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TSSET  Question paper  English Oct 2023 Paper II

TSSET ENGLISH question paper Oct 2023

Click the above link for TSSET 2023 question paper. Paper II

I will explain the anwers from question No.51 and give additional information about the options. 

Q.51 ) In his 1817 review of Coleridge's "Biographia Literaria" Francis Jeffrey grouped the following poets  as the Lake school of poets

Ans:-William Wordsworth, ST>Coleridge, Robert Southey

in his 1817  article published in Edinburgh review of Coleridge's "Biographia Literaria" Francis Jeffrey  grouped the following poets William Wordsworth, ST Coleridge, Robert Southey as the Lake school of poets

Explanation:- *Biographia Literaria* is a seminal work by *Samuel Taylor Coleridge**, published in *1817*. It is both an **autobiography** and a **literary critique**. Coleridge was a key figure of the Romantic movement in English literature.

Wordsworth and ST Coleridge published "Lyrical Ballads"(1798)

Robert Southey, a romantic poet. In 1813,he was appointed poet laureate. In 1795 Southey and Coleridge married the sisters Sara and Edith Fricker, respectively. His famous anti war poem "After Blenhim" is famous. 

    Francis Jeffrey, a critic, in his 1817  review of Coleridge's "Biographia Literaria" referred to three poets William Wordsworth, ST Coleridge, Robert Southey as belonging to the Lake school. The term refers to the Lake District of England, where all three poets resided for a time.

Q.52)Who knows but the world may end to-night?” is the popular line from

Ans:- Robert Browning in " The Last Ride Together".

Robert Browning was a prominent victorian poet known for his dramatic monologues.'The Last Ride Together' poem is dramatic monologue. A dramatic monologue is a type of poem or speech in which a character addresses a silent audience, revealing their inner thoughts, feelings, and motivation.it is an introspective and meditative in nature. Disappointed in love, this dramatic monologue's speaker asks his beloved to go on one final ride with him. The 2nd stanza concludes with a striking thought: “Who knows but the world may end to-night?” This line conveys a profound sense of contentment, suggesting that he feels so fulfilled and at peace in this perfect moment that the world could end, and he would be satisfied.

53) Who among the follwoing said "patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility"

Ans: Richard Aldington

Richard Aldington (born Edward Godfree Aldington; 8 July 1892 – 27 July 1962) was an British writer and poet. He was an early associate of the Imagist movement.Aldington  served in the British army during World War I. He wrote his horrible war experiences in his works. He married Hilda Doolittle (H.D), a poet.
The line "patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility" is from the novel "The Colonel's Daughter"
54) Which of the following statements about "Literature of the modern age "is correct?
Ans:- It is characterised by widespread experiments and innovation in subject matter.

 The Modern Period in English literature began in the early 20th century and lasted until 1965.
Main characterisitcs of Egnlish literature of Modern age  
  • focus on the individual
  • Used a variety of innovative techniques 
  • experiment with techniques and forms.Non linear tales,absurdity and The stream of consciousness technique
  • obsessed with the absurd: chaos and death during World wars
55 )Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
1.Rohinton Mistry        a. A suitable boy

2. Jumpa Lahiri             b.The Inheritance of Loss

3. Vikram Seth              c.A Fine Balance

4.Kiran Desai                d. The Intrepreter of Maladies

Ans: 1-c, 2-d, 3- a, 4-b

A Fine Balance is the second novel by Rohinton Mistry.Rohinton Mistry (born 1952 Bombay) is an Indian-born Canadian writer
Interpreter of Maladies is a book collection of nine short stories by American author of Indian origin Jhumpa Lahiri published in 1999.Nilanjana Sudeshna "JhumpaLahiri (born July 11, 1967) is a British-American author.
Vikram Seth (born 20 June 1952 Calcutta, West Bengal) is an Indian novelsit and poet. He receive Sahitya Academy Award and Padma Shri. A Suitable Boy (1993) is a 1,349-page novel.
Kiran Desai daugther of Anita Desai (born September 3, 1971, New Delhi
India) is an Indian-born American author whose second novelThe Inheritance of Loss (2006), became an international best seller and won the 2006 Booker Prize.

56) Who are founding figures of the concept "Cultural Studies"?

Ans:- Raymond Williams, Richard Hoggart, Stuart Hall.

Cultural Studies emerged in the late 1950s and 1960s, initially developed by British Marxist academics. Richard Hoggart – Established the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) at the University of Birmingham. Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines how culture is created, transformed, and interacts with power structures in society. It explores topics like ideology, class, ethnicity, gender, and media, analyzing how cultural practices shape and reflect social dynamics. Antonio Gramsci  concept of cultural hegemony influenced Cultural Studies.

57) John Dryden's "An essay on Dramatic Posie is written in the manner of _______

Ans; Plato's Republic

John Dryden,poet,critic and playwright of the Restoration period, wrote "An Essay of Dramatic Poesy" in 1668 to explore and defend the qualities of English drama .Written as a dialogue, it features four friends—Crites, Eugenius, Lisideius, and Neander—discussing the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary drama and comparing classical and modern plays.
The Republic, one of the most important dialogues of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, renowned for its detailed expositions of political and ethical justice and its account of the organization of the ideal state (or city-state)
Socrates” (Plato's teacher) is the main character in most of Plato’s dialogues.) 
58) "Structuralism" in Lingustics is popualarised by the following work?
Ans: Fedrinad de Saussure's Courses in General Linguistics

Structural linguistics was developed by Ferdinand de Saussure

Structuralism doesn’t look for the causes or origins of language (or of any other phenomenon). It looks for the rules that underlie language and govern how it functions: it looks for the structure.
Saussure argued that words do not simply refer to objects in the world for which they stand. Instead, a word is a linguistic sign consisting, like the two sides of a coin, of two inseparable parts: signifier + signified. A signifier is a “sound-image” (a mental imprint of a linguistic sound); the signified is the concept to which the signifier refers. Thus, a word is not merely a sound-image (signifier), nor is it merely a concept (signified). A sound image becomes a word only when it is linked with a concept. Furthermore, the relationship between signifier and signified, Saussure observed, is arbitrary: there is no necessary connection between a given sound-image and the concept to which it refers. There is no reason why the concept of a tree should be rep‑ resented by the sound-image “tree” instead of by the sound-image “arbre”; the concept of a book is just as well represented by the sound-image “livre” as the sound-image “book.” The relationship between signifier and signified is merely a matter of social convention: it’s whatever the community using it says it is.
59) Who among the following considered Jphn Dryden as the father of English Criticism as the writier who first taught us to detrermine upon priniciples the merit of composition"?
Ans: Dr.Samel Johnson
60) Identify the chronological sequence of William Blake's poems.
Ans : - The Poetical Sketches-The Songs of Innocence- The Gates of Paradise (1968)- The Songs of Experience (1794)
Blake was an engraver,poet and painter.Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a collection of illustrated poems. Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794)
61) Which of the following poem of Alexander Pope is known by its other title 'Proluge the satires'?
Ans:-2. Epistle to Dr.Arbuthnot
1.The Rape of the :Lock
2. Epistle to Dr.Arbuthnot
3. An Essay on Criticism
4. Of the Characters of Women

Explanation:
Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot is a satirical poem written by Pope in 1735. It is also known by its alternative title Prologue to the Satires, in which Pope defends his career and character and satirizes his literary enemies.

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. The Rape of the Lock: A mock-epic poem, not a satire in the form of an epistle.
  • 3. An Essay on Criticism: A didactic poem dealing with literary theory and critical standards.
  • 4. Of the Characters of Women: Also a satire but not referred to as the Prologue to the Satires.
62) Which detective character was created by G.K. Chesterton?
Ans:- 3.Father Brown
1.Sherlock Homes
2.Philip Marlowe
3. Father Brown
4.Mister Marshal

Explanation:
Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective created by G.K. Chesterton, known for solving mysteries with keen insight into human nature and moral reasoning.

