Technological Genres

Youtube

Youtube comments have both affordances and constrants.

An affordance is that you can freely write what you want to write. The constraint that comes with this is the trouble of trolling. People could insulting people through the comments on their videos.

It's also can be a very positive thing. If you write something that will make the person who's Youtube Channel it is, happy and positive, they will carry on doing what they're doing. They will make more videos for the viewers to enjoy.
If it's negative, they then will not make more videos and so you can't watch anymore.

It's also almost like a community. Everyone who positively comments about the channel, all have one thing in common: they all like the person's channel. You can comment queries and people will comment and support you.

Also there is a 'report' button. This is both an affordance and constraint. It's positive because if someone has commented an inappropriate comment then people can report them so they can't comment anymore. It's a constraint because people might go around reporting people who haven't done anything wrong.


You can also 'thumb up' or 'thumbs down' a comment. This will then show hoe good a comment has been rated and then result in to comment. This then enables everyone to see what most people think.

Change of Communication

On March 10 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call which was to his assistant in the next room. The call went like this:

“Mr Watson, come here, I want to see you.”

Scottish born Bell, became an expert in sound and public speaking. Due to his understanding of sound and how it works, he taught deaf people and then went on to invent the telephone.

He wrote a letter to his dad about how he wanted the future of sound and communication to be like. He said he imagined a future where “friends converse without leaving home.”

This then led to him inventing the photophone in 1880.

The fist phone call had become so well known that he repeated it in 1915 when telephone lines were connected from East to West coasts in America.

Bell has caused such worldwide and technological discoveries. His knowledge in sound has led to things like iPhones and computers. This then led to emails and Facebook and Twitter which is another way to communicate to others.

Bell has changed the way we communicate.


Source: http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/recon/jb_recon_telephone_1.html

Transcript Analyses

 

K: right (arrow pointing upwards) (2) in the middle of the page (1) but more towards the left (1) draw a capital ‘Z’ (.) but on a slant to the left hand side (2)

E: How big?

(2)

K: Quite big (2)

 

A few things had gone well in our transcript. However, there were a few negatives throughout our communication.

The main problem through the exercise was that there wasn’t enough description from all three of us.

When Katie started, she described where to draw the capital ‘Z’. But she didn’t explain the size. Louis and I were then left to attempt to draw the shape to a size that we thought would be correct.

A positive of the communication was that I then asked how big, 2 seconds later. But within those 2 seconds Louis could have already drawn the shape without knowing the size.

A negative of me asking the question is that I didn’t be specific when asking.

Katie replied with “quite big.”

The problem with that is, “quite big” could be completely different to me than to Katie. So I should’ve asked a more detailed question.

For example, I could have asked, “How big roughly in cm, is the ‘Z’?”

Louis and I would then be provided with an answer that would enable us to draw the shape more accurately.

 There also were pauses many times throughout which is the reason why there was no interruptions or overlaps. This is both positive and negative. Positive because it lets the speaker think about what they are saying to be more precise for the listeners. The negative is that by the time the speaker finishes the listener would have probably drew the shape and so cannot do it again.

At the start of the transcript we can see that the tone that Katie was speaking in was positive when she said “right” by the arrow pointing upwards. She also said “right” many times during the conversation which shows her idiolect.

A final negative is that when Katie was describing where the ‘Z’ was being placed. She said it was slanted to the left hand side. She didn’t explain how slanted it was. Nevertheless, myself and Louis didn’t ask how slanted it was, we yet again, assumed we had it right.

Mini saga: Dragons

Mini Saga:

Dragons?

"What do you think we'll see?" She asked.

"Dragons?" Her sister suggested.

The girls followed the long, dreaded line,

placed their order and continued with their quest.

Arriving at their destination, they parked themselves down,

waiting for the to begin.

"There's still time for a drink!" the announcer declared.

God's Among Us Commentary

The genre for my writing piece is a magazine article. I think that there could be multiple audiences for my piece of writing including, the main audience, the fans of the star himself. The audience could also be readers of the magazine that the article is printed in, and possibly movie critics that are interested in him and the films he’s been in. I think that there are two purposes for the writing piece. The primary purpose is to entertain as it would be in a magazine. However, the secondary purpose is to inform. The evidence of this is that there are a lot of facts in there that tell you a lot about him.

