Proposal’?
  3 List all the words and phrases associated with food and eating.
  4 What appalling suggestion does Swift offer readers as a way of relieving the
burden to society of having to feed so many Irish children?

Analysing and responding to literary satire

Working through
  5 How does Swift try to convince his readers that cannibalism is an acceptable and
rational course of action?
  6 At what point in the proposal do you realise that Swift is not serious?
  7 In what way is the title, ‘A Modest Proposal’, ironic?
  8 What is the writer’s purpose in representing children as animals?
Going further
  9 Write your own ‘modest proposal’ in which you justify an absurd or far-fetched
solution to a possible problem in today’s society. You might use one of the
problems listed below:
●● the increasing amount of litter in public areas

●● graffiti on public buildings

●● noisy neighbours who mow the lawn very early on weekends

●● mobile phones ringing during a movie or stage play.

Literacy link
American versus British spelling passionate about protecting Australian Australian English American English
English so it is not ‘corrupted’ by colour color
Australian English has traditionally
American spelling. defence defense
used British spelling conventions.
However, American spelling is becoming Some of the differences between centre center
increasingly common as a result of American English spelling and Australian programme program
the internet and American software English include:
packages. Some Australians are Can you add some more examples to
this list?

28  English is … Year 9

Wordsmith . . .
WRITING HUMOROUSLY: MALAPROPISMS AND
SPOONERISMS
There are a number of devices at a writer’s disposal when writing humorously.
The two devices below have a literary background.

Malapropisms
Malapropisms are named after a character in a play called The Rivals, written by
Richard Sheridan in 1775. In attempting to impress others with her extensive
vocabulary, the character of Mrs Malaprop constantly uses words incorrectly.
Here are four examples of her mistakes, including the word she meant to use,
but didn’t.
He is the very pine-apple of politeness! (Instead of pinnacle)
I have since laid Sir Anthony’s preposition before her. (Instead of
proposition)
Illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory. (Instead of obliterate)
She’s as headstrong as an allegory on the Nile. (Instead of alligator)

Spoonerisms
A spoonerism is a humorous slip of the tongue. Spoonerisms occur
when letters or syllables are swapped around.
Here are some examples:
● a lack of pies = a pack of lies

● roaring with pain = pouring with rain

● wave the sails = save the whales.

Spoonerisms got their name from Reverend W.A Spooner (1844–1930)

who was Dean and Warden of New College in Oxford. Apparently
he made these mix-ups frequently. He is supposed to have told off a
student for fighting a liar in the quadrangle and another who hissed my
mystery lecture. What do you think he meant to say?
Read the spoonerisms below and rewrite the phrases in their correct
form in your notebook.

cat flap trim your no tails at the lead of spite

bad salad trail snacks know your blows

plaster man rental deceptionist nicking your pose

pleating and humming flock of bats mad banners

OVER TO YOU …
Write a short dialogue between two characters. Include malapropisms
and spoonerisms in their speech. Use some of the examples provided
above if you wish.
Alternatively, draw two cartoons to illustrate your choice of any of the
spoonerisms above. Use the examples shown as a guide.

UNIT 1 Wordplay 29
 Fighting back with words
Need to know We usually associate play with fun and games; however, play is also a serious business.
pejorative  describes a word Sometimes, a pejorative or offensive word is re-appropriated or reclaimed by the
or phrase that has negative
connotations, or that is group it was originally intended to insult. For example, the word wog, referring to
offensive or insulting people of southern-European descent, was at one time demeaning and insulting.
re-appropriation  the act Australian actor Nick Giannopoulos, writer and producer of the film The Wog Boy
of reclaiming a term that (2000), explains below the way wog has now become a term of respect and affection.
was offensive and giving
it a positive meaning

.  .  .  in a strange kind of way that word has now become a term of endearment between
wogs themselves. This is something that has happened as a consequence of all that has gone
before  .  .  .  It’s strange as personally that word has serious connotations to me and reminds me
of the racism I encountered as a child  .  .  .  My life has been a challenge of coming to terms with
my identity and my perception of me as an Australian  .  .  .

In the film, Steve is a second-generation, unemployed Greek Australian whose prized

possession is his Valiant car. After appearing on a current affairs show as a ‘dole-bludger’, Steve
makes the most of his new fame by re-inventing himself as The Wog Boy.