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Sherlock Holmes: Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
  • 2. Philip Marlowe: Created by Raymond Chandler.
  • 4. Mister Marshal: Not a detective character, and not created by Chesterton.
63) Whcih among the following is not a play written by George Bernand Shaw
Ans:-2. A Losing Game
1.Man and Superman
2.A Losing Game
3.The Doctor's Dilemma
4.The Man of Destiny

Explanation:
There is no known play by Shaw titled A Losing Game. It is not part of his canon.

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Man and Superman: A major philosophical play by Shaw.
  • 3. The Doctor's Dilemma: A well-known Shaw play dealing with medical ethics.
  • 4. The Man of Destiny: Another short play by Shaw exploring power and leadership.
64) Dylan Thomas's popular poem "Fern Hill' is named after
Ans:-3. The Welsh fernouse where the poet spent summer holidays as a boy
1. A country side in Australia to which he paid occasional visits
2.a dhildhood haunt of the poet's family in Devonshire
3.The Welsh fernouse where the poet spent summer holidays as a boy
4.The Welsh Anglican church to which the young poet used to be taken by his mother.

Explanation:
Fern Hill is named after a farm in Carmarthenshire, Wales, where Dylan Thomas spent time in his youth. The poem nostalgically recalls the innocence and joy of childhood.

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Australia: Thomas had no significant ties to Australia.
  • 2. Devonshire: Not connected to Thomas’s childhood.
4. Welsh Anglican church: Fern Hill refers to a farmhouse, not a church
65) Which among the following is not the characterisitic of "Utopian Republic"?
Ans:-2. People do not believe in physical beauty
1.People are neither too rich nor too poor
2.People do not believe in physical beauty
3.People have no addition to drinking and gambling
4. pople have no legal disputes

Explanation:
In Thomas More’s Utopia, physical beauty is not entirely dismissed. Citizens value cleanliness and health, and marriages are arranged partly through assessing physical compatibility. So, it’s incorrect to say they "do not believe in physical beauty."

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Not too rich or poor: True of a utopian society—equality is emphasized.
  • 3. No addiction to drinking or gambling: Utopians lead disciplined lives.
  • 4. No legal disputes: True—laws are simple and rarely broken.
66) Bluntschli, Sergius, Raina and Louka are the important characters in _____
Ans:_1. G.B.Shaw's Arms and the Man
1. G.B.Shaw's Arms and the Man
2.John Osborne's Look Back in anger
3.Harlod Pinter's The Caretaker
4.Samuel /beckett's Waiting for Godot.

Explanation:
These characters belong to Shaw’s anti-romantic comedy Arms and the Man, which mocks romantic notions of war and love.

Incorrect Options:

  • 2. Look Back in Anger: Characters include Jimmy Porter and Alison.
  • 3. The Caretaker: Features Davies, Aston, and Mick.
  • 4. Waiting for Godot: Main characters are Vladimir, Estragon, Pozzo, and Lucky.
67) Name the theorists who divided poets into 'strong' and 'weak' and popularised the practice of misreading

Ans:- Harlod Blooms
1.Roland Barthes
2. Harold Bloom
3. Geoffrey Harman
4. Stanely Fish

Explanation:
In The Anxiety of Influence, Bloom discusses how strong poets misread or reinterpret their precursors to make space for their own originality. He coined concepts like "misreading" and "anxiety of influence."

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Roland Barthes: Known for “Death of the Author” and semiotics.
  • 3. Geoffrey Hartman: A literary critic but did not develop this theory.
  • 4. Stanley Fish: Known for reader-response theory
68) It is a figure of speech having intended meaning different from expression made . Identify it

Ans:- Irony 
1. Satire
2. Allegory 
3. Irony
4. Cinquain

Explanation:
Irony involves saying something but meaning the opposite, often for humorous or emphatic effect.

Incorrect Options:

  • 1. Satire: Uses irony and ridicule to expose foolishness but is a broader genre.
  • 2. Allegory: A narrative with symbolic meaning.
  • 4. Cinquain: A five-line poem; not a figure of speech.
69) The term ' invective' in literature refers to ___
The abusive writing or speech in which there is harsh denunciation of some person or thing

70)Identify the chronological sequence.
 Ans:- The Scottish Chaucerians - The University Wits - The transition poets- - The Rhymer's club.The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood -
    

MA English All Universities

Phonetics

The Organs of Speech


Write a detailed essay on "The Organs of Speech"?

The intricate process of human speech production is facilitated by a complex interplay of various physiological organs, collectively known as the organs of speech. While many of these organs serve primary biological functions such as breathing and chewing, they are uniquely adapted and coordinated to produce the diverse sounds that form human language. In English phonetics, understanding the role of these organs is crucial for comprehending the articulation of different speech sounds. These organs can be broadly categorized into three major systems: the Respiratory System, the Phonatory System, and the Articulatory System.

The Respiratory System

The foundation of speech production lies within the respiratory system, which is responsible for generating the airflow necessary for vocalization. This system primarily comprises the lungs and the muscles of the chest and the windpipe (trachea). The air that we breathe out from the lungs provides the "air-stream mechanism," specifically a "pulmonic egressive air-stream mechanism," which is the most common method of speech sound production across languages. The lungs, along with the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, expel air upwards through the windpipe, setting the stage for sound creation. Without this outward flow of air, speech would be impossible.

The Phonatory System

Situated atop the windpipe, the larynx, commonly referred to as the Adam's apple, forms the core of the phonatory system. Within the larynx are the vocal cords, which are a pair of lip-like structures. These cords are horizontally placed and can be separated at the back. The opening between them is known as the glottis. The state of the glottis and the vibration of the vocal cords are fundamental to distinguishing between voiced and voiceless sounds.

The vocal cords possess the remarkable ability to open and close completely. When we breathe in and out normally, the vocal cords are drawn wide apart, and the glottis is open, allowing air to enter and exit the lungs freely. This wide-open glottis is also characteristic of voiceless sounds, or "breathed sounds," where the air passes through without causing the vocal cords to vibrate. Examples in English include the sounds in 'peel', 'ten', 'keen', 'chin', 'fine', 'seen', 'shine', and 'hat'.

Conversely, for voiced sounds, the vocal cords are brought very close together, effectively shutting the glottis. As air from the lungs passes through this narrow opening, the vocal cords vibrate rapidly. This vibration is the hallmark of voiced sounds. English examples include the sounds in 'bead', 'deed', 'girl', 'judge', 'vine', 'then', 'zoo', 'measure', 'wing', 'red', 'yard', and 'ball'. The rate at which the vocal cords vibrate determines the pitch of the voice. One can easily feel this vibration by placing fingers lightly on the Adam's apple during the production of voiced sounds, like a prolonged 'zzz' sound, in contrast to the absence of vibration for voiceless sounds, such as a prolonged 'sss' sound.

The Articulatory System

The articulatory system encompasses the organs above the larynx, primarily responsible for modifying the airflow into distinct speech sounds. These organs include the pharynx, nasal cavity, tongue, teeth, lips, hard palate, and soft palate (velum).

  • The Pharynx: This is the part of the throat situated behind the oral and nasal cavities and above the larynx. It acts as a resonating chamber and influences the quality of sounds.

  • The Nasal Cavity: Located above the oral cavity, the nasal cavity plays a crucial role in the production of nasal sounds. The soft palate, or velum, controls the passage of air into the nasal cavity. When the soft palate is in its raised position (velic closure), it blocks the nasal passage, forcing air to escape only through the mouth, thus producing oral sounds (e.g., 'sum', 'sun', 'sing'). If the soft palate is lowered (no velic closure), the passage to the nose is opened, and air can escape through the nostrils, leading to nasal sounds (e.g., the 'm' in 'mommy' and 'n' in 'nose'). The last sound in French 'bon' and Hindi 'eye' are examples of nasalized sounds where both oral and nasal passages are open.

