My Uncle and Car Analysis

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“My Uncle the Car” Analysis “My Uncle the Car” is a script taken from the comedy TV series, ‘Will and Grace.’ As it is a script, it is originally recorded in writing however it is written to be spoken and is therefore a multi-modal text. By looking at the overall text, we immediately see the discourse structure of the text, which are a series of adjacency pairs in order to compose a conversation between two characters. The scene is set in Will’s apartment and it is immediately introduced with the phonology of a telephone ring. This allows the reader to picture the scene and acknowledge what is going on. The use of the telephone ring refers to modern technology and how it allows you to ignore someone without giving a reason. This is followed by the lexical choices of ‘ignore it. We’re screening.’ This pragmatically implies that the telephone is interrupting them and therefore suggests that technology is a disruption. The readers are then introduced to the phonology of the answering machine, where Will and Grace have created a theme tune. We are shown that it is said in an enthusiastic tone through the use of declaratives ‘that’s me!’ and the grammatical choice of exclamatory also imply a sense of excitement. When referring to ‘living with a very lovely girl,’ Will replies ‘That’s me’ which immediately subverts the social stereotype of a girl and therefore implies he is gay. The use of a technological factor such as an answering machine, emphasises how the technological convergence on communicating devices today, now allow you to record and leave a message verbally for them to get back to you. Humour is an important linguistic feature used throughout the script and it plays a significant part in reflecting the genre of the piece, comedy. When Will and Grace are listening back to the answering machine, Will uses a declarative ‘I hate us so hard right now.’
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