If you’re learning English, don’t watch the video here, though; watch it on the TED site instead, where you can follow this, like most of the talks, in the interactive transcript. Click on any part of the transcript, and the video plays that part. If you’re practicing listening comprehension, keep the section very short, listen to it several times, and try to repeat his words with the same emphasis to get a sense of the way the speaker stresses some syllables (the stressed syllable in the words that carry meaning), and unstresses all the others. The TED talks, along with the fantastic English Central, and for everyday topics, Video Jug, are great for self-study listening comprehension.

When we came out of the cinema I couldn’t remember which language the film had been in. It was so immediate. Kaurismäki says this is the first installment in a trilogy about life in port cities, and he plans to make follow-ups in Spain and Germany, using the local languages. Very fitting, the director’s linguistic openness, given the nature of habors. The wonderful title song is actually in English. The refrain goes: “Love the sea and you will always be a matelot.”

There’s a micro subplot involving Little Bob and a lady. Little Bob! Never heard of him, but the guy rocks. His band gives a benefit concert in the film:

Masson, Christine (2011). “Interview with Aki Kaurismäki”. English press kit Le Havre. Retrieved 2011-05-21.

“The Problem We All Live With”  by Norman Rockwell is currently on display at the White House, just outside the president’s office. It shows Ruby Bridges, the most famous of the children who in 1960, at the age of 6, walked into an all-white school and helped desegregate the schools of New Orleans. Daddy’s brave little girl, indeed. Never forget. I’d like to believe that the Civil Rights Movement has become a part of the core of our civil religion.

Ruby’s shoes. Ruby shoes.

In the song Ruby’s Shoes by Lori Mckenna, from 2002, it seems to me her story has become almost generic. Ruby is Everygirl, just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, whose ruby shoes in the film help her get back home to Kansas. Ruby is Everygirl, just like Anne Frank.  – Ruby Bridges recollects:

Scenes from a Disney, made for TV movie. Some very nice Norman Rockwell-like scenes of the intact black community.

Ruby’s Shoes, 2002

by Lori McKenna

Ruby’s shoes would take her
A mile or so to school every day
Where the white people hated her
They’d scream and hold signs and tell her to go away

But Ruby’s will was stronger
Than the bigots with the signs could ever know
She stopped every morning on the corner
And prayed that someday the pain would go

And she’d stop and she’d pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby’s shoes

Ruby sat alone in the classroom
She never dreamed the other children wouldn’t come
They hated her for the color of her skin
Well color is such an amazing illusion

She’d stop and she’d pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby’s shoes

Now Ruby knew about Dorothy
And the ruby shoes that she wore
She wondered about Oz sometimes
Well, well no other child ever walked her shoes before

And she’d stop and she’d pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby’s shoes

Ruby, if birds can always fly
Why oh why can’t you and I?

Ruby’s shoes would take her
A mile or so to school every day
Where the white people hated her
They’d scream and hold signs and tell her to go away

And she’d stop and she’d pray
That all the hatred would go away
She’d stop and she’d pray
That no other children would be raised this way
Ruby’s shoes

If birds can fly
Then why oh why
If birds can fly then why oh why can’t I

Features of connected speech:

assimilation: when words are spoken together and the sounds at the word boundaries change
s can change to sh: this shop => thish shop or Ruby’s shoes =>rubysh shoes
t, d, n at the end assimilate to the place of articulation to become bilabial: in bed => im bed
d can change to g: good girl =>goog girl
voiced can become unvoiced: have to go => haf to go
d and y can fuse to j: how d’you do => how jou do

elision: omitting sounds, esp. d and t, between words
next please => nex please
Ruby’s shoes =>ruby shoes

vowel reduction and weak forms:
You and me => You ənd me
If birds can fly => If birds cən fly
She should əv known better. She shəd ə known I’d wait.

laison: her English => her ringlish
brother and sister => brother rən sister

intrusive r and w:
no other => no wother

ICH BIN VON KOPF BIS FUSS AUF LIEBE EINGESTELLT
(Friedrich Holländer)
Marlene Dietrich

Ein rätselhafter Schimmer,
Ein “je ne sais-pas-quoi”
Liegt in den Augen immer
Bei einer schönen Frau.
Doch wenn sich meine Augen
Bei einem vis-à-vis
Ganz tief in seine saugen
Was sprechen dann sie?:

Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß
Auf Liebe eingestellt,
Denn das ist meine Welt.
Und sonst gar nichts.
Das ist, was soll ich machen,
Meine Natur,
Ich kann halt lieben nur
Und sonst gar nichts.

