STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
Gender, Speech Styles and the Assessment of Discussion
Group 7
There are three girls in this group, G13, G14, and G15. The teacher is at no time present. G14 is the chair, and G15 is the scribe. The topic of discussion is the the same as that of group VI - the characters in Act I of The Long and the Short and the Tall. No speaker in this group was assessed by the S.E.B.. The discussion lasts 9 minutes and 40 seconds.
The teachers who took part in this study were shown the extract marked in bold typeface (lines 37-129), in order to assess G14.
1. G13:
G14:
G15: because he doesn't realise that Bamforth's just winding
2. G13: uhuh =he doesn't see that=
G14:
G15: him up (.) he doesn't sort of= =yeah
3. G13: (.) but Bamforth's just as stupid for carrying on and he
G14:
G15:
4. G13: knows (.) I think maybe Bamforth knows that if he carries
G14:
G15:
5. G13: on annoying him then maybe he might get (.) thrown out
G14:
G15:
6. G13: or something (.) or maybe that's what he wants (.) to get
G14:
G15: that's right
7. G13: put away or something
G14: (.) he doesn't like (being an ally)
G15:
8. G13: no cos maybe he was saying that (.) he didn't want
G14: at all (.) cos
G15:
9. G13: to be any of the (2secXXXX) (.) just go away from what's
G14:
G15:
10. G13: happening (.) to become a native on some island (.) or
G14: oh
G15: yeah
11. G13: maybe that's what he wants =uhuh (.) he
G14: that's right (.) on the banks and all that=
G15:
12. G13: just wants to be put away
G14: (.) right (.) d'you want
G15: (.) right
13. G13: (.) mmm
G14: to go onto the next question then (.) how does
G15: (.) yeah
14. G13: =mmm=
G14: Johnson treat the prisoner (1) hates him (.)= =he
G15: uhuh=
15. G13: =yeah (.) cruel =uhuh (.) and he
G14: hates him=
G15: =mmm he's sort of the enemy=
16. G13: doesn't care (.) to him it is just a job and the (.) cos
G14: uhuh
G15:
17. G13: the (.) other soldiers do take it in that (.) he is a
G14:
G15:
18. G13: human being (.) he's not just =
G14: =uhuh he just sees
G15:
19. G13: uhum =mmhmm
G14: him as the enemy=it's like yeah
G15: =I think Johnson would have killed him (.)
20. G13:
G14:
G15: quite easily (.) he wouldn't have thought anything about
21. G13:
G14: =it's just that he's the enemy (.) he's bad (.) let's
G15: it=
22. G13:
G14: shoot him (3) why does he want to shoot him (1)
G15: (1) right
23. G13: mmhmm
G14: it's because he's the enemy (XXXX) =cos
G15: just because he is the enemy=
24. G13:
G14: he thinks it's so mach
G15: (.) and he also thinks that (.) the
25. G13:
G14:
G15: prisoner is a risk (.) to take back to base (.) he
26. G13: yeah
G14: yeah
G15: probably is a risk but you've got to think of the
27. G13:
G14:
G15: other (.) advantages of taking him back and he doesn't
28. G13: (.) yeah because if they just killed
G14:
G15: sort of realise that
29. G13: him the other (.) the big eh eh Japanese guy was really
G14:
G15:
30. G13: just like him= =because he does have a family and
G14: =uhuh he was just a human being doing his job
G15: =mhmm=
31. G13: everything and he did care (.) he was just on the other
G14:
G15:
32. G13: side and that's really why (.) he was just the enemy
G14:
G15: (.)
33. G13:
G14: rubbish
G15: Johnson treats the enemy as a sort of (.) rubbish=yeah=
34. G13: =yeah= he's got to =I'd
G14: =as a
G15: =he's got to do his job (.) it's his life and=
35. G13: think it probably would be his life (.) cos he doesn't
G14:
G15:
36. G13: care for the (XXXX)= ((giggles))
G14: ((giggles)) uh where
G15: =uhuh (.) right ((giggles))
37. G13:
G14: am I= =what do you learn about him from
G15: =what do you learn=
38. G13:
G14: his treatment of the Japanese prisoner (.) sort of
G15: (.)