  • The Tongue: As a highly flexible and mobile organ, the tongue is arguably the most important articulator. Its various parts can adopt numerous positions to create a wide range of speech sounds. For convenience, the tongue is divided into:

    • Tip: The extreme edge of the tongue.

    • Blade: The part of the tongue that lies opposite the teeth ridge when the speech organs are at rest.

    • Front: The part of the tongue opposite the hard palate.

    • Back: The part of the tongue opposite the soft palate.

    • Root: The part of the tongue that forms the front wall of the pharynx.

  • The Teeth: The teeth, particularly the upper front teeth, serve as a point of articulation for several English consonants. They can impede or direct airflow, contributing to sounds like 'f' and 'v'.

  • The Lips: The lips are highly mobile and play a significant role in the articulation of consonants and vowels. They can be brought together to form bilabial sounds (e.g., 'p', 'b', 'm' in 'pill', 'bill', 'mill'), or they can make contact with the teeth for labiodental sounds (e.g., 'f', 'v'). They also contribute to the rounding or spreading of the mouth during vowel production.

  • The Hard Palate: This is the bony, convex part of the roof of the mouth, located behind the teeth ridge. It is a fixed articulator against which the tongue can make contact to produce various sounds.

  • The Soft Palate (Velum): This fleshy, movable structure extends from the back of the hard palate. As discussed, its movement determines whether air flows through the oral or nasal cavity, thereby differentiating oral from nasal sounds. The uvula, a small fleshy projection hanging from the soft palate, also plays a role in some languages, though less prominent in English.

In conclusion, the coordinated action of the respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory systems is fundamental to the production of English speech sounds. Each organ, from the lungs providing the airstream to the intricate movements of the tongue and lips, contributes uniquely to the vast array of sounds that allow for effective communication. Understanding these organs and their functions is an essential step in the study of English phonetics and the broader field of linguistics.


MA English All Universities

Phonetics

Airstream Mechanisms 

What is an Airstream Mechanism?

  • Definition: A method by which air is moved out of or into the vocal tract to produce speech sounds.

  • Airflow (airstream) is essential for producing most speech sounds.

  • Experiment: Saying "ah" and "baa" helps us observe how air flows out of the mouth during speech.


Air-Stream Mechanisms

From “A Textbook of English Phonetics for Indian Students” by T. Balasubramanian

For the production of speech sounds, a stream of air is essential. This stream of air, called an air-stream, is the moving current of air that becomes the basis of all speech sounds. In fact, without an air-stream, it is not possible to produce speech. The source of this air is usually the lungs, and the process is known as air-stream mechanism.

When we speak, air is pushed out or pulled in through the vocal tract and modified by various organs of speech to produce different sounds. A simple experiment can demonstrate this: if we say a prolonged ah in a whisper, we can feel warm air being released from the mouth. This shows that air flows out while producing sounds.

The respiratory system plays a major role in generating this air-stream. It includes the lungs, windpipe (trachea), bronchi, and alveoli. The lungs, which are spongy organs, contain small air sacs called alveoli where oxygen exchange happens. The air flows from the windpipe to the lungs through bronchi and bronchioles. When air is drawn into the lungs, the process is called inspiration, and when it is pushed out, it is known as expiration.

Types of Air-stream Mechanisms

three main types of air-stream mechanisms used in the production of speech:

  1. Pulmonic Air-stream Mechanism
    This is the most common mechanism used in the majority of the world’s languages, including English and most Indian languages. In this mechanism, the lungs and respiratory muscles push air out (called egressive) or draw air in (ingressive) through the vocal tract. The lungs serve as the initiator of the air-stream. Most speech sounds are produced using the pulmonic egressive mechanism. The analogy used to explain this mechanism is that of a syringe or a toy gun — when the plunger moves, it creates a flow of air just as our lungs do when we breathe out.

  2. Glottalic Air-stream Mechanism
    This mechanism uses the glottis (the space between the vocal cords) as the initiator. It can also be egressive or ingressive:

    • In the glottalic egressive mechanism, the closed glottis is raised, compressing the air above it. When released, it produces ejective sounds.

    • In the glottalic ingressive mechanism, the glottis is lowered while closed, drawing air inward, producing implosive sounds.
      Some languages, such as Sindhi, use implosives. Ejectives are found in several African and Native American languages.

  3. Velaric Air-stream Mechanism
    This mechanism is commonly referred to as the oral air-stream mechanism. It involves the back of the tongue and the roof of the mouth (velum) to trap air inside the oral cavity. The air is then released by moving the tongue, creating click sounds. These are mostly found in African languages. Only ingressive velaric mechanisms are attested; no language uses velaric egressive mechanisms.


Conclusion

The study of air-stream mechanisms is crucial in understanding how different languages produce sounds. While most human languages rely on the pulmonic egressive mechanism, the presence of glottalic and velaric mechanisms in some languages adds diversity to the phonetic world. Balasubramanian’s classification helps Indian learners of English phonetics grasp not only how English sounds are produced but also gives a comparative perspective on the range of phonetic systems across languages.


 Main Source of Airstream:

  • The lungs and respiratory system are the primary sources.Lung air is used to produce most speech sounds.

 Types of Airstream Mechanisms

Type Description Direction Examples
1. Pulmonic Airstream Mechanism Most common; uses lungs and respiratory muscles Egressive (air out) / Ingressive (air in) All English sounds; Sindhi (some ingressive)
2. Glottalic Airstream Mechanism Uses closed glottis and movement of the larynx Egressive (ejectives) / Ingressive (implosives) Ejectives: African languages; Implosives: Sindhi
3. Velaric Airstream Mechanism Uses back of the tongue and air in the mouth Ingressive only Clicks in African languages
  • Egressive: Air moves outward (e.g., most speech sounds)

  • Ingressive: Air is drawn in (rare in languages

  • Key words meanings

  • Larynx:- Both the **glottis** and **vocal cords** are part of the **larynx**. 

    - The **glottis** is the space between the vocal cords, playing a key role in sound production.
    - The **vocal cords** (or vocal folds) are structures within the larynx that vibrate to create voice when air passes through them.

    The larynx, often called the **voice box**, is responsible for breathing, sound production, and preventing food and liquids from entering the trachea. Let me know if you want more details!

  • Pharynx :- The pharynx is a muscular tube that connects the nose and mouth to the esophagus and larynx. It plays a crucial role in breathing, swallowing, and speaking.
  • trachea :-  The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi of the lungs. It provides a pathway for air to travel to and from the lungs during respiration.


                                                            MA English All Universities

.Origin of Language: Theories


Definition of Language.

 The root word  “Langue in french and “Lingua” in  Latin means Tongue. A language is considered to be a system of communicating with other people using sounds, symbols and words in expressing a meaning, idea or thought. 

 Language is one form of communication. Verbal and non-verbal communication is used by humans.

 Characteristics of Language:  Language is essentially a human phenomenon: It is language that distinguishes man from the rest of the animal world

.  Human Language is a signaling system: As its matters it uses vocal sounds. The vocal sounds which provide materials for language are produced by the various speech organs. 

  Language is symbolic: It is a system of arbitrary symbols. For concepts, things, ideas, objects, notions etc., we use sounds and words as symbols. 

  Language is unique: No two languages are alike. They differ in sounds, words and structures. Each language remains different from other due to geographical and cultural diversities. 

  Language is a skill: Language unlike other school subjects is a skill and it is to be learnt by practice by using it.

 language is evolutionary and never static: Changing is the rule in pronunciation, grammar and usage of words of any language. Language continues to change. It will cease to change only when it has ceased to spoken. 

Theories

The first thing is Language is spoken not written. The introduction of system of recording thought and speech by writing was very important step forward and with that we can understand the ways of life and modes of thoughts of our ancestors.

