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Unit 9 Pigskin English

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Detailed Study of Paras 1-8 (1) How did the writer make his investigation? ... Not only does language vandalism spread on an extremely large scale, but its ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Unit 9 Pigskin English

1
Unit 9 Pigskin English
2
Detailed Study of Paras 1-8

(1) How did the writer make his investigation?
He sat down in front of a TV set and watched
football games with a notebook and a pen in his
hand when events like the Super Bowl were
televised. He watched the football program
attentively and listened to the commentators
carefully, ready to take notes of instances of
mangled English.

3
(2) Why did the writer focus on watching events
like the Super Bowl?

Because such events are now watched around the
world English is already the world' widely used
language, the first or second language of almost
a billion people. Countless millionns studying
it avidly ---250 million people in China alone.
Events like the Super Bowl are hypnotically not
only as sport, but as lessons in American
culture and in the English language. Also the
writer assumed that language vandalism was most
serious in an event like the Super Bowl.

4
(3) Point out the elliptical sentences in this
part and expound their function."And the Super
Bowl! The Visigoths festival! Language vandalism
on an epic scale!

No, even grander than epic-universal, because the
Super Bowl is now seen around the people in 59
countries watched last year, seven million in
Britain, God knows how many millions in the
People's Republic of China."
These elliptical sentences sound very forceful,
effective, and rhythmical, emphasizing the
serious degree of language vandalism when the
Super Bowl is televised and watched all over the
world.

5
Language Work

Pigskin English English used in comments or
reports about football games.
The word pigskin means football in North
America.
co-anchor ?.to jointly preside over or take
charge of radio or TV programs
e.g.A middle-aged man and a beautiful young
woman co-anchor the News Perspective program on
STY

mangle vt. to damage sth. greatly almost beyond
recognition spoil ( a text, etc.) mutilate
e.g. (1)Text was mangled by poor typesetting
(2) After the accident they tried to find out who
the people were, but the bodies were too badly
mangled to be recognized.
(3) The symphony was dreadfully mangled by the
poor performance of the orchestra.

frontline n. a line of fighting which is closest
to the enemy the foremost part of an army under
attack the most important, advanced or
responsible position
e.g. (1) The frontline troops are fighting
heroically against the enemy.
(2) They are in the frontline of nuclear
research.

horde a large noisy and excited crowd of people
e.g. (1) A horde of students on bikes made
crossing the road difficult.
pillage vt. to rob (sb., a town, a village, etc.)
of goods, crops, etc. with violence, as in war
The pirates pillaged the ocean-liner of all its
cargoes.
e.g. (1) Works of art were pillaged from that
country during the first days of the invasion.
rape vt. interfere with sth. violently
spoil violate, assault
e.g. (1) The heavy pollution has raped the
landscape.
(2) The judge raped justice by declaring the
innocent man guilty.

No, even grander than epic - universal, because
the Super Bowl is now seen around the world.
Not only does language vandalism spread on an
extremely large scale, but its influence is also
felt worldwide because the Super Bowl is now
watched all over the world.

titan n. a person of great size, strength,
intellect, importance, etc.
e.g. (1) The basketball players of the American
Team are all titans, very tall, strong and
nimble.
hypnotically adv. In a state like deep sleep in
which a persons actions my be controlled by
another person in a state of hypnosis or similar
condition in an intoxicated state
e.g. (1) The football fans were watching the
finals hypnotically.

Events like the Super Bowl are watched
hypnotically not only as sort but as lessons in
American culture--- and English.
TV viewers watch events like the Super Bowl
extremely attentively not only as a sports
program but also as a lesson in American culture
and English.

12
Detailed Study of Paras 5-8

(1) Why is John Madden of CBS regarded as the
clear Most Valuable Mouth in that league?
Because as a football commentator he readily
supplies concrete and vivid metaphors at proper
moments.

13
(2) What do the viewers hear when watching events
like the Super Bowl?

The viewers hear sheer verbal energy energy in
decibels a relentless barrage of words a
collision of words as fierce as the crunch of
linesmen, when the smack of their action
occasionally interrupts the torrential talk.
Words shouted, words bellowed, words screamed
voices raised to be heard above a crowd the
commentators can't hear because they are inside a
glass booth - in short a pandemonium of words.