39. G13:
G14: =cold (.) unsympathetic= (.) he's a
G15: cold character= =yeah (.)
40. G13:
G14:
G15: he'd be the kind of person I don't think would have many
41. G13: no (1) he gets on
G14:
G15: friends (.) I don't think anybody would
42. G13: with the higher (.) authority people like (.) he he does
G14:
G15:
43. G13: get on quite well with Mitchum (.) cos Mitchum's higher
G14:
G15:
44. G13: than him (.) it's like he's= =uhuh (XXXX)
G14: =a social climber=
G15:
45. G13:
G14:
G15: (.) he's really trying to sort of (.) sneak in with
46. G13: yeah
G14:
G15: Mitchum (.) really trying to keep on the good side of him
47. G13:
G14: aye
G15: (.) cos it's probably to his advantage (.) he might get
48. G13: =uhuh I think that's all he wants (.) like the
G14:
G15: promoted=
49. G13: army is his life and he just wants to get the highest
G14:
G15:
50. G13: possible position (4) next question=
G14: = (XXXX)
G15: (.) right
51. G13:
G14: what do you think of the way Bamforth behaves (1) what
G15:
52. G13:
G14: do you think of the way Bamforth behaves towards the rest
G15:
53. G13: (.) disrespect (.) definitely
G14: of the patrol he sort of (.)
G15: mhmm
54. G13: =mmm=
G14: doesn't like him (.) well (.) he uh (.) teases them=
G15: =
55. G13:
G14:
G15: he's sort of uncaring and he doesn't bother about their
56. G13: =no= =like he was going on to
G14: =it's just his own=
G15: feelings=
57. G13: Evans the Welsh one that (.) his wife you know had just
G14: mmmm
G15:
58. G13: been going away off with a Yank and (XXXX) calling McLiesh
G14: ((gasp of laughter)) and
G15:
59. G13: a Scotch haggis
G14: calling the Welsh (XXXX) and singing in the choir (XXXX)
G15: ((laughs))
60. G13: ((laughs))
G14: names (1) a Scotch haggis= ((laughs))
G15: =mmhmm ((laughs)) (.) I think he
61. G13:
G14:
G15: realised that Evans wasn't (.) well he was bothered about
62. G13: right
G14:
G15: that what he said about his wife (.) but the other things
63. G13:
G14:
G15: (1) that he was saying about (.) Evans (.) I think he
64. G13: mmm
G14:
G15: realised that Evans (.) just took it in his stride (.)
65. G13:
G14:
G15: didn't really bother (.) but he was really winding
66. G13: =oh yeah (.) and he knew that MacLeish didn't
G14:
G15: MacLeish up=
67. G13: like it= =and he was just trying to test how far he
G14:
G15: =no=
68. G13: would go= = and (.) MacLeish didn't know how far he
G14: =uhuh=
G15:
69. G13: would go with Bamforth because he doesn't know his
G14:
G15:
70. G13: authority yet
G14: mmm he just loses his temper (XXX) I don't like
G15:
71. G13: =no= =he's very arrogant and crude (.) and
G14: Bamforth= (laughs) yeah
G15: (laughs) =no=
72. G13: straight to the point= (.) it doesn't matter about
G14:
G15: =yeah to the point
73. G13: ((laughs))= = right
G14: =doesn't care about anybody else= (3.5)
G15: = mmhmm
74. G13:
G14: right (.) what do you learn about (.) what's that word (.)
G15:
75. G13: (whereabouts)
G14: what do you learn about him from his treatment of the
G15:
76. G13: =Bamforth=
G14: prisoner= =uhuh=
G15: =well (.) =he's kind of like a child (.)
77. G13:
G14:
G15: he's sort of (.) I don't know he's kind of curious as (.)