 

The first technique I adapted into my work is the use of comparisons. Throughout the style model’s writing, there was a large amount of comparisons. The first comparison seen on the style model is asking where Brad Pitt would be in 39 years. What I did was adapt that into where my choice of God, Robert Pattinson, would be in the amount of years that my comparison, Johnny Depp, had been acting. In my opinion this would first of all make the audience quite shocked that I compared the two as Depp is a huge star. It could be considered emotive language as the comparison would make the audience think emotionally other than rationally.

The style model also used comparisons to put people down which I also adapted. In fact most of the writer’s comparisons put the other actors down. I did this when comparing my final set of celebrities to him when talking about how he beat them for a magazine title, “Best Dressed Man.” This causes the audience to ponder whether they should be choosing my ‘God’ over who they may prefer, especially if it’s one of the comparisons.

 

A second technique I adapted is the use of statistics, facts and quotes. All three of these are used greatly as well in the style model. Statistics are used quite a lot which I think the writer does as a tool to convince. “19 feature films” and “Three Oscar Nominations” both make Newman sound impressive which I think is why the writer used it. In my article I used it for the same purpose. “7 films at the age of 28” “Pattinson had been in 20” My statistics also compare him to others and do the primary purpose of making him sound/look good. The style model didn’t use many facts in their article however I did. Most of my article was quite factual which I purposely did for the intention of impressing the audience. Right at the start of my article, under the strapline, I used 3 facts which go straight to the point to impress the audience. Within my facts I have also used quotes. “Survived trial by fire-tabloid hysteria” This belong also a metaphor, helped towards creating a positive image of him.

 

My final technique is: many techniques into one-language techniques. Repetition, anecdotes, adverbs, adjectives and metaphors are all used in both the style model and my own work. Repetition, adverbs and adjectives all are used to get the point across. Anaphora is used when I said “He’s the...” This was repeated twice, to give the affect that you pay attention and it prints into your brain. The audience then thinks maybe they should think about him as a ‘God’ as well.

Using an anecdote is a really great way to form the purpose of entertainment, inform and convince. The styles model talks about how someone didn’t know Newman was an actor. How I adapted this was by use the fact that a lot of original fans of the Twilight books didn’t want him to play the part. This makes the audience think that they were wrong which is the purpose of it.

There are also small uses of language techniques like: tautology, pop culture reference and rhetorical questions. The pop culture reference in my work is mentioning the names of the magazines. It causes the reader to be impressed as they’ve heard of the magazine. The final technique is rhetorical questions. I used two and in both uses, I’ve caused the reader to really contemplate the question as was the purpose.

God's Among Us: Pattinson

Gods Among Us #1: Pattinson

Robert Pattinson, need I say anymore?

 

Actor, musician, model, philanthropist and producer.

Named one of TIME magazines 100 Most Influential People In The World.

The most handsome man in the world - Vanity Fair

 

Mostly known for his role as mysterious and dazzling vampire Edward Cullen, in fantasy romance film series, The Twilight Saga, Pattinson has quickly become one of the leading and highest achieved actors worldwide.

Robert Pattinson has always had star quality even as a child. At 12 years old he began modelling - now that, is a hardworking celeb!

A man who can pull off any look, from pale white, century-old vampire, to mischievous wizard, to troubled student.

He has a range of skills that not even Apollo himself can compete with. Think about this, at the age 12 Johnny Depp learnt how to play the guitar and played in a mix of bands. He didn’t start acting though until he was 21 in 1984. Robert Pattinson started acting before then at the young age of 18. Pattinson is now 28 and has been in more films than Depp had at that age. Depp had only been in 7 films at the age of 28 and Pattinson has been in 20 which is a dramatic and extremely impressive amount more. In over 20 years time, will Pattinson be at the massive award winning state that Depp is now, or even better?

 

Esquire magazine has said that he has “survived trial by fire – the Twilight phenomenon, tabloid hysteria – to become one of our most promising leading men.” And that he has. With a media centered relationship with Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart, Pattinson has really had to deal with the highs and lows of being an international heartthrob.

He was part of the Team Edward VS Team Jacob debate worldwide between Twihards (Twilight fans), which let’s be honest, he won.

 

In fact he is so idolised that if you start to type his name into Google, you get as far as ‘Rob’ and his name is one of the first to appear. In my opinion that shows how much of a God he really is.

In most of the iconic and spectacular films he has been in, his name takes up the cover. He’s the one that everyone wants to see. He’s the starring role.