14
Language Work

decibel n. a unit for measuring the relative
loudness of sound
e.g. (1) This engine, a new model, makes about 65
decibels of noise.
(2) The screen shows the decibel count at this
intersection.
relentless adj. continuing in a severe or
determined way
e.g. (1) The law is relentless in punishing
offenders.
(2) The politician was driven by a relentless
urge for power.
(3) The chief symptom of anorexia is a relentless
pursuit of thinness by starving.

barrage n. heavy continuous gunfire directed onto
a particular area to restrict enemy movement
(fig.) a large number of questions, criticisms,
etc. delivered quickly one after another
e.g. (1) They launched barrages of up to 40
rockets at a time.
(2) The orator was under a barrage of questions.
(3) The worker lodged a barrage of complaints

collision n. crash, instance of
colliding instance of one object or person
striking against another conflict or clash of
opposing aims, ideas, opinions, etc.
e.g (1) The liner was in collision with an
oil-tanker.
(2) The two ships came into collision.
crunch n. a loud short sound made when sth. is
crushed
e.g. (1) There was a crunch as he bit the
apple.
(2) The woods were silent apart from the crunch
of our feet in the snow.
(3) When it comes to the crunch (when the crunch
comes)

linesman n. an assistant helping the referee in
certain games, esp. in deciding whether or where
a ball crosses one of the lines an umpire's or
referee's assistant who decides whether a ball
falls within the playing area or not
E.g.(1) The linesman claimed the ball was out,
but the umpire decided it was in.

smack n. a slap, (sound of) a blow given with the
open hand loud sound of the lips being parted
e.g. (1) The man gave his child a smack on
the bottom.
(2) His lips made a greedy smack as he cut
into the steak.
(3) The player gave the ball a hard smack
with his bat.
v. She smacked him with her open hand.
e.g. (1) He smacked the book angrily on the
table.

torrential talk (a metaphorical expression)
rapid talk as swift as a torrent quick talk with
words uttered rapidly like a violently rushing
stream of water
e.g. (1) The kids were scared at the angry,
torrential talk by their teacher who is usually
very amiable.

bellow vi. to make a deep loud noise like a bull
roar, esp. with pain shout, say loudly or
angrily
e.g. (1) He bellowed with pain when the tooth was
pulled out.
(2) The bull bellowed angrily.
(3) The weaving machines were so noisy that the
workers had to bellow at each other to be heard.

a glass booth a small enclosure or compartment
made of glass for a specific purpose
e.g. (1) When the police arrived, the man in the
glass booth was more dead than alive.
pandemonium n. a wild and noisy disorder or
confusion
e.g. (1) Pandemonium broke out whel1 the news was
announced.
(2) Pandemonium reigned in the classroom until
the teacher arrived.

First, sheer verbal energy energy in decibels
--- a relentless barrage of words a collision of
words as fierce as the crunch of linesmen, when
the smack of their action occasionally interrupts
the torrential talk. Words shouted, words
bellowed, words screamed ... in short a
pandemonium of words.

Football can be dull and television has made it
duller by stretching a game into hours and hours
of fragments to accommodate commercials and
promotions.
A football game can be boring and monotonous, and
television has rendered it more boring and more
monotonous by extending it into many hours of
short parts in order to insert commercials and
promotion.

accommodate commercials and promotions
to provide or supply TV ads and cater to
advertising campaigns to meet or satisfy the
need of commercials and promotions
Things interesting for two hours may be
intolerable for four.
Things interesting for two hours only are not
likely to be bearable if they are stretched to
last for four hours.

First, millions and millions of people across the
world hear a continuous stream of forcefully
uttered words a clash of words as loud and harsh
as the grating voices of linesmen, when the
utterances they occasionally make interrupt the
commentators' incessant talk. All they hear are
words uttered loudly, words uttered in a deep
voice, words uttered at a high pitch ... in
short they hear a wild and noisy disorder or
confusion of words.

razzle-dazzle
n. (confusion caused by) very noisy and
noticeable activity which attracts attention
e.g. (1) The graduating students are on the
razzle-dazzle.
(2) As is always with the playwright, surface
razzle-dazzle is combined with serious argument.
v.
e.g. (1) He razzle-dazzled girls in basketball.