78. G13:
G14: uhuh
G15: to what the prisoner is (.) he doesn't sort of realise
79. G13: uhuh and
G14: oh that's like when he's going put your hands on your
G15: that he's an ordinary human being
80. G13: drop hands on your head and drop drop drop=
G14: head and drop them ((laughs))= and he was
G15: ((laughs))
81. G13:
G14: going on about his wife and he'd found out about his wife
G15: mhmm
82. G13: =three ((laughs)) three (.) yes (.)
G14: and two kids= ((laughs)) (XXXX)
G15: =oh right= oh
83. G13: that was the thing ((laughs))
G14: ((laughs)) (1) he's curious (.) uhuh
G15:
84. G13:
G14:
G15: (1.5) sort of if (.) as if he doesn't really know what the
85. G13:
G14: no =the enemy
G15: enemy is (.) he doesn't realise that they're=
86. G13:
G14: (XXXX) shoot them=
G15: =or he doesn't realise that they're human
87. G13:
G14:
G15: beings even (.) he sort of thinks they're something
88. G13: eventually he does sort of get slightly
G14:
G15: strange ((laughs))
89. G13: protective (.) and he's like a child playing with a wee
G14:
G15: mhmm
90. G13: doll (.) you know the way he was going on like (.) he was
G14: yeah
G15: mmhmm
91. G13: going up to him and going boo and the Japanese
G14: ((laughter))
G15: ((laughter))
92. G13: soldier (.) and drop your fingers (.) and things like
G14: ((laughs))
G15: yeah
93. G13: that (.) it was things like that (.) were amusing him=
G14:
G15: =
94. G13: =he's got a funny sense of humour
G14: ((laughs)) (5) what
G15: yeah= ((laughs))
95. G13:
G14: is your impression of him by the end of the act (.) didn't
G15:
96. G13: =he was too crude (.)
G14: like him=
G15: =no I didn't like him at all=
97. G13: arrogant (.) and pigheaded=
G14:
G15: I = uhuh (.) I think he's (.)
98. G13:
G14:
G15: kind of sort of stupid (.) he doesn't realise what he's
99. G13: (2secsXXXX) =he was brought up
G14:
G15: doing (.) he can't really help himself=
100. G13: (.) brought up in that sort of (.) a very bad area (.)
G14:
G15: yeah
101. G13: and it's like that's just been brought through his whole
G14:
G15:
102. G13: life (.) it's what he knows (.) he doesn't know anything
G14:
G15:
103. G13: else (.) like Evans is so good natured=
G14: =yeah (3) would you
G15: =yeah
104. G13: =I
G14: like him as a fellow soldier (.) no (.) definitely not=
G15: (laughs)
105. G13: don't know (.) do you think he would save you? (.) do you
G14:
G15:
106. G13: think? (.) aye= =no (.)
G14: =don't know=
G15: =no I don't think he would=
107. G13: he was saying how scared he was
G14: he (.) he (.) was he not the one
G15:
108. G13:
G14: who says that if anybody got into the island he would jump
G15:
109. G13:
G14: off the island I mean he was a coward (.) a coward (.)
G15: uhuh
110. G13:
G14: running away from danger (.) I mean
G15: I don't think he would (.) he
111. G13: =mmhmm=
G14: =he wouldn't he wouldn't
G15: only thinks of himself=
112. G13:
G14: help you if you were in a (.) situ. situation you couldn't
G15:
113. G13: =mmm=
G14: get out of=
G15: =even in just your (.) ordinary life as a
114. G13:
G14: =uhuh=
G15: soldier it would be miserable= = I mean nobody could
115. G13:
G14: (1) no (.) well
G15: stand that amount of (1) teasing really
116. G13:
G14: I wouldn't like him because he'd be always teasing you (.)
G15:
117. G13: ((laughter)) =yeah=
G14: you know (.) somebody teases me I lose my temper= =I
G15: ((laughter))
118. G13: =but (.) but (.) do you
G14: just give it to them back=
G15: =right=
119. G13: not think that's just a big a. (.) it could be just a
G14:
G15:
120. G13: big act (1) he might not
G14:
G15: (1) he might be just putting it
121. G13: I don't think does (.) I don't think he
G14:
G15: on but (1) I don't know
122. G13: would=
G14: =mm
G15: =uhuh (.) I think he's sort of (.) made like that=
123. G13: it's just the way he was brought
G14: =
G15: =which no other character would do
124. G13: up= =it's just his way=
G14: =he might change (.) at the end
G15: =yeah=
125. G13:
G14:
G15: (.) maybe (.) if he(.) gets married or something he might
126. G13: ((laughs))
G14: (.) something shocking= =changes
G15: (.) or something happens =yeah=
127. G13: =something= ((laughs))
G14: =dramatic= ((laughs))
G15: something happens= =dramatic ((laughs))
128. G13: (.) so he could change like if it was something like to
G14:
G15:
129. G13: teach him a le.= =a lesson
G14: =yeah= (.) right (.) so (.) right do
G15: =yeah=
130. G13:
G14: you want to go onto question four is that enough about (.)
