Abstract
In this chapter I discusses the development, implementation, teaching and evaluation of a course entitled ‘Language as Play’, an elective on the BA in Contemporary English Studies at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. I outline some of the challenges involved in delivering such an innovative course in the absence of anything that might be termed a theory of language play (including uncertainty about a definition) or of any coherent teaching or reading materials. Some ad hoc theoretical concepts are presented, and the problematic relationship between language play and the much-vaunted but poorly understood concept of language creativity, and how to teach and assess it, is investigated. The chapter finishes with an evaluation of the success (or not) of the course.
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Notes
- 1.
Another way in which creativity is nurtured in the Department, as elsewhere, is via contributions (in the form of poetry or short fiction) to an occasional literary magazine.
- 2.
One further topic that is beyond the remit of the course is language play in translation. Teachers of translation are left to struggle with this most imponderable of tasks.
- 3.
All involve some kind of error in language but are based in different linguistic systems: for example, spoonerisms in lexico-phonology, malapropisms in lexis, misprints in lexico-graphology and broken English in translation (such as found in a number of humorous collections, e.g. Chinglish, by Oliver Lutz Radtke (2007)). While all these are productive errors, ‘mondegreens’ are a receptive equivalent (such as hearing Jimi Hendrix sing ‘kiss this guy’ when he meant ‘kiss the sky’ in the song ‘Purple Haze’).
- 4.
Webster’s Encyclopaedic Unabridged English Dictionary (1996) dates its introduction to 1935–1940.
- 5.
The best answer is: That that is, is; that that is not, is not.
- 6.
It should be noted that the first instance, catfrontation, which triggers the whole sequence, represents a different kind of play: coining, via the process of blending. All the other words already exist. Thus, there are different kinds of creativity taking place.
- 7.
This double representation would also apply to jokes which rely on puns – the majority, according to Crystal (1998: 14).
- 8.
Entries marked * are also in the course bibliography.
References
Entries marked * are also in the course bibliography.
Amritavalli, R., & Upendrun, S., in conversation with Jayalakshmi, G.D. (2011). Word play across languages and cultures. In J. Swann, R. Pope, & R. Carter (Eds.), Creativity in language and literature: The state of the art (pp. 103–105). Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Augarde, T. (1984). The Oxford guide to word games. Oxford: Oxford University Press. *.
Beard, A. (2007). Language play in English. In J. Maybin, N. Mercer, & A. Hewings (Eds.), Using English (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Bell, N. (2005). Exploring L2 language play as an aid to SLL: A case study of humour in NS-NSS interaction. Applied Linguistics, 26(2), 192–218.
Berry, R. (2010). Terminology in English language teaching. Bern: Peter Lang.
Brown, A. (2000). Tongue slips in Singapore English pronunciation. English Today, 16(3), 31–36.
Carter, R. (2004). Language and creativity: The art of common talk. London: Routledge.
Coffey, S. (1998). Linguistic aspects of the cryptic crossword. English Today, 14(1), 14–18.
Cook, G. (1996). Language play in English. In J. Maybin & N. Mercer (Eds.), Using English (1st ed., pp. 198–227). London: Routledge.
Cook, G. (2000). Language play, language learning. Oxford: OUP. *.
Crystal, D. (1996). Language play and linguistic intervention. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 12(3), 328–344.
Crystal, D. (1997). The Cambridge encyclopedia of language (2nd ed.). Cambridge: CUP. *.
Crystal, D. (1998). Language play. Harmondsworth: Penguin. *.
Goatly, A. (2012). Meaning and humour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Goddard, A. (2002). The language of advertising. London: Routledge.
Lin, A. (2011). The bilingual art of Fama: Linguistic hybridity and creativity of a Hong Kong hip-hop group. In J. Swann, R. Pope, & R. Carter (Eds.), Creativity in language and literature: The state of the art (pp. 55–67). Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Luk, J. (2013). Bilingual language play and local creativity in Hong Kong. International Journal of Multilingualism, 10(3), 236–250.
Lyons, J. (1995). Linguistic semantics: An introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Myers, G. (1994). Words in ads. London: Edward Arnold. *.
Nunan, D. (2007). What is this thing called language? In J. Swann, R. Pope, & R. Carter (Eds.), Creativity in language and literature: The state of the art. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Pomerantz, A., & Bell, N. (2007). Learning to play, playing to learn: FL learners as multicompetent language users. Applied Linguistics, 28(4), 565–578.
Pope, R., & Swann, J. (2011). Introduction: Creativity, language, literature (pp. 1–22). Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Radtke, O. L. (2007). Chinglish. Layton: Gibbs Smith.
Ross, A. (1998). The language of humour. London: Routledge, (chs. 2 & 3). *.
Singh, S. (1999). The code book. New York: Anchor. *.
Swann, J., Pope, R., & Carter, R. (2011). Creativity in language and literature: The state of the art. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
van Lier, L. (1995). Introducing language awareness. London: Penguin.
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Appendix
Appendix
1.1 Aims (as Specified in the Course Syllabus)
This course aims to introduce students to a dimension of language that rarely figures in English Studies curricula yet whose importance is now coming to be recognised. It will familiarise students with the role of language play in the cultural life of speakers of English, (re)acquaint them with the various linguistic mechanisms that underpin language play (ambiguity, rhyme, the writing system, etc.) and expose them to various endeavours where language play is a factor. The course also has the general aim of providing learners with an opportunity to become creative users of English and enhance their language proficiency by undertaking activities in motivating circumstances.
1.2 Course Content (Simplified)
Single sessions (interludes) | Double sessions (topics) |
|---|---|
Twisters | Newspaper headlines |
Rebuses | Advertising |
Misprints and broken English | Codes |
Spoonerisms and malapropisms | Word and letter games 1 |
Anagrams | Joke-telling |
Slang (e.g. back slang and rhyming slang) | Light verse 1 |
Inventing words | Light verse 2 (the limerick) |
Crosswords | TV and other comedy |
Acronyms | Word and letter games 2 |
In addition there are the preludes referred to above as well as presentations and tests.
1.3 Example from a Student Portfolio
[The following text accompanied a photograph of a sign in English below the Chinese original: REFUSE TO FEED.]‘This photo is taken beside the fish pond. The sign originally means “Do not feed fish”. However, the first two characters are mistranslated into “refuse”, and it seems to say that the fish refuse to be fed. That is the humorous point’.
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Berry, R. (2014). Innovating in Tertiary Education: A Course in Language Play. In: Coniam, D. (eds) English Language Education and Assessment. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-071-1_8
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