Leet.

• Leet ( or 1337 ) is the form of communication used by computer hackers.
• Leet is an alternative English alphabet which is made up of mostly symbols which resemble each letter, e.g, [ for C. 
• It is most commonly used online. 
• It originated in the 1980's by computer hackers to avoid instant recognition. 
• It has since spread and is used by gamers, in forums among other things. 
• It is most commonly used in usernames, often to express individuality.
• Most common on forums, chat rooms and online games.
• Leet comes from the world 'elite' which means 'better than everyone else'
• Leet is mostly used in English but can also be used in French, Spanish or German.
• Leetspeak is a mixture of words (often computer related) and are often spelt incorrectly e.g t3h instead of 'the'. 
• NOTE: That only vowels are changed into numbers, so people wouldn't spell words completely in leet. 

nn&¬!$$4  < my name in leet. :)

 Vocabulary:  

• bai --- bye
• carp --- crap
• ceak --- cake
• nd --- and
• d00d --- dude
• form --- from
• guise --- guys

Features of language:

Lexis & semantics featues:

• Tone / register.
• Personification.
• List.
• Collocation (a group of words that go together e.g. the cold hard light of day.)
• Synonyms.
• Antonyms.
• Connotations.
• Negatives.
• List of 3. 
• 
  
  Phonology:
• Alliteration.
• Rhythm
• Pauses. 
• Repetition.
  
  
  Grammar- word classes:
• Adjectives.
• Superlatives.
• Modal auxiliary verb.
• Stative verbs.
• Adverbial phrase.
• Abstract nouns.
• Adverbs of time / manner / place / duration.
• Attributive / predicative adjectives.
  
  Grammar - syntax:
• Declarative sentences.
• Minor sentence.
• Simple sentence.
• Complex sentence.
• Adverbial clause of time.

Standard vs non-standard.

-Standard English dialect is called Standard English (SE).

-Standard English accent is received pronounciation.

Everything else is non-standard not incorrect.

Forms of language variation:

Phonological (sound): Differences in pronounciation, often focused on particular phonemes, for example, the glottal stop as a replacement for the /t/ sound.

Lexical (vocabulary /words): Alternative and additional words within a particular variety e.g, 'mush' instead of friend.

Semantic (meaning): Changes of meaning to standard English e.g weed / stoned.


Grammatical (syntax): The use of unusual syntax patterns or different grammar rules to standard English. e.g, double negation.


Orthographical (spelling): Mainly spoken, use of a wider range of characters in a socialect like 'Leet'.
 

Language change and variation:

Language use is dependant on many factors.

Age: Young people speak more colloquially, older people tend to use standard English and their accent tends to reflect RP more than the younger generation, the older generation like to use language 'properly' compared to the younger generation who tend to shorten words,e.g. 'ain't'.

Sexuality: Tend to use more terms on endearment, e.g - love, honey, darling. 

Gender: Women talk more, use more fillers, subject change a lot more. Men tend to use more non-standard English.

Social class: Higher class speak closer to received pronounciation-more inclined to use standard English.

Ethnicity: Ethnic background alters phrases used, dialect and pronounciation.

Deviance: Colloquial, often more lower class, non standard, code words, jargon, alternative word use - like another language to disguise what is being said. 

Occupation: Jargon, job related speech - particularly by medical professionals. 

Region: Accent & dialect.

Hobbies: Jargon.

What to take note of from the creative writing piece:

1) Realise that language was sophisticated before dictonaries.
2) The purpose of dictionaries wa to show that there is a right way to spell and words that were in the dictonary were seen to be 'better.'

Check him out on Youtube.

David Crystal.