1. The Bow-Wow theory 

 According to this theory, language began when our ancestors started imitating the natural sounds around them. The first speech was onomatopoeic—marked by echoic words such as moo, meow, splash, cuckoo, and bang

 The young child adopts a similar method of expression only reproducing behaviour of the adult ancestors many thousands of years ago. The thing that distinguishes a dog from any other animal is its bark. This is the animal that says “Bow Wow” .


 2) The Ding –Dong Theory 

 The chief exponent of this theory is Max-Muller, an eminent German scholar. This theory holds that the beginning of language is to be found in the sense of Rhythm which seems to have been innate in man. The theory falls back depends on the tendency to imitation of the movement rather than sound. The early man observed a kind of Rhythm in the purling of the stream or the swaying of the tress in the wind. He “Ding – Donged” phonetically to them, partly in the imitation. Bucher puts in that primitive speech in its first stage a simple rhythmical hum or chant keeping time with the step in walking or the hand in work. The medieval ballads and the sea charities give substance (support) to this theory. 

 3) The Pooh-Pooh Theory:  Unlike the bow-wow and ding-dong theories, the pooh-pooh theory is not focused on natural sounds. Instead, this one posits that language originated from interjections that acquired meaning and evolved into words.According to Ebbitt & Ebbitt (in Index to English), “Various exclamations of surprise, pain, scorn may have started as emotional noisesowouchfiephooey—and later become regular words.” This theory is based on one such interjection “Pooh-Pooh”. Originally it is an exclamation implying contempt or discussed and in course of time, it got a meaning. 

4) The Gesture Theory

 Scholars lime Wilhelm Wundt and Sir Richard Paget had traced the origin of speech. According to Wundt “The earliest method of communication was by sign and gesture made with hands. Such a language was natural and spontaneous and even resort it today. When we beckon (calls) to a person (or) with a person whose language is unknown to us similarly we had the head in agreement and shake it side to side to express disagreement. It is argued that a gesture by the hand is usually accompanied by a corresponding movement of the vocal organs. So men passed from sign language to spoken language. Sir Percy illustrates the theory, in the words “I and Me”, the lips are drawn in towards the speaker. The Movements are towards the person addressed in “you and thou”.

    Thus the theories explain the origin of the language. Each theory is correct up to a point. Language is not the result of such simple process. It is the result of a combination of processes for it is revolutionary.

MA English All Universities

Sem 1 Osmanina

Paper IV English Language and Phonetics 

&

MGU Nalgonda Sem 1 Paper 1 Unit 2

History ,Sturcture and Description of English

 Human communication

Discuss the features of Human communication in detail with examples?

Human communication is a complex and dynamic process that enables individuals to convey thoughts, ideas, emotions, and information to others. It is distinct from animal communication due to its advanced features such as language, symbolism, and creativity.

1. Symbolic Nature

Human communication is symbolic, meaning it uses symbols—mainly language—to represent ideas, objects, or feelings.

Example:
 The word "tree" is not the tree itself but a symbol that represents a specific object in the environment.

2. Arbitrariness

There is no inherent connection between the words used and their meanings. Words are assigned meanings by social convention.

There is no natural connection between the word or sound and the thing it denotes, which means we cannot tell what is the meaning of a word simply by looking at it. In order to understand arbitrary words, one has to know a specific language, though there are a number of iconic symbols in every language that can be understood without having to know the entire language system. Onomatopoeias – words which imitate sounds – are present in the majority of contemporary languages. 

Example:
 The word for water differs across languages—water (English), pani (Hindi), aqua (Latin), showing the arbitrary nature of linguistic signs.

For example: the word Dog and four legged animal it's symbolized. It can equally be called kutta ( Hindi), hund (German), chein ( French)

3. Productivity / Creativity

Humans can create an infinite number of sentences and ideas using a finite set of symbols and rules (grammar). This is known as the generative aspect of language.

Example:
 A child can learn to say, “The cat that sat on the mat that lay in the sun is asleep,” even if they’ve never heard that sentence before.

4. Displacement

Human communication allows individuals to talk about things that are not present in time or space—past, future, or imaginary.

This feature of languages refers to the ability to speak not only about what is happening at the time and place of talking. but also about other situation, future and past., real or unreal. We can talk about electronic parts catalog while playing cards and without ever seeing one. 

Example:
 One can say, “I will go to Paris next summer,” or “Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago.”

5. Cultural Transmission

Language and communication are passed from one generation to another through learning, not inheritance.

Although we are all born with certain fixed genetic predisposition for language use (e.g. shape of vocal tract) it does not predetermine which language we are actually going to use as our mother tongue. A Chinese baby brought as a toddler in Great Britain and raised by a British family is going to speak English and not Chinese, though it will still look like a Chinese. If, for example, a Korean puppy was brought to Britain it would still bark the same way as in Korea (perhaps with a slightly different accent J ).

Example:
 A child born in India and adopted by an American family will grow up speaking English, not Hindi or Telugu.

6. Duality of Patterning

Language operates on two levels:

       A set of meaningless sounds or phonemes.

       A combination of those sounds into meaningful words or morphemes.

Human languages have two levels: minimal units – the alphabet for writing and phonemes for speech – which do not have a meaning on their own, and the level where the meaning emerges as a result of combination of the units from level one. It is emphasised by the fact that with a limited set of letters in the alphabet an unlimited number of words and expressions may be produced.

Example:
 The sounds /c/, /a/, /t/ are meaningless on their own, but when combined as "cat," they form a meaningful word.

7. Intentionality

Human communication is usually intentional; it is directed at achieving specific goals or eliciting responses.

Example:
 A teacher explaining a concept wants students to understand; a politician giving a speech aims to persuade.

8. Interchangeability

Humans can both send and receive messages using the same system of communication.

Example:
 In a conversation, both participants speak and listen, unlike in many animal communication systems where only certain members produce signals.

9. Feedback

Human communication allows immediate feedback, making it interactive and dynamic.

Example:
 In face-to-face conversation, nodding, asking questions, or changing tone reflects the feedback loop.

10. Rule-Governed

Communication, especially linguistic, follows rules of grammar and syntax, which ensure clarity and mutual understanding.

Example:
 “We went to the market” is grammatically correct; “Went market we to” breaks the rules and may confuse the listener.

Osmanina University Sem 1 

Paper IV English Language and Phonetics 

 Aspects of Connected Speech

ELISION

 

In order to maintain the characteristic rhythm of English we have to pro-nounce the unaccented syllables rapidly and, in doing so, certain sounds are elided. Thus the word them which is pronounced /dem/in isolation, may be heard as /om/ in connected speech, when the word does not receive any accent. In other words, the vowel in this word gets elided. 

Elision refers to the omission of a sound or syllable in connected speech. In rapid colloquial speech, certain sounds are elided. Some of these are listed below:

1. ELISION OF, VOWELS

Initial // is often elided in rapid speech and we often hear/'getna (get another). It should be remembered, however, that the loss of this vowel is compensated by the addition of a syllabic consonant To cite another example, the expression not alone may be heard as 'nətl 'ləun /ə/ is elided also in expressions like butter and jam (/'batran 'dzæm/). after a while (j'a:ftr a 'wail/); father and mother ('fa:drən 'madə) and so on.

II. ELISION OF CONSONANTS

One does come across examples of consonants being elided in colloquial speech. A few examples are given below:

Elision of /t/ sound

(i) /t/ in next is elided in next day (J'neks 'dei/)

(ii) /t/ in last is elided in last time (f'la:s 'taim/)

(iii) /t/ in left is elided in left turn (/'lef 'tǝ:n/)

(iv) /t/ in kept is elided in kept quiet (/'kep 'kwaiǝt/)

(v) /t/ in musn't is elided in mustn't lose ("masn 'lu:z/) . In the phrase "mustn’t lose," the */t/* sound in "mustn’t" may be dropped when spoken naturally. So, it may sound like *"musn’t lose"* or even *"mus’n lose"* in rapid speech. 

This happens because the */t/* sound is between two consonants, making it more likely to be omitted for smoother pronunciation.