Steve fits the stereoptype of a ‘wog’: he loves cars and girls. The term wogsploitation
is sometimes applied to films such as The Wog Boy, for the way they exploit the
stereotypical aspects of multicultural Australia.

30  English is … Year 9

Activities . . .
UNDERSTANDING changes to language
Getting started
1 Can you think of words for other nationalities that, though once
derogatory (insulting), have been reclaimed and given a new positive
meaning?

EVALUATING and RESPONDING to changes in language

Working through
2 a Why do you think the word wog has become a more acceptable word in
Australian English?
b Do you think it is acceptable for everyone to use the word wog or only people
whose ancestors were from southern Europe?
3 The word negro is commonly regarded in today’s world as offensive or
pejorative. The word originates from the Latin adjective niger, meaning ‘black’.
a Why has the term African American become one of the preferred ways of
referring to black Americans?
b Some people argue that works of literature from the past, such as To Kill a
Mockingbird or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that include derogatory
terms for African Americans should be banned or not be taught in schools
because the words are now considered to be very offensive. Others argue that
it is important to allow people to read books that show the racist attitudes
and actions of people in the past because it helps to prevent such things from
happening now. What is your view?
4 The spelling of words is sometimes altered so that it is more neutral and less
offensive to a particular group of people. Spelling variations are also used to
identify sub-cultures or ‘minority’ groups, making them feel as if they have a
language of their own.
a Do you know which social groups the following words are identified with?
Which conventional word does each variant replace?
● womyn/wimmin ● hystory

● gangsta ● boyz

● flava ● ax/axe

b What values and attitudes are suggested in the spelling of boyz?

Going further
5 Why has American hip-hop produced so many new or altered words,
such as the last four in the list above?
6 What might the justification have been for altering the spelling
of women to wimmin or womyn?

My view . . .
What do you see as the power of language?
Is language in itself ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or is this determined by the purposes for
which people use it? Why is it language can be used in many different ways, for
both serious and playful purposes? Can understanding the different purposes of
language teach us about our culture and its values?

UNIT 1 Wordplay 31
 Compose and create
Productive focus: writing and creating, speaking and listening
Either

Perform a dramatic reading

1 Imagine you have been asked to perform at a festival in celebration of the English
language. The focus of the festival — English: Past, Present and Future — is on different
forms of English. In a small group, prepare a dramatic reading of ‘The Twa Corbies’ in
the original Scottish dialect.
Before you begin the reading, give a brief introduction to the poem. Sum up for
your audience the subject matter of the poem, as well as its underlying themes and
messages. Explain its relevance and appeal to today’s audiences. At the end of the
dramatic reading, comment briefly on why the poem makes a valuable addition to the
festival.
Your dramatic reading should:
●● involve all members of your group. Decide which lines or stanzas you will allocate to

each speaker.
●● include some gesture, movement and action to bring the poem to life and make it

easier for the audience to follow

●● feature a PowerPoint slideshow of images that support your reading. These

might include a medieval knight, crows, a hawk or any visually appealing aspect
of the poem. You could also include key words or phrases from the poem in the
slideshow.

Some key points to remember

●● Practise reading the poem, making sure you all agree on how you will pronounce
the tricky Scottish dialect words. To give you an idea of what the poem might have
sounded like, listen to one of the many recordings online.
●● Make sure you also give some thought to volume, pace and vocal expression. You
need to use your voices to convey the drama and mood of the poem.
●● Use the activities in sub-unit 1 to help you write your introduction.
Or

Create a flyer or leaflet

Create a flyer or leaflet for the festival, featuring some of the more interesting and
striking loan words in English. Illustrate the loan words and include a catchy statement
about the ever-changing English language. Refer to the quotations on the opening
pages for inspiration. Your aim is to capture the purpose of the festival, and to entice
people to come along and enjoy English: Past, Present and Future.

Some key points to remember

●● Remember your target audience and your purpose: attendees of the festival and to
Use the assessment inform and persuade.
criteria rubric to guide
●● Experiment with typefaces, colour and other graphic elements to create an effective
you through your
chosen task.
and visually appealing flyer or leaflet.
●● You could work in pairs: divide the roles and responsibilities fairly.

