Language discourses form an important part of different A Level English Language specifications. For AQA A it forms half of the ENGA3 exam and could also be a significant chunk of the ENGA4 Language Intervention. For AQA B, the media text, written as part of the the ENGB4 coursework, will often focus on debates about language. In the first of two article, the author takes a look at a range of linguistic battlefields and surveys the different opinions offered.