(vi) /t/ in hasn': is elided in hasn't she (/ hæzn 'fi:/)

Elision of /d/

When /d/ sound comes between two consonants, it is often not pronounced.

old car

sandwich

stand there 

weekend plan

hold the bag


 




Simile and Metaphor

 

Simile

A simile is a literary device used to compare two different things in an attempt to make a description more interesting or vivid. Such comparisons are made through the use of the words like or as. Look at the examples below.

His hair is as black as coal -  hair compared to coal

She is as brave as a lion -  a person compared to a lion

Her eyes sparkled like diamonds---eyes compared to diamonds 

The things being compared are dissimilar-hair and coat human and lion; eyes and diamonds

These dissimilar things have something in common (underlined)-blackness; bravery; sparkle.

In each case, the points of comparison are made clear using like or as.

 The basic formula of a simile is 'X is like Y' or 'X is as 7 as Y.

A simile may be used to connect an unfamiliar object or idea with something familiar.

The bell at his new home sounds very much like the song of birds at dawn. (sound made by an unfamiliar bell compared to the chirping of birds in the morning)

 

Given below are a few more examples of similes. The things being compared are marked in green, and the points of similarity between these things are underlined.

The water was black as night.

She was as busy as a bee and had no time to relax.

The room was so warm it was like a sauna.

She moves with such grace, like a gazelle

Her face is like the Moon

Life is like a dream

I wandered lonely as a cloud

 Metaphor

A metaphor is another literary device used in descriptive writing. Like a simile, it compares two different things; but unlike a simile, a metaphor equates the two things directly, without using the words like or as. Look at the examples below.

This city is a concrete jungle.-- equating the city with a jungle

Her words were poison-  equating someone's words to poison

All the world's a stage.----equating the world to a stage

 

Here, too, the things being compared (marked in green) are dissimilar-city and jungles words and poisons world and stage.

 

The point of comparison is often implied rather than being mentioned directly. You may need to figure out what is common to the two things being compared, based on context. Both the city and the jungle are dangerous places. The person's words harm like poison does. Everyone in the world is performing a role like an actor on a stage The basic formula of a metaphor is 'x is Y. (Note that there are other complex types of metaphors. To begin with, however, you should learn to recognise this basic type.) Given below are a few more examples of metaphors. 

My children are the light of my life.

 London is a melting pot. 

How old are these computers? They're practically dinosaurs!

On what basis are these dissimilar things being compared? In the first sentence, the children brighten up the speaker's life, like light brightens a space. A melting pot is a vessel used to mix different metals; similarly, London is a place where different kinds of people and ideas mix. In the final example, the computers are so old and obsolete that, like dinosaurs, they don't belong to the modern era. (This third sentence is also an example of hyperbole-see Unit 5 to refresh your memory-since the computers are obviously not literally as old as dinosaurs!)

Rana Pratap was the lion of Mewar

means Rana Pratap was as brave as the lion. Here the word brave word s hidden

He is now in the evening of life.

here evening' means the end of the day or the last stage. The last stage of life is Old-uge. It means that 'evening of life' is used for old age.

questions on similes

Question 1:

Which of the following sentences contains a simile?

(a) The clouds drifted lazily across the sky.

(b) Her laughter was music to his ears.

(c) He was as brave as a lion in the face of danger.

(d) The rain poured down relentlessly.

Answer: (c)

Question 2:

A simile is a figure of speech that:

(a) Directly compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as."

(b) Gives human qualities to inanimate objects or animals.

(c) Compares two unlike things using words such as "like" or "as."

(d) Exaggerates a statement for emphasis or effect.

Answer: (c)

Question 3:

In the sentence, "The baby's skin was as soft as velvet," what two things are being compared?

(a) The baby and velvet

(b) The baby's skin and softness

(c) The baby's skin and velvet

(d) Softness and velvet

Answer: (c)

Question 4:

Which of the following phrases is an example of a simile?

(a) A sea of troubles

(b) Time is a thief

(c) As busy as a bee

(d) The sun smiled down on us

Answer: (c)

Question 5:

Identify the simile in the following passage:

"The old house stood on the hill, silent and still like a forgotten sentinel. The wind whispered through the broken windows, a mournful sigh. Inside, dust lay thick on the furniture, a blanket of neglect."

(a) silent and still

(b) like a forgotten sentinel

(c) a mournful sigh

(d) a blanket of neglect

Answer: (b)

Question 6:

The purpose of using a simile in writing is to:

(a) Confuse the reader with complex language.

(b) Make a direct and literal statement.

(c) Create a vivid image and enhance understanding.

(d) State obvious facts in an interesting way.

Answer: (c)

Question 7:

Which word is essential for creating a simile?

(a) Is

(b) Was

(c) Like or as

(d) And

Answer: (c)

Question 8:

"He eats like a pig" is an example of:

(a) Metaphor

(b) Simile

(c) Personification

(d) Hyperbole

Answer: (b)

Question 9:

In the sentence, "Her eyes shone like stars," the word "like" indicates that this is a:

(a) Metaphor

(b) Simile

(c) Alliteration

(d) Onomatopoeia

Answer: (b)

Question 10:

Which of the following sentences does not contain a simile?

(a) The runner was as swift as a cheetah.

(b) His temper flared like a sudden fire.

(c) She is a ray of sunshine.

(d) The crowd roared like thunder.

Answer: (c)

10 multiple-choice questions- Mrtaph

Question 1:

Which of the following sentences contain a metaphor?

(a) The athlete ran as fast as the wind.

(b) Her smile was like sunshine on a cloudy day.

(c) The politician was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

(d) The rain fell steadily on the tin roof.

Answer: (c)

Explanation: This sentence directly equates the politician to a "wolf in sheep's clothing" without using "like" or "as," creating a metaphorical comparison of their deceptive nature.

Question 2:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that:

(a) Compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."

(b) Directly compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as."

(c) Gives human characteristics to non-human entities.

(d) Exaggerates a statement for emphasis.

Answer: (b)

Explanation: The key difference between a metaphor and a simile is the direct comparison without the use of comparative words like "like" or "as."

Question 3:

In the sentence, "The internet is an information superhighway," what two things are being compared metaphorically?

(a) The internet and information

(b) The internet and a highway

(c) Information and a highway

(d) Speed and information

Answer: (b)

Explanation: The sentence equates the internet to a "superhighway" to suggest its vastness and ability to transport information quickly.

Question 4:

Which of the following phrases is an example of a metaphor?

(a) As cold as ice

(b) Float like a butterfly

(c) A heart of gold

(d) Busy as a beaver

Answer: (c)

Explanation: "A heart of gold" metaphorically describes someone's kind and generous nature by directly comparing their heart to gold, symbolizing preciousness and purity.

Question 5:

Identify the metaphor in the following passage:

"The classroom was a zoo. Students chattered and moved about restlessly. The teacher, a weary lion tamer, tried to maintain order, but the energy of the room was a tidal wave threatening to overwhelm her."

(a) Students chattered

(b) weary lion tamer

(c) energy of the room

(d) tidal wave

Answer: (b)

Explanation: The teacher is directly referred to as a "weary lion tamer," metaphorically suggesting the challenging and demanding nature of managing a restless group of students. The classroom being a "zoo" and the energy being a "tidal wave" are also metaphors.

Question 6:

The purpose of using a metaphor in writing is to:

(a) Make writing more confusing and abstract.

(b) State facts in a literal and straightforward manner.

(c) Create a deeper understanding and connection by equating two unlike things.

(d) Avoid using descriptive language.

Answer: (c)

Explanation: Metaphors help readers see familiar things in a new light, adding layers of meaning and emotional resonance to the writing.

Question 7:

Which of the following sentences does not contain a metaphor?

(a) Time is a river flowing endlessly.

(b) The detective was sharp as a tack.

(c) Her voice was a soothing balm.

(d) He worked diligently on his project.

