School of Languages and Linguistics - Theses
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ItemAn analysis of structure and interaction in the construction of a program for radio( 1994)Recent applied linguistic research has focussed on "communicative competence" or "native speaker competence", with goals being the description and analysis of native speaker language use, non-native language use, language acquisition and assessment. (Bachman,1990; Larsen-Freeman,1980). Conventions and structures involved in establishing, maintaining and terminating conversation have been analysed in terms of 'conversational maxims' (Grice 1975), 'conversational routines' (Coulmas 1981), 'conversational rules' (Hatch and Long 1980) and 'conversational competence' (Richards and Sukwiwat 1983). One area of language use in which native speakers display their "communicative competence" is in interaction on the electronic media of radio and television. This field of research is only of recent development, as the technology making it possible has only existed over the last 30 years or so. The electronic media, particularly broadcast media current affairs and news output, have a profound effect on the formation and development of language and opinion in our culture. Publications relying on written discourse, newspapers and magazines, make a great impact, but the electronic media are so pervasive and influential, with radio or TV interviews being the forum through which political and social issues are discussed, to reach the widest mass audience. Radio and TV interviews are fundamental to 'making the news' and frequently reported in the written media. The radio and television interview has become a significant institution for the creation and communication of political, arts, sport, news and current affairs content. As such it is surprising that it has not become the subject of deeper systematic analytical study in the abundant critical literature on the mass media. What is the nature of media interaction: is it different from everyday talk-in-interaction? If we consider an important form of media interaction to be the media interview: how is it structured? Can everyday conversation be used as a baseline for describing and analysing media interviews? Has the technology of editing achieved what could not be achieved through authentic interaction? This research attempts to begin to answer these questions. A segment of the original recordings for the making of a radio program has been described and analysed for features of structure and interaction, and then compared with the segment which was broadcast, to analyse which aspects were edited out, and which left in, as a media construct for the overhearing audience. (From Introduction)