Männer umschwirr’n mich,
Wie Motten um das Licht.
Und wenn sie verbrennen,
Ja dafür kann ich nicht.
Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß
Auf Liebe eingestellt,
Ich kann halt lieben nur
Und sonst gar nichts.

Was bebt in meinen Händen,
In ihrem heißen Druck?
Sie möchten sich verschwenden
Sie haben nie genug.
Ihr werdet mir verzeihen,
Ihr müßt’ es halt versteh’n,
Es lockt mich stets von neuem.
Ich find’ es so schön!

Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß
Auf Liebe eingestellt,
Denn das ist meine Welt,
Und sonst gar nichts.
Das ist, was soll ich machen,
Meine Natur,
Ich kann halt lieben nur
Und sonst gar nichts.

Männer umschwirr’n mich,
Wie Motten um das Licht.
Und wenn sie verbrennen,
Ja dafür kann ich nichts.
Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß
Auf Liebe eingestellt,
Ich kann halt lieben nur
Und sonst gar nichts.

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN
(Frederick Hollander / Sammy Lerner)

Falling in love again
Never wanted to
What am I to do?
Can’t help it

Love’s always been my game
Play it as I may
I was born that way
Can’t help it

Men flock around me
Like moths around a flame
And if their wings burn
I know I’m not to blame

Falling in love again
Never wanted to
What am I to do?
Can’t help it

Love’s always been my game
Play it as I may
I was born that way
Can’t help it

Men flock around me
Like moths around a flame
And if their wings burn
I know I’m not to blame

Also recorded by:
The Beatles; Diahann Carrol; Chas & Dave; Petula Clark;
Rosemary Clooney; Sammy Davis Jr.; Doris Day; Roy Eldridge;
Marianne Faithful; Brian Ferry; Crystal Gayle;
Benny Goodman; Billie Holiday; Nana Mouskouri;
André Prévin; Alan Price; Linda Ronstadt; Nina Simone;
Jo Stafford; The Three Degrees; Don Williams; … and others.

Today my main task was to find examples of discourse markers in context in a movie trailer, explaining their functions in a given utterance. I chose Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen and, because it caught my imagination, transcribed and thought through more than necessary. It’s fun to examine a dialogue and make what is implicitly understood explicit. I’ve disregarded intonation here, but that would be another interesting look at this.

We’re been using an impressive grammar coursebook, Martin Parrott Grammar for English Language Teachers, these past few weeks, under Lindsay Clandfield’s tutelage. I’m looking forward to the face-to-face part of the course, because I’ve been lagging behind in the distance section. I’ve frankly found it exceedingly difficult to keep up discipline, especially with other work going on. Still, since this grammar module began I’ve started feeling more clued in. I have loads of gaps in grammar, but perhaps they’re easier to fill than in other areas, say: pronunciation, where I’ve been learning from scratch. Anyway, Martin Parrott teaches a “Virtual English Masterclass” on the BBC Learning English website here.

Transcript of trailer

Scene 1
Man 1: I mean, th-, this is unbelievable. There’s no city like this in the world.
Woman 1: You’re in love with a fantasy.
Man 1: I’m in love with you.
“This” refers to Monet’s garden, where they are walking, and all of Paris, the city they’ve just begun to experience. His stammer and “I mean” are expressions of his personal emotional involvement, which he communicates in an attempt to influence how his fiancé will react, getting her to share his enthusiasm.
Her very cool reaction shows that she isn’t willing to buy into his feelings.