Answer: (d)

Explanation: This sentence describes an action literally without drawing a comparison between two unlike things.

Question 8:

"Life is a journey" is a common example of a:

(a) Simile

(b) Metaphor

(c) Personification

(d) Hyperbole

Answer: (b)

Explanation: This statement directly equates life to a journey, implying that it involves progress, challenges, and destinations without using "like" or "as."

Question 9:

In the phrase, "a sea of troubles," the word "sea" is used metaphorically to describe:

(a) The actual ocean.

(b) A small puddle.

(c) A large number or overwhelming amount of troubles.

(d) The color blue.

Answer: (c)

Explanation: The vastness and overwhelming nature of the sea are used to describe a large and difficult collection of problems.

Question 10:

Which literary device involves a comparison using "like" or "as," unlike a metaphor?

(a) Personification

(b) Hyperbole

(c) Simile

(d) Onomatopoeia

Answer: (c)

Explanation: This question directly tests the distinction between simile and metaphor. Similes use "like" or "as" to make comparisons, while metaphors make direct comparisons.



Write a short note on Consonant Clusters:-

A consonant cluster refers to a group of two or more consonants that appear together in a word without any vowels between them. By consonant clusters we mean a sequence of two or more consonants at the beginning or end of a syllable. In other words, a sequence of two consonants will have to form part of the same syllable if it has to be considered a consonant cluster. For example, the sequence b/ and /l/ in the word blue is a consonant cluster because both the consonants forming the sequence belong to the same syllable. Similarly, the consonants /s/ /k/ and /s/ in the word asks form a consonant cluster because all the three consonants once again belong to the same syllable. Consonant clusters can vary in length and can significantly impact the pronunciation and syllable structure of words. These clusters can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

  1. Initial Consonant Clusters: These occur at the beginning of a word.
    1. Examples: play (/pl-/), train (/tr-/), spring (/spr-/)
  2. Medial Consonant Clusters:These appear in the middle of a word, usually across syllables.
    1. Examples: extra (/kstr/), umbrella (/mbr/)
  3. Final Consonant Clusters: These occur at the end of a word.
    1. Examples: last (/st/), banks (/nks/), strengths (/ŋkθs/)

Importance of Consonant Clusters:_Consonant clusters enhance pronunciation fluency.

        They are essential for understanding syllable structure in English.

        Some learners may find them difficult, especially if their native language lacks such clusters.

Consonant clusters are significant in the study of phonetics and linguistics as they:

- Influence the syllable structure of words.

- Affect pronunciation and articulation.

- Can pose challenges for language learners, especially in languages that have fewer consonant clusters.

 Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)

 * Which of the following words contains a consonant cluster at the beginning?

   * (a) apple

   * (b) string

   * (c) umbrella

   * (d) ocean

Ans:- b

 * In the word "texts," how many consonant clusters are present?

   * (a) 1

   * (b) 2

   * (c) 3

   * (d) 0

Ans:- 2

 * What does "abutting consonants" refer to?

   * (a) Consonants at the beginning of a word.

   * (b) Consonants at the end of a word.

   * (c) Consonants that occur together at the boundary of two syllables or words.

   * (d) Consonants separated by vowels.

Ans:- c

 * Which of the following pairs of words demonstrates abutting consonants when spoken together?

   * (a) the cat

   * (b) a dog

   * (c) my house

   * (d) an egg

Ans:- 

 * In the word "splash," which consonant cluster appears at the beginning?

   * (a) spl

   * (b) sp

   * (c) ash

   * (d) none of the above

Ans- a

 * Which of the following words does NOT contain a consonant cluster?

   * (a) splash

   * (b) plant

   * (c) rhythm

   * (d) idea

Ans:- d

 * When two words end and begin with consonants respectively, this is an example of:

   * (a) vowel harmony

   * (b) consonant clusters within a word

   * (c) abutting consonants between words

   * (d) vowel reduction

Ans:- c

 

 * The word "strengths" contains how many consonant clusters?

   * (a) 1

   * (b) 2

   * (c) 3

   * (d) 4

Ans:- C ( str, ng, the) 

Dialects of English

British and American English

 British and American English share a common origin, but over more than three centuries since the first settlement, each has evolved in its own distinct way, developing unique standard forms and dialects. American English has introduced new vocabulary, phrasing, structural elements, and pronunciation changes in both spoken and written forms. At the same time, it has retained several older British English usages that have since faded in Britain. While these languages do not differ significantly, most British and American speakers can understand each other with ease, despite slight variations in pronunciation. In written form, the two are remarkably similar. The primary distinctions between British and American English fall into four categories: grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Grammar

In certain cases, British people use present perfect tense whereas the Americans use simple past tense.

E.g.

British: He has just gone out

 American: He just went out.

 In American English the auxiliary ‘do’ is used with the verb ‘have’

 British: Have you got any issue?

 American: Do you have any issue?

 The American past participle of ‘get’ is ‘gotten’ but it is ‘got’ in British English.

e. g.

British: I have really got to know him

American: I have really gotten to know him.

Needn’t, which is commonly used in British English, whereas in American English in its place is ‘don’t need to’.

In British English ‘at’ is the preposition in relation to time and place. However, in American English, ‘on’ is used instead of the former and ‘in’ for the latter.

Americans sometimes use ‘his’ where the British say ‘one’s’.

British: One should love one’s country.

American: One should love his country.

British speakers often say, ‘I have done’, ‘I can do’, ‘I might do’ etc. in cases where Americans would just say ‘I have’, ‘I can’, ‘I might’, etc.

There are some differences in the use of prepositions and adverb particles, some examples are given below:

British

American

                            

Check something                    check something out.

Do something again               Do something over

Fill in a form                          fill in/out a form

 Protest against something       protest something

Stay at home                           stay home

 

Vocabulary

Flat                                      Apartment                     

(motor) car                           Automobile

Taxy                                     Cab

 Sweets                                 candy

Cupboard                             closet

Tin                                       can

 Lift                                      elevator

Petrol                                   gas

 Dynamo                             generator

Main road                              highway

Engine                                  motor

Film                                     movie

Angry                                   mad

 Trousers                                      pants

Railway                                railroad

Shop                                     store    


Spelling

a) In American English, final ‘l’ is not usually doubled in an unstressed syllable.

British: Traveller, leveling American: traveler, leveling

b) Some words en in ‘-ter’ in American English, and in ‘-tre’ in British English.

 British: theatre, metre, centre

American : theater, meter, center

c) Some words end in ‘-our’ in Britsh English, but in ‘-or’ in American English.

British: labour, honour, colour

American: labor, honor, color

d) Some words end in ‘-ogue’ in British English, but in ‘-or’ in American English

British: catalogue, dialogue, analogue

American: catalog, dialog, analog

 e) Many verbs in American English end in’-ize’, but in British English they end in either ‘ ise’ or in ‘-ize’.

British: realize or realize

 American: realize

f) The spelling is different in some individual words.

British :_-                             American:- 

Aluminium                            aluminum

 

Analyse                                 analyze

Cheque                                  check

Install                                    install

Plough                                  plow

Pretence                                pretense

Tyre                                      tire

 

a) Vowels are often nasalized in American English. But vowels are not nasalized in British pronunciation.

b) Most vowels are pronounced a little differently in British and American English.

 1. The vowel /əʊ/ as in ‘home’ is pronounced with a monophthong in American English.

 2. The vowel /əʊ/ as in ‘post’ is pronounced in American words without lip– rounding and sounds like the vowel /ɑː/ as in ‘palm’.

 3. The vowel /ɑː/ as in ‘father’ is pronounced as /æ/ in American English.

c) In standard British English ‘r’ is only pronounced before a vowel. In American English ‘r’ is pronounced in all positions in a word, and it changes the quality of a vowel that comes before it.

d) Words ending in ‘-title’ are pronounced with /tail/ in British English, and /-tl/ in American English

University Wits

 Why were they called 'University Wits'?

