USE OF LANGUAGE IN "ADRIAN MOLE'S DIARY"

Language is not a neutral vessel for conveying the ideas, beliefs, and values that constitute culture. Nor is it a mere tool for describing the world as it truly is—no language can be said to describe the world as it truly is. To use a language—any language—is to interpret the world in a particular way. It is a social construct which reflects the political and socioeconomic reality of a given time.

Language has been used to reflect the values and culture of our society.   We have seen a few examples of this phenomenon in Adrian Mole's book.

Can you remember why we picked these words? Try to define them and be as thorough as possible.


BROWN-SKINNED

BOIL-IN-THE-BAG food

BOX

FILTHY COMMIE

FROG WRITER

TUG-OF-LOVE child

LATCHKEY kid/child

ADRIAN MOLE SERIES

The series was first broadcast in 1985. You can see the first chapter here. The opening and closing theme was "Profoundly In Love With Pandora" by Ian Dury. It was released as a single in October 1985 and reached number 45 on the UK SINGLES CHART. I include the lyrics below. 




"My mother's heart and soul
Have gone halfway up the pole
My father's on the dole
This is taking its toll
My friend Bert is much too old
And his dog's beyond control
Though it sometimes seems they're droll
It's a nuisance on the whole.


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
My poem has an intellectual theme
The tenderness with which I adore her
Goes all bouncy in my dreams.


Yesterday my chin was clear
Now a new spot has appeared
Barry Kent had cost me dear
Till my Grandma interfered
The BBC know I'm sincere
In making writing my career
Wish my mum would come back here
Lots of ups and downs this year.


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
She's got knee-socks and treacle-coloured hair
The tenderness with which I adore her
Is something fine and rare.

But, my father's in a mess
And there's a great deal of stress
At our house
And my major concern
Is that things might return
To normal
So get rid of that creep
And come back to sleep
In our house
We both miss you mum
So hurry up and come
Back

My mother's heart and soul
Have gone halfway up the pole
Though it sometimes seems they're droll
It's a nuisance on the whole


Yesterday my chin was clear
Now a new spot has appeared
Profoundly in love with Pandora


Wish my mum would come back here
Lots of ups and downs this year


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
Things aren't always what they seem
The tenderness with which I adore her
Is indeed a love supreme."


Some FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• Do you think the song could be used as a good summary of the book? Support your answers.
• Are/were you disappointed by the way the characters are portrayed in the series? Did you expect them to look different?

THE TIME CAPSULE

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month 2011 (funny though it may seem) we had an English lesson: it was time to speak about REMEMBRANCE DAY (also known as "POPPY DAY")  but all of a sudden we came up with an awesome idea: WHY NOT MAKE A TIME CAPSULE THAT WE COULD LATER BURY IN XABI'S GARDEN?? After all, one is not often a witness to such an unusual event!!!!  And so we did: we also promised to gather in six years' time to pull out our time capsule thereby seeing the changes and growth that everyone had experienced as well as to see how many of our wishes hadcome true.The idea may sound a bit cheesy at the beginning but I am sure we'll have many good laughs in the near future.

It may look like a mole came through Xabi's yard but it's the actual hole Pablo dug.

Here are some pics that will later be used of mementos of the "funny" moment we spent together. Enjoy them!!!

Pablo digging a hole that can withstand weather

Burying the time capsule as a "team"

WALKING TOUR WITH EMILY AROUND ALLARIZ

Marina, our Brazilian girl, unravelling the secrets of the statue to Emily.

The Ox statue from Allariz was created by the sculptor Arturo Andrade Areas, in 2005. He did it to represent the Ox Festival, because it is the most famous festival in this village. Now, Andrade lives in the Basque Country, but he comes to Allariz on vacation, because it is his hometown, and he has a sculpture shop here.

In the statue, you can see the runner, who is the person who runs in front the animal, the ox; behind the ox, a man with a rope, who uses the rope to hold the ox --on the races, there are six men holding the ox-- and finally, the man with the stick, who uses the stick to steer  the ox in the right direction.

Pablo explaining the origins of the festival

In the Middle Ages, while the Christians were celebrating the Corpus Christi procession, the Jews took the piss out of them. Because of this, a nobleman called Xan de Arzúa took an ox and expelled the Jews from Allariz. Xan de Arzúa gave money to create an association to organize a party and commemorate this historical landmark. During the Civil War the party was forbidden, but it was recovered by a group of eager young people in 1983 and it has been celebrated ever since.

Sensible Elena giving useful advice to those who want to "run the ox"

In the past the Ox Festival used to last the whole weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) but nowadays the party lasts for 10 days, although the last weekend is the most important one and it’s when thousands of people flood the narrow streets of our village.

    In the present, teenagers enjoy the party in a different way to the one other teenagers did in the past. Now people drink, smoke, break the street-lights… And in the mornings some people are so drunk that it can be dangerous for them and for others.

A PIECE OF ADVICE:  If you want to run, you must wear comfortable clothes (like a tracksuit) and trainers, and if you DARE you can even put on the Ox red neckerchief. If you are under 13, renember you must run the children’s Ox race accompanied by an adult.

Patricia, lecturing us on public spaces

                                           

San Benito is the patron saint of Allariz and the festival lasts for a weekend. San Benito church is Baroque and it´s near the monastery of Santa Clara.

Barreira is a big square. In the past it used to mark the border between the town and its outskirts. Now the first and the fifteenth of every month the people that come from nearby villages sell goods in stalls.

 TYPICAL FOOD

Iris, our expert on food, made our mouths water

     Amendoados: It´s the most famous dessert form Allariz.It is a kind of small almond cake with wafer. 

  Liquors: since 1930 Allariz specialized in the production of several kinds of herbs to distil. In 1990 the production of labeling liquors (herbs liquor, coffee liquor…) started.

              Cheese from O Rexo: it's the only sheep cheese made in Galicia from raw milk. It's produced in a traditional way with a minimum period of 90 days.

       Empanada: it´s a typical Galician dish made with dough or pastry. Inside you can have different ingredients such as: meat, tuna, mushrooms and shrimps, octopus, onion…