G15:
131. G13:
G14: thing then= =compare the way MacLeish and Evans
G15: =(suppose so)=
132. G13:
G14: react to Bamforth's tea. teasing
G15: (.) oh well (.) ((gasps))
133. G13:
G14: (.) MacLeish is (1.5) he
G15: big contrast ((gasp of laughter))
134. G13:
G14: loses his temper over it= (XXXX) =yeah
G15: =uhuh very easily= (.) he
135. G13:
G14:
G15: doesn't sort of realise that he has authority that he
136. G13:
G14: yeah
G15: could stop it if he wanted to (.) and Bamforth's just (.)
137. G13:
G14:
G15: I mean (.) because MacLeish doesn't realise that it's
138. G13:
G14: =yeah and uses
G15: Bamforth (.) he just takes advantage of him=
139. G13: =yeah (.) (2 secsXXXX) how far he can go with
G14: him= (2 secsXXXX)
G15:
140. G13: these (.) stripes
G14: (.) Evans as well (.) he jus. he's (.)
G15: yeah
141. G13:
G14: sort of gives it back (.) he knows how to deal with him
G15:
142. G13:
G14: (.) doesn't he= it's like
G15: =he does he sort of (.) well he doesn't
143. G13:
G14: (.) gives him a bit back
G15: ignore it (.) but he sort of (.)
144. G13: =right=
G14: =it doesn't really bother him
G15: he takes it in his stride=
145. G13: =it tells us that he was brought up (.) yeah I think
G14: him=
G15:
146. G13: he was brought up in a good home (.) but he saw both
G14:
G15:
147. G13: sides (.) when he was out at the pub he saw all the
G14:
G15:
148. G13: fights (.) and he saw what would happen (.) I think he (.)
G14:
G15: yeah
149. G13: learnt (.) from that how to deal with other people= =
G14: =yeah=
G15:
150. G13: but MacLeish is just a typical Scotsman
G14: (1) you mean he's
G15:
151. G1 =(loses his head)
G14: a (XXXX)=((laughs))
G15: (.) you know when Bamforth
152. G13:
G14:
G15: is annoying Evans about his girlfriend (1) I think it got
153. G13: yeah it showed a bit
G14:
G15: to him then (.) although he didn't (.) show it (.) well
154. G13: he broke a bit (.) didn't he just to let it
G14:
G15: it did a bit yeah mhmm
155. G13: show (.) but then he sort of pulled himself together=
G14: =aye
G15: =yeah
156. G13:
G14:
G15: (1) I don't think Bamforth realised how upset (.) Evans
157. G13: =no (XXXX)
G14: =about his girlfriend= =(2secsXXXX)
G15: was= =uhuh= (XXXX) (.) I think
158. G13: =no=
G14:
G15: Evans didn't show it enough for Bamforth to notice= =
159. G13:
G14:
G15: maybe somebody more sensitive (.) Mitchum might have
160. G13: =suppose it's
G14:
G15: noticed (.) but Bamforth's that (.) sort of=
161. G13: better because then I'm sure Bamforth (.) wouldn't go
G14:
G15:
162. G13: back to that topic that was annoying (.) Evans= =cos
G14:
G15: =right=
163. G13: he dealt with it so well (.) I mean MacLiesh just didn't
G14:
G15:
164. G13: (2 secsXXXX) (.) but
G14: (.) right (.) why does
G15: (2) right Jean
165. G13: =because of his
G14: MacLeish lose his temper?
G15: (1.5) why does he?=
166. G13: stripes (.) surely he can't (1) eh Bamforth's always going
G14:
G15:
167. G13: on about how he's got this power and (.) he should go and
G14:
G15:
168. G13: hand it in if he wants a fight (.) because
G14:
G15: