Dizzee Rascal

Spoken language is often varied. This is due to different dialects and sociolects, which are based on different regions or social classes. The variation can also be seen in accents. Usually, certain sociolects are expected in certain situations. For example, in jobs related to law, politics or businesses, the use of received pronunciation is expected. However, when talking in a less formal situation (eg. talking to friends), you’re more likely to revert to your own sociolect. I have recently conducted a 10 person survey to see if people judge those who use non-standard english. My survey’s results show that more people had an opinion (negative or positive) than those who didn’t. My results therefore showed that 72.5% of people are constantly judging spoken language.

The two interviews I’ve studied, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Newsnight both feature the hip-hop artist Dizzee Rascal. The two shows have …show more content…
During this particular interview, Jeremy Paxman interviews Baroness Valerie Amos and Dizzee Rascal. When introducing Dizzee, Paxman is notably uncomfortable and unsure. This can be seen in the filler “er”, his self correction (rapper (.) and hip-hop artist) and then his apologising in the first turn. This highlights the fact that Paxman doesn’t believe Dizzee is going to meet the expectations of the show due to his use of non-standard English. This is an example of some of the ways Paxman judges Dizzee’s spoken language.

Dizzee Rascal is obviously aware of the fact that he is seen as less intelligent and uneducated because of his spoken language. To try and fit the expectations of the show, Dizzee attempts to change his sociolect, saying “... he’s an immediate symbol of unity”. I believe Dizzee changes his spoken language because feels pressured after following Valerie Amos’ turn, in which she uses political jargon and formal language. Alternatively, Dizzee may just be trying to make a good