Correct Answer: b) They were university-educated men

Explanation: All members of the University Wits had received university education, which distinguished them from other playwrights of their time.

 What was the common source of material for the University Wits?

Ans:- Mythology, legend, and history

 The University Wits often used pre-existing material from mythology, legends, and history rather than creating entirely new plots. The University Wits commonly used mythology, legend, and history as sources for their plays. Here are some examples:

Christopher Marlowe :- Tamburlaine the Great (1587) – Based on the historical figure Timur (Tamerlane), a Central Asian conqueror . Doctor Faustus (1592) – Inspired by the German legend of Faust, a scholar who makes a pact with the devil.

Thomas Kyd :-- The Spanish Tragedy (1587) – A revenge tragedy influenced by Seneca’s classical dramas and historical themes of Spanish politics.

Robert Greene:  - Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (1589) – Draws from English legends about Roger Bacon, a medieval scientist and magician.

George Peele::--The Battle of Alcazar (1594) – Based on historical events involving King Sebastian of Portugal and the Moroccan conflict.

John Lyly:- Endymion (1588) – Inspired by Greek mythology, specifically the myth of Endymion and the moon goddess Selene. These examples illustrate how the University Wits relied on pre-existing stories rather than creating entirely original plots. 

Robert Greene is well-known for a pamphlet that famously attacks a fellow playwright. Who was the target of Greene's *Groats-Worth of Wit Bought with a Million of Repentance? 

   Ans:- William Shakespeare  

 In Groats-Worth of Wit (1592), Robert Greene criticized an unnamed playwright, calling him an "upstart crow, beautified with our feathers," which is widely believed to be a reference to William Shakespeare. Greene, a university-educated writer, looked down upon Shakespeare, who had no formal university education but was rising in popularity as a playwright.

 Which University Wit is credited with popularizing the prose romance genre in England with works like *Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit?**

   Ans:-  John Lyly  

John Lyly is known for his highly stylized prose romance Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and its sequel Euphues and His England (1580). His elaborate and artificial writing style, known as Euphuism, significantly influenced later English prose and drama.

euphuism in British English

(ˈjuːfjuːˌɪzəm )

an artificial prose style of the Elizabethan period, marked by extreme use of antithesis, alliteration, and extended similes and allusions

"The Spanish Tragedy," a highly influential revenge tragedy, is attributed to which playwright often associated with the University Wits, though not strictly one of the seven usually listed?*  

   Ans:-  Thomas Kyd  

   Thomas Kyd is credited with The Spanish Tragedy (c. 1587), a play that established the conventions of the revenge tragedy genre and influenced Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Although Kyd was not formally part of the University Wits, he was closely associated with them, particularly Christopher Marlowe.

What was a common thread that connected the University Wits as a group?

   Ans:- They were all educated at Oxford or Cambridge University.  

  The University Wits were a group of late 16th-century playwrights and poets who were educated at Oxford or Cambridge. This group included Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, John Lyly, Thomas Lodge, George Peele, and Thomas Nashe, among others. They significantly contributed to the development of English drama before Shakespeare.

Which University Wit wrote the play *Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, a blend of comedy and romance with elements of the supernatural?  

   Ans (b) Robert Greene  

 Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay is a play by Robert Greene, written in the late 1580s. It combines elements of magic, romance, and humor, telling the story of the legendary magician Roger Bacon. The play is notable for its mix of romantic and supernatural themes, making it a unique contribution to Elizabethan drama.

Which dramatist among the University Wits is credited with perfecting blank verse?  

Ans:-  Christopher Marlowe  

*Explanation:* Christopher Marlowe is credited with refining and popularizing blank verse (verse without rhyme, especially that which uses iambic pentameters.-unrhymed iambic pentameter-/An iambic word is a word that has two syllables, the first of which is unstressed and the second of which is stressed) in English drama. His plays, such as Tamburlaine the Great and Doctor Faustus, showcased the expressive power of blank verse, earning it the name "Marlowe's mighty line." His work heavily influenced Shakespeare and later dramatists.  

The classical tradition of drama emphasized:  

Ans:-  The observance of the three unities  

 Classical drama, particularly influenced by Aristotle's Poetics, emphasized the three unities:  

1. Unity of Time – The play’s action should occur within a 24-hour period.  

2. Unity of Place– The setting should remain the same throughout the play.  

3. Unity of Action – The plot should focus on a single main action, avoiding subplots.  

These principles were particularly followed in ancient Greek and Roman drama and later influenced French classical theatre.  

 Which University Wit created the first sketch of Shakespeare’s heroines?

 Ans:- Robert Greene

Greene’s character Margaret in Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay was the first portrayal of a pure and loving woman, influencing Shakespeare’s heroines.

 What was the major contribution of John Lyly to English drama? 

Ans:--  Writing prose comedies  

John Lyly is best known for his prose comedies, which were refined, witty, and stylistically elaborate. His plays, such as Campaspe and Endymion, were written in elegant prose rather than verse, making him one of the first playwrights to popularize prose drama in England. His works also influenced Shakespeare’s use of witty dialogue in comedies.  

Marlowe’s tragic heroes are characterized by: 

Ans:-   Superhuman willpower and struggle against fate  

Christopher Marlowe’s tragic heroes, such as Doctor Faustus (Doctor Faustus), Tamburlaine (Tamburlaine the Great), and Barabas (The Jew of Malta), are known for their towering ambition, immense willpower, and defiance of fate. They strive for absolute power, knowledge, or wealth, often leading to their downfall. This characteristic is a defining feature of Marlowe’s "overreaching" protagonists.  

 Shakespeare’s drama combined the elements of:

Ans:-  Both classical and popular traditions 

 Shakespeare’s plays blend elements of classical drama (such as complex character development, five-act structure, and the influence of Roman playwrights like Seneca and Plautus) with popular English traditions, including folklore, history, and the use of comedy within tragedies. This fusion made his works appealing to both educated elites and the general public.

What was the primary contribution of the University Wits to English drama? 

Ans:- They laid the foundation for Elizabethan drama. A

The University Wits, a group of playwrights including Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, Thomas Nashe, John Lyly, and others, played a crucial role in shaping early Elizabethan drama. They introduced well-structured plots, complex characters, and powerful use of language, especially blank verse, paving the way for later dramatists like Shakespeare.  

 Christopher Marlowe, a member of the University Wits, is best known for which of the following plays?  

Ans:-  Dr. Faustus  

 Doctor Faustus is one of Christopher Marlowe’s most famous plays, showcasing his signature themes of ambition, human limitation, and the supernatural. Marlowe’s use of blank verse and dramatic intensity influenced later Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. The other plays listed (Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Othello) were written by William Shakespeare.  

 Who is credited with introducing the euphuistic style in Elizabethan literature?

Ans:- John Lyly  

John Lyly introduced the *euphuistic style, a highly ornate and rhetorical prose style, in his works *Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and Euphues and His England (1580). This style was characterized by elaborate sentence structures, balanced phrases, and extensive use of alliteration and similes. It greatly influenced Elizabethan prose and drama, including Shakespeare’s comedies.

The Concept of General Indian English

 Source:- A textbook of English phonetics for Indian students

GIE and RP

Received Pronunciation (RP), standard speech used in London and southeastern England. Received Pronunciation (RP) is sometimes referred to as the “Queen’s English,” or “BBC English,”

Most Indians who learn English learn their own Indian language before they are exposed to English. In other words, they have very strongly formed linguistic habits when they attempt to learn English and these linguistic habits (which are mother-tongue habits) are bound to interfere with their learning English. The phonological system of the mother tongue will have an influence on the phonology of their English.

Thus,we very often hear many Indians use the retroflex plosives [1] and [4] in place of the alveolar plosives /t/ and /d/which occur in English. Many Indians use the voiced labio-dental approximant [v] (the sound represented by the Devanagari letter in place of both /v/ and /w/ which occur in English. Apart from these features which can be found in the English speech of most Indians, there are strong regional features in the English spoken by Indians and these are a direct influence of the language they speak as their mother-tongue. There are varieties of English spoken in India, each variety being strongly coloured by the mother-tongue of the speakers of these varieties of English. There are, for example, Tamil English, Telugu English Kannada English, Malayalam English, Bengali English, Urdu English, Oriya English, Punjabi English, and so on.

