Stand Up Comedy

Objective: to examine an example of planned speech

Compare how information, attitudes and feelings are conveyed in the texts.

Commenting on:

Vocabulary, grammatical, stylistic and speech features

The influence of context on the way the speakers convey attitudes and ideas

In the exam you will be asked to…

As you watch the comedy clip, decide upon the context

Who - Comedian/live audienceWhat - A comedy sketch about the experience of flyingWhere - A theatre (we assume)When - LiveHow - In personWhy - to make them laugh

Consider: WHO/WHAT/WHERE/WHEN/HOW/WHY

1. List three attitudes/ideas conveyed in this routine. 2. Consider how they are affected by context

Idea/attitude 1The idea/attitude that airlines overcharge for the food they sell

Idea/attitude 2The attitude that pilots are so ‘excited’ about their jobs that they must explain their route to passengers onboard!

Idea/attitude 3The condescending attitude of the air stewardess who huts the curtain between first class and economy class.

Context: The context is obviously a comedy gig and the purpose therefore to make the audience laugh. As a result, the descriptions are hyperbolic, long and a little silly for comedic effect!

Compare how information, attitudes and feelings are conveyed in the texts.

Commenting on:

Vocabulary, grammatical, stylistic and speech features

The influence of context on the way the speakers convey attitudes and ideas

In the exam you will be asked to…

Now answer the following question

Looking closely at vocabulary, grammar, stylistic and speech features (i.e the frameworks!) make bullet points about how a humorous attitude is conveyed

Example Seinfeld uses an opening interrogative sentence to engage and provoke his audience ‘Do the people who work in these little shops in the airport have any idea what the prices are every place else in the world?’

Tip: use ‘the questions for analysing texts’ on www.studentsurfer.com

Suggested PointsHis ridiculing of the pilot’s speech for comic effect– use of non standard English ‘I’m gonna’ conveys his light-hearted attitude towards his subject matter

The humorous lexical choice ‘show’ to convey his ridicule for the safety demonstration! Show has connotations of theatre and entertainment.

YvetteHe makes sarcastic lexical choices (‘oh my’) to convey his attitudes in a comic manner

EmmaHe uses short, sarcastic sentences to express his disdain e.g. ‘ya 14 dollars’

Ermerlinda/Rigerta

His use of first person pronouns (I) and anecdotes make it personal and make his attitudes about airlines more persuasive.

For tomorrow

Produce one side of analysis of the transcript focusing on language and power.