 

What is ironic is that about 75,000 people signed a petition for him to NOT play the part of Edward in Twilight when it was announced. In fact, it was revealed in an interview for GQ in 2009 that some people didn’t even think that he was good looking enough to play the beloved character. “There was a call from the head of the studio,” Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke said about executives questioning Pattinson's casting as Edward Cullen. “Are you sure you can make this guy handsome?”

Obviously all speculators were wrong and I think Glamour magazine would agree with that. In 2010 Glamour awarded him with the title of ‘Best Dressed Man’. This means he beat the likes of co-star Taylor Lautner, big time actor George Clooney and footballer David Beckham.

 

But he is more than looks, he is an exceptional actor that all should aspire to be like.

 

Who would have thought that such a minor role in Harry Potter would lead on to being a phenomenal star in The Twilight Films?

Want to be driven insane? Go Christmas Shopping!

Have you ever experienced being in the middle of a stampede?

Well I have and it is not a happy experience.

 

On one cold, fateful, December, Saturday morning, I, like few others, was practically forced to go shopping with my mum. I had obviously been shopping with her before; this time was different. It was the Christmas season - also called, ‘the time of the mad rush of late shopping.’ Even from the Tesco car park, I knew it was going to be busy.

After driving around the large grey square for forever, we finally found a space to which the car came to a halt.

Walking in was like walking into a pack of rabid wolves. Busy housewives: rushing around to get Christmas dinner ingredients and last minute presents. Older women: rushing about with their ‘basket on wheels’.

 

Now there’s one thing you should know about older people doing Christmas shopping-they’re serious. Seriously slow! I mean they could at least move to the side so ‘bored to tears’ shoppers could get past, get what they need and go. I don’t want to be traipsing around behind them when I could be at home, especially when it’s extremely busy. It’s like walking into my own episode of Antiques Roadshow. They are like statues. Yes I know it’s not their fault and they can’t walk as fast as they used to; the ones in the electric wheelchairs could at least turn the speed up a little.

 

Another thing that makes me slightly mad is the fact that the people in the ‘supposed to be whizzing chairs’, take up the whole aisle. Instead of OAP’s, they should be called OAH - Old Aisle Hoggers. You might think I’m being over the top but this is literally what it’s like. Just move to the side please!

Little children are a problem too. Are they really a necessity to the ‘Art of Christmas Shopping?’ They run around, making the entire cluster of elderly scowl, knocking all the items of the shelves. What’s even worse is that they help themselves to the pick’n’ mix without paying for it and their parents don’t seem to mind as it shuts them up. So if you wanted any sweets, tough luck! They’ve already been scoffed down by a greedy 5 years old.

 

Screaming. That’s what you hear when around an angry, needy, upset or grumpy child. Tears streaming down their faces, excess goo hanging down out of their noses, screeching “I want! I want! I want!”- It’s not a happy sight. Then due to the madness of whatever aisle that specific child is in, you avoid it so you don’t end up with a banging headache so bad that you want to pull your own hair out. You can still hear it though. The aftermath of the screaming, which is the yelling of the parents. Both yelling and screaming echoing through your supposedly enjoyable experience of shopping.

 

That’s not the end of it though. The children! When they’re slightly older, they make a simple shop turn into Planet of the Apes. Climbing in and out of trolleys, pushing other people’s or their parent’s trolleys into you or the, in this case, unfortunate elderly. By the end of the shop, you know you’ll end up with bruises due to the misbehaved ‘darlings.’

 

By the time you actually get round to doing some actual shopping without distractions, you find the products misplaced and unorganised. The shampoos scattered on the shelf between body wash and bubble bath. Then you find the odd item mixed in with the wrong thing: a carton of orange juice in with the pork chops, a child’s glove in with the crisp packets.

 

So, would you want to risk shopping in the 'Season of Goodwill?'

They Don't Understand

Happy. Cheerful. Never miserable. That’s what they thought. I know they did. A shop keeper with a loving family and always full of life. Giving advice that always helps people. I do it to get rid of them. To stop any social contact around me. Stop the agonising questions like, “How is he?”, “Oh he’s so brave” and “You’re so strong to look after him.” They think they know us, know me. Affectionate relationship with an injured husband. Ha! Affectionate? More like trapped. I became trapped the day I married him. I only had children to please my mother. I married him for my mother too. Now she’s gone and left me, what am I supposed to do? Stay here?

 

She left me the day she became ill. Every day after that was just fate taunting me about how my life has been and will go. I was happy- well almost. When she told me she hadn’t had much longer to live, I was confused. ‘Why? There’s nothing wrong with her.’ Even just before she went I thought she’d get better. That’s why the odd phone call from my apparently upset sister confused me.

