Knowledge about the Context - Case Study Example

A critical analysis of the given text shows that it is mainly concerned with highlighting the significance of appearance or presentation in the form of beautiful services that are offered by specific hair saloons. Basically, the text is poetic in structure and grammatically, it is characterised by the use of colloquial or informal language in the presentation of its text. These different language devices employed by the author serve various purposes in his endeavour to communicate his ideas to the readers as shown in the argument below. The way the sentence structures are presented in the above text is not straight forward like the everyday use of language which is widely regarded as paradigm shift. This poetic version is meant to create an interesting and meaningful rhythm meant to emphasis a particular point. For instance, the opening sentence says, “No city dwellers care more about their appearance than the New Yorkers…” Instead of saying this statement in reverse which is common in everyday use of language, the author chose this backward style of writing which is important in creating interesting rhythm which is likely to appeal to the intended readers compared to straight forward talk used everyday which lacks variety. The author could have simply said, “New Yorkers care more about their appearance than other city dwellers…” Emphasis on a certain point, like in this particular case is likely to gain more prominence as it would appeal to many people as a result of the way it is presented which is likely to appeal to their sense of humour. It can be noted after critically reading the above text that it uses antonyms, which normally refers to the opposite in its endeavour to achieve its intended purpose. Some of the terms used such as “manicure,” are not formal words used in everyday language in the context they are given and they mean different things. In this context manicure is an antonym in that the term formally refers to the cosmetic treatment or process of caring for finger nails. However, the article is relating to hair saloons which specialise in hairdressing in most cases. The author chooses this style as a way of trying to appeal to the reader’s sense of humour through the use of informal language which can be used to depict various meanings within different contextual frameworks. Some words which are regarded as informal are grammatically correct and are used in most cases to show the context or occasion as a way of supporting an idea. In view of this argument, it can be noted that the selection of grammar shows that there are no restrictions about formality in the business of hair saloons. The author also uses hamonyms which are words which have the same rhyming sounds and pronunciation but meaning different things. A close analysis of the following statement drawn from the passage which states that, “…a trip to his saloon has to be experienced to be believed,” proves the above mentioned assertion. The two words which sound similar are experienced and believed but these mean completely different things. It can therefore be noted that language, particularly grammar is easily understood when constant reference is made to things we see or words which we use in our every day life. Such text ought to depict an integral part of our daily lives to be easily understood. To someone who has never set his foot in a hair saloon, it may be difficult for that person to understand the meaning of the content alluded to in the text hence it is important to have an idea with the context as well. The syntax of the text, which is the selection of words in sentence structures, is also presented in short, precise as well as correctly punctuated sentences which are straight to the point. A good example can be drawn from the following statement from the text, “After one hour in stylist Julian’s company, you’ll emerge onto Fifth Avenue a new, and infinitely more glamorous, woman.” The author carefully chooses the words that sum up all his ideas in a brief and precise manner. Short sentences are easy to understand compared to long winding sentences which end up being monotonous in some cases. The careful selection of linguistics units in this case is meant to portray a completely knit sequence of words that are meant to show some form of relationship to one another. Sentence construction plays a vital role in grammatical construction as well. These properly punctuated sentences provide a rhyming structure which is meant to captivate the attention of the readers. Having carefully analysed the linguistic structure of the given text, it can be noted that there specific challenges this text is likely to present to those with learning difficulties which include the failure to fully pronounce some of the words. Pronunciation is very important in understanding the meaning of new words especially to learners of a second language. Someone who is proficient in pronouncing new words stands better chances of learning faster than someone who does not. In most cases, poor pronunciation distorts the meaning of the word which results in the loss of meaning. The following statement, “…you’ll encounter a manicure or blow-out bar on most street corners,” extracted from the text can be used to illustrate this assertion that poor pronunciation leads to distortion of the meaning. With particular reference given to the word “manicure,” it can be noted that failure to pronounce this word may further complicate the attempt to grasp its meaning. Therefore, it can be noted that pronunciation alone poses a serious challenge to the learning of new vocabulary in a second language. On the other hand, it should always be borne in mind that learning grammar is a complex task which requires effort and commitment. The use of big terms may discourage the learners as they are often difficult to understand to junior learners. Terms such as “manicure” as well as “glamorous” are often regarded as too big for beginners. It is easier to learn new languages using simple terms than bigger ones which often require constant reference to the dictionary for their meaning. Bigger words in this particular scenario can pose a challenge to learners with difficulties or new learners altogether. Whilst shortened sentences are easier to understand to proficient speakers, they may be very complicated to learners as they may fail to deduce the meaning from such sentences. A shortened sentence such as the following example’ “…you’ll encounter…,” may be very complex to a leaner who may fail to figure out the dropped letters which may result in failing to identify the full word which has been shortened. It is always easier for learners to understand words which are written in full if they are encountering them for the first time. Sentences written in full are likely to be understood easily than shortened ones as the one cited above. Teaching language can be very effective if it is implemented within an appropriate contextual framework. For instance, when the subject is focusing on issues related to informal business, an effort should be made to try and list all the words related to the subject. As a point of departure, effort should be made to explain the context in which the listed words can be used. Not all similar words can be used to refer to one thing but some may have a different meanings depending on the context they would be used. Emphasis therefore, should be put on the different functions of text as it is used to refer to different things. Having assigned different text functions, there will be need to attempt to construct short and grammatically correct sentences which are easier to understand. One major barrier to the understanding as well as teaching of language with reference to the given text is that it is culture specific to a large extent. In some cultures, hair saloons are not given due prominence as well as significance they are accorded in specific areas like New York. It would be difficult for someone to understand the intricacies involved with beautifying somebody whilst that person lacks the primary understanding of the purposes of hair saloons in the first place. Therefore, it can be a pretty difficult task to convince such a person that hair saloons play a significant part in our lives. On the other hand, the given text is rich in the use of informal language. However, informal language can be interpreted differently depending on the area as well as culture of any specific group. Words such as “dweller” and “blow out bar” are often confusing and very difficult to understand. Instead of simply saying a “resident” or “hair saloon” in the example given above which has be drawn from the text, the author preferred to use informal words instead. In some sections of the society, such words are often associated with low level income earners who are poorly educated therefore, relegated to the lower echelons within specific social structures. Colloquial or informal language is not formerly taught in most cases which may be a barrier to understand such texts. This is a big disadvantage if the use of such terms is aimed at achieving a specific response. Whilst cultures are dynamic, they differ from place to place and certain identical words may mean different things or various meanings can be attached to them. A clear example can be seen from the word dweller cited above. In certain societies, a dweller is referred to as a poor or destitute person without a permanent physical abode while a close analysis of the context it is used in the given text shows that dwellers are residents living in an upmarket society characterised by trendy hair saloons which contradicts with the certain connotations associated with the term which otherwise suggest the opposite. In this case, it is always important to have knowledge about the framework in which certain terms are used. Over and above it can be concluded that after a critical analysis of the given text whose structure is poetic, there are various factors that determine the ability of individuals to understand a given text. Most important is the knowledge about the context in which the given text is given that can greatly help the learners to try and deduce meaning from the words comprising the vocabulary they know about a specific subject matter. Proficiency in pronunciation of new words also plays a significant role as far as understanding a different language is concerned. Read More