Fresh ideas, deeper research part 3

3) Slang vs slang

Language is a very complex, it is a set of words forming together for humans to speak and understand what others trying to express. After years and years of development in formal language, it turns into words which are shortened up and mix with different language to form “slang”.

Why slang is important?

There are doubts that slang is destroying language, using shortcuts or a word which never exist will cause young people to weaken their ability to write properly. Many view them as being only used by the young, uncultured, and uneducated. In truth, there’s a lot of value in slang, meaning that cultures have used slang as well as idiomatic speech and colloquialism for centuries. Refusing to learn slang and related aspects of languages is utterly foolish. In fact, any decent language learning strategies will recognize the importance of learning slang (pickwriters, 2017).

1) Effective Language Learning Means Being Able to Communicate With Everyone

2) Slang And Idioms Often Have Deep Ties to Culture

3) Today's Slang Could Easily Become Mainstream Language Very Quickly

4) Learning Slang Language Improves Cultural Experiences

5) Knowing Slang Can Prevent Misunderstandings (pickwriters, 2017 & languagetrainers, 2014)

What is the issues/ concept or problem?

We all know Malaysia is a multicultural country, due to more than three languages used in Malaysia we tend to mix them together. We are proud of our “Manglish” as it is part of our special culture and “only Malaysian knows” part (The Star, 2012). It is a tool for us to speak even if is in different race but we are still able to understand each other (Saraceni, 2010).

“Malaysians are able to possess a good command of English, we will not only be able to communicate interculturally in the standard version of English, but we would also, as Malaysians, be able to completely embrace this uniqueness which is the CMalE and not looks at it as a problem in the English-speaking society (Zhia Ee Lee, 2014).”

People do find Manglish to be interesting and wish to learn more about our slang, it is a way to exchange a way to communicate. So why don't we create a mobile game just for learning Manglish to challenge others by guessing what is the meaning of the slang behind.

What do you want to make?

A website/ app or game?

Who is it for?

1) So there is two execution to this idea one it is specific for learning Manglish

2) Learning all types of language not only just from Malaysia but from other countries
(For people who want to learn by playing, young adult)

What is the key unique idea?

-Learning slang by playing a game between friends/ new people

-Challenge your knowledge of slang from different countries or just Manglish

Why do you want to achieve?

There are a lot of ways you can learn a language from youtube videos, a language app or just read. But does it all really help you to remember how to use these slang? Do you really know the meaning of this slang or are they even correct? Learning a language not just only by reading them from images or watching videos but what if you can play a game with your friends from outside the country.

Games can help improve learning

Some gamers find it hard to play without fully understanding the story in a game when we find some words we don’t understand while playing games we tend to search for answers. So this is a way of learning?

Players experience their own actions to be effective in the virtual game world. This sense of control is pleasurable and motivates further interaction (Johannies & Gary, 2010). The interactive game proves motivation for us to learn (Kurt D. Squire, 2008).

The experience I want to bring:

I want to bring an experience like this game shown above, it is a common knowledge challenge game (Trivia game). You can challenge your friends or random people to see who get the highest score. So I need to do more research on why a group of people like to play this type of game.

Feedbacks after the consultation (the second meeting):

1) The same problem as the second idea, I need to know my target audience. What is the "similarity" with people who like to play puzzle or words game. What is the "thing" that makes them want to play.

2) Do more research on the category of word puzzle game, challenge game between friends. Market research and target audience.

In the end, I still need more research before I meet my specialist. On the next post should be more detail research of my target audience and user behaviour along with the consultation with my specialist.

Thoughts of the day:

So this idea is more like a fun way to learn language and it is an experience that hasn't made for language that is why I come up with the idea. So after the talk, I get a clearer mind to know who should I target. The next thing I am going to do is to research more than start to seek out the best execution for my ideas.

Overall I am happy with all three ideas, but which to pick is another thing as that we shall talk in the future.

Bibliography

Johannies, B & Gary, B (2010) "Why so serious? On the Relation of Serious Games and Learning" [Online]. Available at: http://www.eludamos.org/eludamos/index.php/eludamos/article/view/vol4no1-2/146 [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Language trainers (2014) "Why Slang is Important for Language Learning" [Online]. Available at: https://www.languagetrainers.com/blog/2014/10/14/why-slang-is-important-for-language-learning/ [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Nguyen, T, T, H & Huyen, T, T, N (n.d.) "LEARNING VOCABULARY THROUGH GAMES" [Online]. Available at: http://www.gsedu.cn/tupianshangchuanmulu/zhongmeiwangluoyuyan/learning%20vocabulary%20through%20games.pdf [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Pickwriters (2017) "6 Reasons Slang is Important For Language Learning" [Online]. Available at: https://pickwriters.com/blog/6-reasons-slang-is-important-for-language-learning [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Saraceni, M (2010) "The Relocation of English: Shifting Paradigms in a Global Era" [Online]. Available at: https://books.google.com.my/books?id=y6cYDAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA123&ots=hD8ftpI2jM&dq=proud%20manglish&pg=PR4#v=onepage&q=proud%20manglish&f=false [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Squire, D, K (2008) "Video Games and Education: Designing Learning Systems for an Interactive Age" [Online]. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4f11/f96ec67d2f29e511206a80e865e8584fcfc3.pdf [Accessed 20 May 2018]

The Star (2012) "Proud of Manglish?" [Online]. Available at: https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/viewpoints/mind-our-english/2012/12/04/proud-of-manglish/ [Accessed 20 May 2018]

Zhia, E, L (2014) "A problem or a cool phenomenon?" [Online]. Available at: http://repositori.uji.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10234/127527/TFM_Lee_Zhia_Ee.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed 20 May 2018]