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Each essay topic has a reference to the key area(s) in the Study Guide so students understand the scope of the topic and expectations. It also includes essay tips, quotes from commentators, key ideas and contemporary examples.
Essay Sample: “Language has the power to expose outdated values and influence social change.” Discuss.
Formal language and social purpose
- Essay 1: Formal language is mainly used to clarify meaning, but it can also be used to obfuscate.
- Essay 2: Does political correctness unite us or divide us?
- Essay 3: Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword
- Essay 4: Formal language can both promote and prevent social harmony. To what extent do you agree?; (‘At times language can disrupt, deceive and divide.’ Discuss when this is true in contemporary Australian society. 2022)
- Essay 5: How have changing social attitudes influenced language use in Australia. Discuss.
- Essay 6: “All euphemistic language, including doublespeak, is at heart a lie to conceal truth and as such, should play no part in effective communication”. Discuss, referring to at least two subsystems in your response.
- Essay 7: Using language to negotiate positive and negative face acts
- Essay 8: Language is a tool for building but it is also a weapon
- Essay 9: Language is a powerful tool that influences social attitudes . ‘In contemporary Australian society, we must be careful with our use of language in public contexts.’ (2021) (inclusive/exclusive language/ face needs)
- Essay 10: Discuss current social attitudes towards taboo language and swearing. How are these attitudes exemplified by modern language use?
- Essay 11: Formal Language and Power: formal language favours those in positions of power and influence. Discuss.
Tenor and social distance and politeness strategies
- ‘Without a doubt, the tenor of a conversation has the most influence on the politeness strategies of the participants.’
- Using language to negotiate positive and negative face acts
- Language is a powerful tool that influences social attitudes . ‘In contemporary Australian society, we must be careful with our use of language in public contexts.’ (2021) (inclusive/exclusive language/ face needs
Standard Australian English and change
Essay 1: SAE and language change: are we embracing change?
Essay 5: How have changing social attitudes influenced language use in Australia. Discuss.
‘It’s just language. Who cares if it’s formal or informal, standard or non-standard?’
To what extent is this true in contemporary Australian society? Refer to at least two subsystems of language in your response.
Offline and online forms of communication
Essay 1: The nature of digital communication, for better or worse, is changing the way we use the English Language.
Essay Prompt: ‘The language of division and exclusion is more prevalent in online spaces.’ To what extent is this true?
Informal language and social purpose
- Essay 1: Informal language has a variety of functions in Australian society. What do you see are some of the crucial roles of informal language in contemporary Australia?
- Essay 2: Profanity is an emotive communicative tool which plays a variety of roles in contemporary Australian society. Discuss.
- Essay: Slang plays an important role in establishing individual and group identities. Discuss.
Identity – standard and non-standard varieties
- Essay 1: Some varieties of Australian English are more prestigious than others.
- Identity Essay 2: Contemporary Australians use a number of overt and covert language norms to construct their identity; ‘Our linguistic repertoires can be used to exploit overt and covert norms, helping achieve our aspirations.’ (VCE Exam 2022)
- Essay: To be accepted as an Aussie …
- Essay 3: Standard Australian English must remain the most prestigious variety of English.
- Essay 4: An understanding of Standard Australian English is needed to be able to communicate in all contexts in contemporary Australian society. To what extent is this true?
- Essay 5: ‘How does language variation contribute to the development of a sense of identity?’ ‘When interacting with others, we make deliberate language choices that reveal elements of our social and individual identities.’ To what extent is this true in contemporary Australian society? Refer to at least two subsystems of language in your response. (VCE Exam 2021)
- Essay 6: How do evolving language features reflect varying individual identities? ‘The evolving nature of our language largely reflects the influence other cultures have on the way we communicate.’’ To what extent is this true in contemporary Australian society? (VCE Exam 2022)
- Essay 7: How is the language of young Australians changing to reflect our evolving national identity?
- Essays on national identity
Identity – individual and group identities
- Essay 1: Social identity is constructed primarily through language. Discuss referring to at least two subsystems.
- Essay 2: The language choices we make reflect who we are and the social groups to which we belong.
- Essay 3: Language is shaped by social attitudes
- Essay 4: Covert linguistic features help to establish solidarity
- Essay 5: Social Groups and Group membership markers
- Essay: Slang plays an important role in establishing individual and group identities. Discuss.
- Return to: Contemporary Formal Examples
- See a Summary of Contemporary Informal Examples
- References to linguists and relevant commentators (which ones?)
- Summaries for Exam Revision