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Language diversity and change
Keep the assessment objective visible throughout when revising Language diversity and change in Paper 2 Language Diversity and Change. This topic asks students to connect linguistic terminology with purposeful evidence, so revision should move between close language analysis, contextual interpretation and the demands of AQA A-Level English Language 7702. Core subtopics include Analysing variation, change and attitudes, Examples and data for diversity and change, and the linked learning objectives include Analyse attitudes to language variation and change; Analyse how audiences are addressed and positioned in texts about language; Analyse how identity is constructed through language; Analyse how language is used to enact relationships; Analyse how language varies because of geographical contexts. Strong answers should identify precise features, explain how they operate in a specific text or data set, and then evaluate what those choices reveal about meaning, representation, audience, genre or mode. Avoid treating the topic as a list of definitions. Instead, practise building paragraphs that quote or describe evidence, name the relevant method, explain the effect, and connect the point to the question focus. This keeps revision exam-facing while still respecting the official curriculum hierarchy.
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19 objective pages available
Examples and data for diversity and change7 objectives
- Study texts using different sociolects, including social and occupational groups, gender and ethnicity.
- Study texts using different dialects, including regional, national and international varieties of English.
- Study texts that use language to represent different social, occupational, gender, ethnic, regional, national and international groups.
- Study texts from different periods, from 1600 to the present day.
- Study written, spoken and electronic texts about a range of subjects, audiences, purposes and genres.
- Study items from collections of language data, such as dictionaries, online resources and language corpora.
- Study research findings, including tables, graphs and statistics.
Analysing variation, change and attitudes12 objectives
- Analyse how language varies because of personal contexts.
- Analyse how language varies because of social contexts.
- Analyse how language varies because of geographical contexts.
- Analyse how language varies because of temporal contexts.
- Explain why language varies and changes.
- Develop critical knowledge and understanding of different views and explanations of language diversity and change.
- Analyse attitudes to language variation and change.
- Analyse language use according to audience, purpose, genre and mode.
- Analyse how language is used to enact relationships.
- Analyse how identity is constructed through language.
- Analyse how audiences are addressed and positioned in texts about language.
- Analyse how representations are produced in texts about language.
Key terms
Exam tips
- Use specific examples: When discussing language diversity, always support your points with specific examples from different sociolects.
- Use specific examples: When discussing language diversity, always support your points with specific examples from the text.
Common mistakes
- Confusing sociolect with dialect: Remember that a sociolect refers specifically to language used by a social group, while a dialect is more about regional variations.
- Confusing dialect with accent: Remember that dialect includes vocabulary and grammar, while accent refers only to pronunciation.
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