Oral Communication (2nd Quarter):

I. Speech Style

Speech Style - particular type of speaking when a person interacts with others
- indicates the level of formality with which a person speaks

Types of Speech Styles (Language registers) :

+ Intimate - complete absence of social inhibitions (strangers may struggle to get in due
to private vocabulary)
- used by participants who share a very close relationship
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- private conversations
- participants use short, incomplete utterances
- no need of proper grammar and word choice
- nonverbal cues often used to convey messages
- participants share inside jokes
- words that signal intimacy used (terms of endearment)

+ Casual - relaxed or informed dialogue between friends, peers, colleagues, or family

- use group language so only group can understand it
- conversational tone
- use slang, colloquial words, elliptical sentence, and informal contractions
- general words > technical words
- Ex.: classmates, friends, mother, press, principal

+ Consultative - most operational style

- normal style for speaking to strangers
- two-way participation
- use in semiformal situations (listener or addressee may not be able to
understand without it)
- use in ordinary or routine transactions that lead to an outcome/ result
- use in business or professional situations (e.g. approaching janitors,
sales lady)
- interruptions allowed
- titles likely to be used
- instantaneous conversation, but speaker chooses words with care

+ Formal - lack of listener participation (no feedback)

- use in formal situations with one-way communication
- speaker needs to plan ahead utterances or what to say
- interruptions are not allowed
- very clear pronunciation
- follow grammar rules and carefully chosen words
 - more complex and varied sentence structures
- require extensive and technical vocabulary
- cohesive and organized ideas
- clearly give all background or necessary information

+ Frozen - very formal (happens once in a blue moon)

- ex.: prayers

Factors to consider in choosing a speech style:

+ Audience - who are you speaking to? What us your relationship with hime, her, or
them?
- Ex.: classmates, friends, mother, press, principal
+ Topic - What is the subject of the conversation or the communication situation? Is it a
serious topic. Or lighthearted one?
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+ Purpose - stimulus to start conversation
- Ex.: classmates, friends, mother, press, principal
+ Location -
- Describe set-up of conversation

II. Speech Act

Speech Act Theory - mutual understanding of participants in the communication process

- interlocutor = speaker (stating descriptions experienced/ observed)

Kinds of Utterances Under the theory:

1. Constative Utterances - stating a fact

2. Performative Utterances - discerning an outcome
- interlocutor wants person spoken to to perform a certain
action

Classification of Speech Acts:

1. Locution (Locutionary Act)

- locutionary act used term at first by creator then changed to propositional but
they are

Different types of locutionary act:

1. Utterance act - no particular meaning

2. Propositional Act - speaker is gaining the chance to interact to start the

communication process (depends on the listener)
- does not have complete sentence but has International meaning
2. Illocution - what’s done in uttering the words

Classiffications: (Express, Declare, Assert, Direct, Commit)

1. Expressive -apologizing
2. Assertive - suggest
3.
4. Directive - directing someone to do a particular action or have an outcome based on
what you told them to do
5.

3. Perlocutionary act - focus on receiver’s part

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