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A2 English Language Coursework

Was just looking for advice on coursework. The idea I have is to compare language change features through famous, political speeches? These are the speeches I'm looking to use:

Socrates - 4th Century
Oliver Cromwell - 1653
Martin Luther King Jr. - 1963

Is this a good idea and could I possibly get a good grade with it?

Reply 1

TheTipsyTarsier

Original post by lukesamshaw

This seems to be a solid idea :h:

I tried two, at first I did one on Eminem's lyrics and then decided to do how rhetoric differs depending on the sex being targeted at in glossy mags. Do you have to present your ideas to your teacher before you begin? Are you going to focus on an area of speech? Like how persuasive techiniques have been molded by language change, or just go in openly and discuss all the evident language change? Socrates to MLK Jr sounds a lot to analyse if it's on language change in general :h:

one thing I would consider, but this is just personal taste, is swapping out King's for another less covered speech just to make it a more original piece of coursework. I seem to remember quite a few people doing King :h:

(Am in second year of Eng lang degree and had 79/80 in this coursework)

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

lukesamshaw

How about if I change it slightly to compare (battle, war) speeches at two different points in time. For example, I have found a few from the Ancient Greece era and from World War 2, would that be better to investigate rather than just famous speeches throughout time?