Here is today’s recording, as requested by Creators…
The Creation for Sunday, January 22, 2012
and the notes Service Notes for Sunday, January 22, 2012

At 47 MB, the recording is a hefty file, so please be patient. While You’re waiting, consider the assignments, if You choose to take them on. During the State of the Union (SOTU) Address, listen for the three modes of meaning.

1) Presentational Meaning Listen for facts and figures, processes and procedures, explanations, definitions, descriptions, quantification and so on.

2) Orientational Meaning Characterized by the language of formality, as well as intimacy, status and power relationships, role relationships; speech acts such as promising or threatening, joking, insulting, pleading, requesting/demanding, offering, etc.

3) Organizational Meaning Generally not recognized or noticed in our culture, organizational meaning includes the ways in which language creates wholes and parts, how it tells us which words go with which other ones, which phrases and sentences with which others and how, and generally how a coherent text distinguishes itself from a random sequence of sentences, phrases, or words. This is the realm of the ‘texture’ of text. Look for figures of speech, changes in inflection and tone, word choices, rhythm, “call and response” techniques.