It is like colorizing old movies to make them
compelling, after chopping them into seven
minute segments ...
It is like making old movies more colorful to
render them extremely exciting, and more
attractive, after cutting them into seven-minute
fragments
... in the two-shots so comically close
together...
.. with the two sportscasters staying so
ridiculously close to each other. . .

28
Detailed Study of Para 9-19

Why are football commentators even more popular
than television newsmen?

Because of three reasons first, football
commentators do not seem to be creating the
speech of their fans but reflecting it. Second,
they seldom mangle the English language when they
make comments. You have to go out of your way to
look for really glaring examples. Third, these
commentators speak very regular, colloquial
American English, filled with 'lots a" ,
"gotta", "musta", "woulda", which is nonstandard
in grammar but often used informally by Americans
who use stan- dard grammar otherwise. It is the
language of the beer commercials that sustain the
games. Speaking it is like hanging up the
business suit and putting on jeans for the
weekend. And it is very much the language that
John Madden speaks in the Super Bowl.

30
Language Work

USA Today fosters that by devoting a special
column to TV sports coverage, rating commentators
for best lines, worst line, etc.
USA Today encourages or promo9tes the competition
for Most Valuable Mouth by devoting a special
column to TV sports coverage, appraising
commentators for best lines, worst line, etc.

reach-for-it metaphors metaphors that are within
easy reach metaphors that can be readily
understood
The word reach-for-it is coined by the
writer from the verb phrase reach for, which
means to stretch one's arm with the intention to
get or touch sth.
e.g. (1) The cowboy reached for his gun and said
to the thief, "Hands up!"

alimony n. a regular amount of money that a court
of law orders a person, usu. a man, to pay to his
partner after a divorce
He refused to pay any alimony to his ex-wife.

"It's like paying alimony and then waiting for
the rabbit to die"
This sentence is a case of simile. It probably
means An instant-replay decision is made with
the intention to delay the time and wait for the
weak team to be defeated.

Madden on Jim MacMahon "He doesn't worry about
the horse being blind. He's going to load the
wagon." Madden made a comment on Jim MacMahon
"The blindness of the horse does not worry him.
He is going to load the wagon and make the horse
pull it anyway."
The implication of this comment is that as
far as Jim MacMahon "is concerned,the end,
winning the game, justifies the means, fair or
foul.

lick v. (inf) to defeat easily in a competition,
fight, etc.
e.g. (1)If you lick me, you may take what money I
have.
(2) No one expected last-year's champion to be
licked in the first round.
bizarre adj. strange in appearance or effect
grotesque eccentric
e.g. (1) The story has a certain bizarre
interest.
(2)These are bizarre patterns. bizarre clothing
(3)He became increasingly bizarre in speech.

In short, despite its impact on the rest of
American life, television is not leveling out
regional dialects.
To be brief, in spite of its strong influence on
the rest of American life, television is not
eliminating regional dialects.
You have to go out of your way to look for really
glaring examples.
You have to make special efforts to look for
really gross examples for mangled English.

Trumpy (NBC) It appears Miami s weakness is
defending the run.
Trumpy (National Broadcasting Company )
commented It appears that Miamis weakness is
defending the run.
In this comment is an example of mangled
English, i.e., the noun defense is used as a verb
by Trumpy.

Vermeil (CBS) "It's hard on young players
technique-wise and mentally-wise," and, "In ..
football you teach people to be a team guy."
Both quotations are glaring examples of mangled
English. Possibly, more standard versions could
be "It's hard for young players with respect to
technique and intelligence." and "In college
football you teach players how to be a good guy
on the team."

Much more common is that these commentators speak
very regular, colloquial American English filled
with "lotsa" , "gotta", "musta", "woulda".
These sportscasters more often speak very proper,
colloquial American English, full of "lotsa" (
lots of), "gotta" ( have got a or have got
to), "musta" ( must have), "woulda" ( would
have).

It is nonstandard in grammar but often used
informally by Americans who use standard grammar
otherwise. It is the language of the beer
commercials that sustain the games. Speaking it
is like hanging up the business suit and putting
on jeans for the weekend.
This sort of English does not live up to standard
grammar, but it is often used on informal
occasions by Americans who employ standard
grammar on other, more formal occasions. It is
the language of - advertisements that sponsor or
financially support the games being televised.
Speaking you feel free, uninhibited, and casual.

