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Article published In: Register Studies
Vol. 4:1 (2022) ► pp.30–54

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TV shows, authenticity, and language learning

A corpus-based case study

ORCiD logo with link | Qatar University
Published online: 9 June 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/rs.19016.als
Abstract
One of the many resources teachers seek for authentic materials, particularly for spoken English, is TV. However, the concept of authenticity is relative, and it is sometimes hard to determine how authentic materials are. The present study uses a corpus-based analysis to assess to what extent a soap opera, compared to a sitcom, represent natural conversation on a salient set of linguistic features associated with the situational characteristics of conversation. Results showed that the soap opera seems to be closer to natural conversation, and hence more authentic, in the use of features associated with two situational characteristics out of three, namely real time production and interactiveness, and expressing feelings and stance. Results could help inform the practitioners’ decisions when looking for authentic spoken materials.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Using authentic video materials in esl instruction
    • 1.2Authenticity and TV shows language
    • 1.3Register variation, situational characteristics of conversation, and TV registers
  • 2.Method
    • 2.1Corpora
    • 2.2Linguistic features
    • 2.3Analysis
  • 3.Results and discussion
  • 4.Summary and implications
  • References
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