Scene 2
Woman 2: What are you…?
Woman 1: //Oh, hey!//
Woman 2: … what are you doing here?
Woman 1: Dad’s here on business and we just decided to… freeload along!
Woman 2: (laughter) Oh!
Man 2: That’s great! We can spend some time together.
Woman 1://Oh, that’d be nice!//
Man 1://Oh, I don’t know, I think// we have a lot of commitments
Woman 1: (Silence)
Man 1: but I’m sure it’s, well…
Woman 1: What?
Man 1:// (mumble)//
“Oh, I don’t know” is a hedge to buy time while the man tries to think of a way to stop the others from making plans to meet up. He makes up a phony excuse. Then he uses the contrasting, polite, non-committal, face-saving marker “But I’m sure” to repair any damage he may have caused by emphasizing their willingness to be friendly and sociable. However, while he is saying it, he notices that he’s misjudged the situation as his fiancé falls silent and fails to give him verbal support. Knowing he’s lost their common ground, he leaves the “repair” phrase dangling (well is another hedge), so that when she openly challenges him, saying “What?”, the conversation breaks down.

Scene 3
Man 2: If I’m not mistaken, Rodin’s work was influenced by his wife, Camille.
Expert: Rose was the wife!
Man 2: No, he was never married to Rose.
“If I’m not mistaken” is a conversation management marker that calls attention to and seeks to establish the authoritative knowledge of the speaker. Her word stress shows that she disagrees, and expresses disbelief. He defends his authority.

Scene 4
Woman 1: I hope you’re not going to be as anti-social tomorrow.
Man 1: I’m not quite as taken with him as you are. Well, he’s a pseudo-intellectual.

“As”: The two of them are criticizing each other using benchmarks for comparison (his “bad” behavior compared to the “good” behavior she wants from him tomorrow; her being “taken with” Man 2 as opposed to his disapproval). They’re competing for what they consider appropriate. “Well” is a discourse marker that expresses reservation, shows he is considering what she has said, indicates that he is thinking about and taking up the topic.

Scene 5
Man 2: Slightly more tannic than the ’59. I prefer a smoky feeling.
(Hehehe)

Scene 6
Man 2: Carol and I are gonna go dancing.
Woman 2: //Dancing!//
Woman 1: //Oh!//
Man 2: I know a great place. Interested?
Man 1: No,…
Woman 1: //Sure! yeah!//
Man 1: // no, no,// no, now, I don’t want to be a killjoy,
Woman 1: //Oh, come on!//
Man 1: // but I, I,// I, I need to get a little fresh air.
The man’s response is pure emotional hedging, preemptive apology, beating an escape.

Scene 7
Woman 1: What time did you get in last night?
Man 1: Not that late, and I’m planning on going on another little hike tonight.
He uses the adverb “that” and the adjective “little” to diminish the size of the affront, and humor ( the “healthy” connotations of going on a “hike” add a touch of irony) to try and charm her into letting him get away with it.

Scene 8
Mother: Where’s Bill run off to?
Woman 1: Been walking around Paris.
No discourse markers, but a telling register: The flippant question and her laconic, elliptical answer use distancing techniques.

Scene 9
Father: Where do you think he goes every night?
Mother: He walks and gets ideas.
Father: Uh-huh.
“Uh-huh” is an nterjection, here expressing disbelief.

Scene 10
Woman 1: Why are you so dressed up?
Man 1: I was just doing a little writing.
Woman 1: You… dressed up and put on cologne to write?
Man 1: Yeah, you know how I can think better in the shower, and I get the, the positive ions going in there.
Hedging, humor to charm her into letting him off the hook

Scene 11
Father: I had a private detective follow him.
Other woman: And what happened?
Father: I don’t know. The detective agency says the detective is missing.
“And” shows anticipation and the willingness to support the storyteller.

Scene 12
Man 1: I’m in … very perplexing situation.
The word “a” is swallowed by an emotional pause filled with things he can’t talk about – perhaps “I’m in love” or “I’m in trouble”.

The trailer doesn’t give away too much, does it? Can’t wait to see the film! Comes recommended by Chris.

• Inside the Haiti Earthquake (simulation) http://www.insidedisaster.com/experience/Main.html
• Haiti Six Months on (Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2010/jul/10/haiti-six-months-on-what-happened-next
• Collapsus (simulation re energy policy) http://www.collapsus.com/
• The Johnny Cash Project (collaborative) http://www.thejohnnycashproject.com
• Dot: World’s smallest stop-motion animated character http://wkinteractive.co.uk/awards/Dot_Webbys_Technology/

Check out the Webbies http://webby.aol.com/ and tell me which ones you like! Warning: Hours later…