32  English is … Year 9

 2 Multimodal advertising ‘pitch’
Deliver a multimodal presentation in character as an advertising copywriter. Find a
print or an electronic advertisement. Imagine you have created it for a client — the
company that has produced the product. You are to deliver a ‘pitch’ to your client,
convincing the company that your advertisement will be successful in promoting its
product.
Your pitch should address the following questions:
●● What is the company’s ‘brand value’? In other words, what attitudes and values

are associated with the brand? For example, when we think of the Nike brand, we
think of an active, energetic lifestyle, which is expressed in the slogan ‘Just do it!’
●● What are the language features of your advertisement? Make sure you comment

on both written and visual language, including:

– Language and vocabulary: What slogan have you used? What makes it
effective? What other written text is featured? How is language used here?
Have you incorporated particular features such as figurative language, emotive
vocabulary? Are other persuasive strategies used, such as rhetorical questions,
humour or shock tactics?
– Intertextuality: Does your advertisement include references to other texts or
types of texts? Is it important for audiences to recognise these links with other
texts?
– Composition and layout: How are objects and people arranged in your
advertisement? What are the dominant visual features? To what is our eye
drawn?
– Colour and lighting: Why have certain colours been used? How do these
encourage us to desire the product?
– Font size and style: What effect do these have on our appreciation of the
product?
●● What is the target audience for your advertisement? How have you succeeded in

appealing to this audience?

●● Where would you expect to see the advertisement? On billboards and websites, or

in magazines and newspapers?

●● What makes your advertisement effective in promoting the company’s product?

How does it make consumers want to buy the product?

To support your ‘pitch’, create an appealing PowerPoint that includes:
●● the advertisement you have ‘created’. You might annotate this to indicate

particular language features.

●● a short summary of the values and attitudes expressed in your advertisement.

What kind of lifestyle does the advertisement promote?

●● any other visuals and key phrases that help to capture the power of your

advertisement and engage the interest of your audience.

Some key points to remember

●● Draft, edit and proofread any copy that will apppear in your pitch.
●● Use the features of PowerPoint to good effect, but don’t have too many. Aim for
Use the assessment a few effects used sparingly at key points; for example, use colour to create an
criteria rubric to guide
‘upbeat’ mood or tone.
you through your
chosen task. ●● Rehearse your presentation before you deliver it, and have a back-up if something
goes wrong.

  Unit 1   Wordplay  33
 3 A humorous opinionative article
Write a humorous article for a newspaper or magazine. The purpose of your article is to
provide an amusing perspective on some aspect of our daily lives. Choose one of the
everyday topics listed below, or come up with your own.
● A visit to the dentist

● A first date

● A family car trip

● Surviving the post-Christmas sales

● Wearing high heels

● Delivering a public speech

● Training a puppy

● The trend for tattoos

Once you have chosen your topic, work out your central idea — that is, your opinion
or point of view. You can choose to add illustrations if you wish.

Some key points to remember

● Using Danny Katz’s column as a guide, use a range of persuasive language features
to appeal to your readers.
● Choose language features that will help you to create humour; for example:
– puns – hyperbole
– malapropisms – amusing similes and metaphors
– spoonerisms – sarcasm and irony.
● Identify your target audience and select vocabulary to suit this target audience. Also
consider your target audience when deciding which illustrations to include.
● Maintain interest by including plenty of topical references your readers can relate to.
As well as your own personal experiences, you might also promote your viewpoint
Use the assessment by referring to:
criteria rubric to guide
– popular culture (films, – literary texts – current social issues and trends
you through your
television shows, – current affairs – lifestyle trends
chosen task.
musicians, magazines) – politics – historical events.

? Self-evaluation . . .
After you have completed your assessment, respond to the questions below as
a way of reflecting on your learning.
1 What did you enjoy about the task you chose?
2 What did you find difficult about the task?
3 What strengths were you able to call on in completing this task?
4 How did you minimise any of your weaknesses when completing this task?
5 What would you do differently next time if faced with a similar task?

INDIVIDUAL PATHWAYS
Worksheet 1.1 Worksheet 1.2 Worksheet 1.3
doc-10487 doc-10488 doc-10489

34 English is … Year 9