Controlled assessment task
The questions
1. How does Ben Drew adapt his language for older and younger audiences?
2. How does Jonathan Ross prompt and enocourage Ben Drew to communicate his thoughts to the audience?
Ben Drew’s background is shown in his language. Even though he is not
„necessarily a very well-schooled young man“ (J.Ross‘ words) he is „very articulate“ and uses that skill to create hip hop, rap music where a good vocabulary is essential.
The musician has a good sense of language. He perhaps doesn’t speak „Standard English“ as it is taught at school and his accent is from East London where he comes from but he uses it as his tool. The way he speaks and the essence of his speach obviously have a big impact on people who he talk to. He is a voice of „the street genaration“ people from rough areas in London and all over the country.
His audience are the youngsters who go to music festivals like the Wireless Fest but also wider audience, adults from different upbringing who watch „Jonathan Ross show“ broadcasted on ITV after 9pm.
In both circumstances Ben Drew doesn’t change his dialect, there is a slight alteration in his vocabulary and his non-verbal communication, such as eye contact, body language. He is not relaxed talking to Jonathan Ross as he is with Georgia so he seems to be more himself at the festival and more formal on TV. He doesn’t mind to seem to care about swearing, smoking and drinking beer whilst answering the young woman but he controls himself sitting on the sofa in the television studio in front of a live audience and millions people at their homes.
The purpose of those two interviews is pretty much the same, which is to introduce and promote Plan B and its work. Talking to different kind of audience the singer is aware that he needs to adapt his language. When he talks to kids at the festival interview he talks their language, very informal with a lot of swearing because that is what they are attracted to. He seems to be very laid back showing a lack of good manners or respecting rules. Ben gives Georgia silly answers, e.g. when he says that plan C for him will be death. The interviewer is visibly shocked and pauses not knowing how to react to his statement. Ben’s intention is to provoke her and entertaint himself but also make the audience have a little laugh.
Georgia asks Ben very simply, cliched questions. In the contrary Jonathan Ross discusses with him more serious matters giving him leading questions, e.g. about politicians and society but still wants his guest to feel relaxed with him so he mixes them with humorous ones to have intervals of laughter.
Jonathan Ross absolutely controls the interview, he is a master at making a good show so the guest and the audience are satisfied. Using his great communication skills he encourages Ben to express his views to the public. The interviewer knows how to get his interlocutors to give their opinions and grab the audience’s attention. First he