. To cite a few examples, a Tamilian often pronounces egg as/jeg/instead of /eg/; a Telugu speaker says/dzu:/instead of /zu:/; he also pronounces uncle as /Aykul/; a Bihari pronounces school as/isku:l/ and stamp as /istæmp/; many Bengalis and Oriyas pronounce sip and ship alike; again, many Bengalis pronounce sit and seat alike. Most Malayalees pronounce the /p/ in temple as /b/ the /t/ in canteen as [d] and the /k/ uncle as /g/

If we analyse some of the varieties of Indian English listed above, we will no doubt find certain common phonological features. If we put the common phonological features of several varieties of Indian English together and remove from each variety certain gross regional features, a variety of English will emerge which can be called General Indian English. In fact scholars at the CIEFL, Hyderabad, have analysed the English speech of several educated Indians (see Bansal, R.K, The Intelligibility of Indian English, CIEFL Monograph, and Bansal, R.K. and J.B. Harrison, Spoken English for India) and the concept of General Indian English emerged from such analyses

Each of these varieties is different in some way. When we examine these varieties,we can certainly find certain common features.  If we put the common features together and remove from each variety of certain gross regional features, a variety of English will emerge, which may be called Indian English

By General Indian English means a certain variety of English spoken by educated Indians. General Indian English is free from regional features. It is both a descriptive and a prescriptive model. It is descriptive in the sense that it describes the phonological features of a variety of English, and prescriptive that it is prescribed at the CIEFL to Indian speakers of English as a model of spoken English to imitate.

THE VOWEL SYSTEM OF GENERAL INDIAN ENGLISH (GIE)

As opposed to the vowel system of RP, GIE has a vowel system consisting of eleven pure vowels and six diphthongs.

11 Pure Vowels- GIE

/i:/ beat

/I/ bi

/e:/ gate

/e/ get

/æ/bat

/a:/ past

/D/ cot, caught

/0:/ coat

/u/put

/u:/foo

//cut, hurt, about (I syllable)

6 Diphthongs- GIE

/al/ bite

/DE/ oil

/au/ cow

/I /hear

/ǝ/poor

/ea/there

Difference between the Two systems

1. As against RP /5/ and /5:) GIE has only one phoneme /D/. Thus in GIE the distinction between cot and caught is not made.

2. As against RP/A/, /ǝ:/ and /ə/, GIE has only one phoneme which has been symbolised /ə/.

3. GIE has two pure vowels or monophthongs /e:/ and /o:/ in place of RP diphthongs /ei/ and ǝu/ respectively.

4. GIE /1/ and /u/ are closer and less centralized than their RP counterparts.

5. The GIE vowel in words like bet, bed etc. is opener than its RP counterpart. (That is why the GIE vowel is symbolized /ε/. The GIE vowel is nearer cardinal vowel 3 than cardinal vowel 2).

6. The GIE vowel in words like part is more front than back whereas RP uses a back vowel.

 The GIE consonant system differ from the RP consonant system in the following way

1. GIE has dental plosives /t/ /d/ instead of the English dental fricatives /0/ and /8/.

2. GIE has retroflex plosives /1/ and /d/ in place of the English alveolar plosives /t/ and /d/.

 

3. GIE has one phoneme /v/ in place of the English phonemes/w and /v/. This means that many Indians do not differentiate between pairs like wine and vine and west and vest.

Apart from these differences in the consonant systems, there are certain phonetic differences between RP and GIE. These are listed below:

1. In GIE the voiceless plosives are unaspirated in all positions, whereas in RP they are aspirated when they occur initially in stressed syllables.

2. In GIE /n/ doesn't occur word-finally. Since word-final /n/ is represented by the letters ng, most Indians introduce /g/ after n/. In other words, words like ring, sing and young are pro-nounced with a final/ng/.

3. In GIE/tf/and/d3/are articulated with the tongue tip down. In other words, in GIE /t/ and /d3/ are palatal affricates and not palato-alveolar affricates.

4. In RP /r/ has different phonetic realizations (see the previous chapter) whereas in GIE /r/ is invariably a rolled [r] or a tap [r]. Also, most Indians pronounce /r/ in all positions, i.e. wherever the r is found in spelling.

5. Since in most Indian languages there is more of a one-to-one correspondence between spelling and pronunciation, mosi Indians tend to pronounce words with medial double consonant letters with the consonant in questions considerably prolonged. For example, words like upper, utter, summer, running, pulley, etc with a prolonged /pp/, /tt/, /mm/, /nn/, and /11/ respectively.

Many of these features of GIE, it should be pointed out, do not affect intelligibility within India. However, if international intelligi-bility is what is aimed at, the consonants /6/, /6/, /t/ /d/ /v/ and /w/should be acquired.

MA English

Osmanina-BCA Communicative English

Osmanina University- Paper - English and Phonetics

Describe how One-way Communication and Two-way Communication vary from one another

 OR

Discuss one-way and two-way communication with examples.

 

One way communication is a one-sided transmission of information. Two way communication is a mutual and interactive communication process.


 




Answer:

One-way Communication 

One-way communication refers to a process where information flows in a single direction—from the sender to the receiver—without any opportunity or expectation for feedback or response.

This method is valued for its simplicity, speed, and cost-effectiveness. However, it lacks the ability to clarify information or correct mistakes, which can frustrate the audience.

It is often associated with authoritarian approaches and top-down communication structures.

A common example is a billboard displaying an advertisement or announcement.

 Its benefits include simplicity, speed, and affordability. However, it offers no room for explanation or a chance to fix errors, which may irritate the recipient

Examples: Listening to speeches or radio, watching TV programmes or movies, reading books or magazines, Memos and E-Mails Reports and presentations Safety notices on machinery Social media posts Signage and brochures ,Notice boards, Public speaking and presentations, Advertising and marketing campaigns, Corporate announcements and memos,

Two-way Communication

Two-way communication involves the mutual exchange of information between the sender and the receiver.

It tends to take more time, as the receiver is given the opportunity to respond and ask questions about what has been said or written.

This form of communication is often linked to democratic leadership styles, where active participation from the receiver is encouraged.

Compared to one-way communication, it is generally more effective and likely to be accurate, especially when dealing with complex messages.

Example:- Amateur radio, CB or FRS radio contacts Chatrooms and instant messaging Computer networks In-person communication, Telephone conversations, Conversing between two people Giving advice ,Answering and asking questions.



Differences between One-way Communication and Two-way Communication:

One-way Communication

·        hard to understand

·        sender conveys messages without expecting receiver's feedback

·        critic in nature

·        type of communication is simple

·        sender wastes less time

·        more orderly than two-way

·        less formal

·        does not ensure accurate understanding of message

·        incomplete communication due to the absence of feedback

·        no better understanding between the sender and the receiver

·        less effective

Two-way Communication

easier to understand

· 

·   receiver can pose questions about the message received

·        feedback is essential

·        democratic in nature

·        type of communication is complex

·        sender wastes long time

·        less orderly than one-way

·        more formal

·        ensures accurate understanding of message

·        complete communication due to the presence of feedback

·        better understanding between the sender and the receiver

·        highly effective

Feature

One-way Communication

Two-way Communication

Understanding

 

harder to understand

 

easier to understand

 

 

Feedback

feedback is not required

 

 

Nature

more like a lecture

 required

like a conversation

Time

Saves time

Takes more time

Effectivness

Less effective

More effective

Clarity

May cause confusion

Clear and accurate

Formality

Less formal

More formal

Interaction

No interaction

Active interaction

Example

TV,speech,poster

Phone call, discussion

 

 

 



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