Your language consultancy has been hired to explore whether or not their promotional materials do match the party’s message and whether there is anything they can do to improve their image.

School of Arts and Media

 

 

Researching English Language

 

Live Brief

This piece of work is worth 50% of your overall mark for the module. The total number of marks available is 100.

 

Intended Learning Outcomes

 

  1. Comment on the nature and variety of the sub-disciplines of linguistic enquiry, as applied to English;
  2. Demonstrate an appreciation of some of the key approaches to the study of English language;
  3. Explain the basic structure of original linguistic research and how it impacts upon the discipline area;
  4. Replicate basic methodological insights from a number of different linguistic sub-fields;
  5. Demonstrate an appreciation of the links between the academic study of English language, and the Humanities more broadly, with the employability skills required by the modern workplace.
  6. Engage with original research;
  7. Link original research with its applications;
  8. Experience a wide range of research methodologies;
  9. Engage with the real-world applications of linguistic study;
  10. Assess the real-world impact of research in English language

 

This assessment requires you to write a report, of approximately 2000-2500 words, on one of the project proposals given below. Each scenario envisages that you are the research manager of a language consultancy company. This company advises commercial enterprises and public sector bodies on all issues related to language. Your task is to write a preliminary report on what your language consultancy could offer in terms of research

 

Your response should contain reference to all of the following (this is not an exhaustive list and you should consider including other things you consider to be appropriate)

 

  • You should explain some of the relevant linguistic issues from a non-technical point of view
  • You should include relevant previous studies in explaining the issues in that same non-technical way.
  • A proposal of a full research project which would help the organisation in question. Related to this aim would be all of the following:
    • Research instruments – you should produce research instruments relevant to your investigation, if necessary, or use/adapt existing protocols from the literature
    • How informants would be selected
    • How the results would be analysed

 

 

SCENARIOS

 

Choose ONE of the following investigations and respond according to the guidelines given above

 

 

  1. A local political party is worried that the message they send out through their leaflets and promotional materials does not match the image they would like to convey. In particular, they want to ensure that their promotional materials match their manifesto. Your language consultancy has been hired to explore whether or not their promotional materials do match the party’s message and whether there is anything they can do to improve their image.

 

  1. Simon Steelberg, the famous movie director, is making next year’s summer blockbuster. In the movie he wants to include an alien race that uses a non-human language, which is based on the core principles of human communication systems. Your language consultancy has been asked to create a suitable language and your job is outline the main characteristics the language will need and any problems that may be encountered. In particular, you need to consider that human actors have to produce the language and human audience members have to experience it.

 

  1. The City of Liverpool Council is introducing a fleet of trams across the city, both in the residential suburbs and in the city centre. Each tram will have automated announcements providing passengers with information about safety, the journey itself and the destination and next stop of the tram. The Council wishes to make these announcements as effective as possible and wants to start a search for the ‘Voice of ScouseTram’. Your language consultancy company is commissioned to write a report advising the Council on the parameters it should employ when looking for the ‘Voice of ScouseTram’. Should, for example, it be a local voice? Or something less regionally-marked? Outline how you would go about carrying out this research project for the council, ensuring that it is both methodologically and theoretically evidence-based.

 

  1. An unpopular international conglomerate, BREXUMP, wants to rehabilitate its reputation in the area of customer service. It intends to open a customer service call centre in the United Kingdom and had commissioned your language consultancy to find an appropriate site where the local labour force speak with a variety of English which is likely to facilitate good customer relations. Outline how you would go about preparing this report and its associated recommendations.