“Mum’s died.”

“What? No she hasn’t.” I thought. She did though. And the worst part? Is that she was with her. My, what I can only call related to due to DNA, sister was with her. Why was she allowed to be with her and support her in her last moments, when for the last 3 years whilst our mother was ill, she was off gallivanting about in Australia.

We were close when we were younger, inseparable in fact. Then the big 1-8 came along; she had her own life to live. That’s what she said, when she went. It was only meant to be a year travelling the world before she went to University. Truthfully she did come back a year later and go to Uni. Nevertheless, she decided it wasn’t for her and left after a month. My mum looked like she was fine with it but I knew. I knew she wasn’t happy, and so neither was I. She was supposed to be an older sister and be there for me when I needed her. But she wasn’t. She was away and would only occasionally answer her phone to speak to me.

 

I could have been different, lived a different life that had different outcomes. I could be like my sister. No husband, no children. Nothing to hold me down. Travelling the world with my friends and making new ones on the way. Learning new skills; having only few possessions, which is good because it won’t be pulling me to the ground.

To the ground.

It’s funny really, to the ground. Eventually we’ll all be under it. 6ft under and gone. What would it be like? Your own personal heaven...or hell. Either way we’d be free. Free from the stresses of everyday life. Wouldn’t that be just amazing? No troubles, no worries. Perfect, right?

 

But I’m stuck, stuck in a life. In a world.

The Stress That Is Ellie

Ellie realises that she is about to be going to a place that could drastically change her future - also known as St Brendans Sixth Form College. She is terrified, petrified even, but with a hint of excitement at the thrill of the unknown. This could be a new start and for her to make new friends. It should be one of the best times of her life.

However, there’s is one problem. How is she going to handle the stress of college life? Essays on top of essays, stress after stress after stress.

And on top of all of that, she has to go home to her, loves to embarrass at any chance they get, parents, her perfect in every way little sister and just annoying older brother. Sure, they are normally pretty great to be around but when pressured with tons of homework, their mix of attitudes doesn’t exactly help her.

All she wants to do is sit down with a big tub of ‘Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food Ice cream’ and watch countless episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Nonetheless she can’t do that for the rest of her life

Questions start to form in her head and anxiety starts to build. What if no one likes her? What if her old friends abandon her and she’s left on her own for the next two years of her life? What if her taste in music and questionable fashion choices damages her social life? What if she doesn’t have a social life to begin with? What if her deficiency of height at a minuscule 4’10” is a problem and she can’t reach anything? What if she gets lost on the bus and can’t find her way back?

What if the clumsy gene she shares with her brother and gained from her mother, causes her embarrassment through the two extensive and dreaded years of college?

As she considers all of these disastrous questions she feels what can only be described as ‘pee in your pants terrified.’

Is she going to succeed in College?

Will embarrassment and cringe-worthiness take over her existence as usual?

Will life do what it has a tendency of doing and throw plane crashing sized problems her way?

My Idiolect

My Idiolect

 

I think I have many influences and factors to my idiolect. My main influence is people. I have grown up in Bristol and so have been surrounded with many different types of Bristolian accents. My family have quite strong accents which they have passed onto me. Other people who influence me are my friends. Around them I suppose I speak slang a lot more.

 

However this is different when around people I haven’t met, don’t know as well or in power, like; teachers and interviewers. Then I try to cut my Bristolian accent out and speak more formally. I use fillers quite a lot which I try to avoid doing. Examples of these are: ‘like’, ‘uh’ and ‘um’. These are normally used when I’m uncomfortable or feel slightly awkward in the situation.

 

I don’t swear but I, like everyone else, do use insulting words. For me it’s normally to siblings and these are normally ‘idiot’ and ‘stupid’. I usually use the word ‘amazing’ to explain something good. I naturally pronounce the ‘ing’ a lot more.

I would describe my voice as small, which can sometimes cause problems in conversations, as people can’t hear me that well. In conversations I also unconsciously gesture a lot. If I know the person well, I sometimes correct them. My position in conversations is with my hand on my hip or my hands playing with my nails.

 

The final factor to my idiolect is media. I think this influences a lot of teenagers now and it’s causing us to sound less formal. We are starting to mirror the people we admire like actors, singers and other media characters. I think that this is something that we need to stop doing as we will soon end up sounding and talking in the same way and not unique.