There are things you have to like about
Schroeder... This Gary Clark is something Ill
guarantee ya' he's loosenin' up this defense...
That's what it's all about.
Schroeder possesses something special that you
have to like,.. This Gary Clark is really
somebody I can assure you that he is relaxing
this defense... That is what it is all about."

Leaving anxious language students in Singapore
aside for the moment, is such language
influencing American speech, corrupting standard
usage, undoing the work of our schools?
Even if we do not take into consideration the
anxious language students in Singapore for the
time being, is such language affecting American
speech, mangling widely accepted usage, and
nullifying the teaching of language in our
schools?

residue n. what remains after a part or quantity
is taken or used what is left over
e.g. (1)Residues of pesticides can build
up in the soil.
(2)The farmers use crop residues as fuel.
finicky adj, (derog.) too fussy about food,
clothes, etc. needing much attention to details.
e.g.(1) She is a finicky eater and dresser.
(2) This job is too finicky for me.
the frontier suspicion the mistrust cherished by
people since the frontier days

There is still in this culture a residue of the
frontier suspicion that a man too finicky with
words, who talks like the schoolmarm, is not
quite masculine. Relaxed, untutored speech is
associated with outdoor jobs that seem more
virile. Football is an easy way to bridge the
gap.
There still exists in American culture some
remnants of the frontier suspicion that a man,
who is too fussy about words and who talks like
the schoolmistress, does not have all the
qualities thought to be typical of men.
Uneducated speech that does not show any anxiety,
tenseness or worry is closely connected with
outdoor jobs that seem to have or show more
typically masculine strength or energy. Football
is an easy way to narrow the distance in-between.

The truth is that we all move up- and
down-markets, so to speak, in our language.
Language is the great excluder and includer and
most of us unconsciously play it both ways
keeping some people at a distance with one form
of talk, ingratiating ourselves with others by
adopting theirs.
Actually, it can be said that we all use our
language to appeal to or satisfy either people in
the upper social classes or those in the lower
social classes. Language can function to both
exclude and include people, and most of us
unconsciously employ language both ways, i.e.
keeping some people at a distance with one form
of talk, and seeking common ground with others)
adopting their form of talk.

prickly adj. (inf) easily angered, irritable,
touchy
e.g.(1) Heat sometimes causes a prickly rash on
the skin.
(2)He is a bit prickly today.
consummate adj. perfect complete in every way
e.g.(1) He acted Hamlet with consummate skill.
(2) She believed that with him she would live a
life of
consummate happiness, even in poverty.
penchant n. a liking for, an enjoyment of, or a
habit of doing sth., esp. sth. that others may
not like

There are football voices that would please the
prickliest English teacher NBC's Ahmad Rashad
talking about "the consummate tight end", and
Dick Enberg talking about "this penchant for the
close game" are using elegant English.
Some sportscasters' speech would delight the most
fault-finding English teacher. NBC's Ahmad Rashad
talking about the "consummate tight end" (the
perfect evenly contested end), and Dick Enberg
talking about "this penchant for the close game"
(this inclination for the close game) are
speaking graceful English.

interception n. intercepting, stopping or
catching sb. or sth. in motion before he or it
can reach a destination instance of intercepting
E.g.(1)Many people hold that the interception of
telephone calls and private mail is illegal.
(2) The player tried to intercept the
football, but the interception was a failure.

49
Detailed Study of Para 20

(1) Does the writer think that newsmen are
entitled to belittle sportscasters?
No, he does not think that newsmen have the
right to be belittle sportscasters.
(2)What does the writer think of football
commentators?
He thinks that football commentators do not
speak any worse than newsmen and that they have
the added advantage of knowing what they are
talking about.

50
Language Work

Newsmen tend to look down a little on the
sportscasters. But to be honest I doubt the
network football commentators are much harder on
the language than a lot of TV newsmen left to
ad-lib for more than a few minutes.
News reporters are inclined to show a little
contempt for the sportscasters. But to be frank,
I do not believe that the network football
commentators use the language any less elegantly
than a lot of TV newsmen when they have to
improvise for more than a few minutes