Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

LSPU Self-Paced Learning Module (SLM)

Course Purposive Communication – GEC 105
Sem/AY First Semester/2020-2021
Module No. 8
Lesson Title VARIETIES AND REGISTERS OF SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Week
2-3
Duration
Date October 5-10, 2020
This lesson will give students learn about register, the level of formality in language as determined
Description of by context. There are two types of register in literature, formal and informal. Either or both may be
the Lesson used to great effect in literature. Let's also take a look at some examples of register .

Learning Outcomes

Intended Students should be able to meet the following intended learning outcomes:
Learning  Demonstrate an awareness of the reality of cultural diversity;
Outcomes  Demonstrate an understanding of how cultural diversity affects communication; and
 Appreciate the benefits and challenges of cross-cultural communication .
Targets/ At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Objectives 1. Demonstrate understanding of the concept of the varieties of English in Asian
contexts;
2. Discuss the importance of the varieties of English in both oral and written contexts;
3. Identify some grammatical, lexical, and syntactic features of post-colonial varieties
of English in Asian context;
4. Distinguish the lexicon of some Asian varieties of English;
5. Demonstrate knowledge about the concept of registers of English in spoken and
written language;
6. Use the appropriate register depending on the communication situation; and
7. Display an ability to adjust and cope with communication to breakdown.

Student Learning Strategies

Online Activities Online Discussion via Google Meet

(Synchronous/ You will be directed to attend in a Two-Hour class discussion on the nature of language. To have
Asynchronous) access to the Online Discussion, refer to this link: ____________________.

The online discussion will happen on Oct. 5-10, 2020, from 9:00- 10:00AM.

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited
(For further instructions, refer to your Google Classroom and see the schedule of activities for this
module)

B. Learning Guide Questions:

1. Why is it important to use appropriate varieties and registers of language?
2. What are varieties and registers of spoken and written language?

Note: The insight that you will post on online discussion forum using Learning Management
System (LMS) will receive additional scores in class participation.

Offline Activities
(e-Learning/Self-Paced) Lecture Guide

VARIETIES OF ENGLISH
 During your senior high school, you must have encountered the term World
Englishes (WE) or varieties of English in class.
 WE actually stands for the localized varieties of English as they are used or spoken
in certain areas.
 In the Asian context, the concept was introduced by Braj Kachru. The famous
“Three Concentric Circles of Asian Englishes” attributed to Kachru presents the
three circles: Inner Circle with ENL ( English as a native language) member
countries; the Outer Circle with ESL (English as a second language) member
countries; and the Expanding Circle with EFL (English as a foreign language)
member countries.
o Examples of countries belonging to the Inner Circle are the USA, UK,
Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
o Outer Circle is comprised of Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Pakistan.
o Expanding Circle is composed of China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.
 Aside from the fact that the Outer and Expanding Circles are ESL and EFL speaking,
respectively they have been colonized by some member countries in the Inner
Circle making the varieties they speak as post-colonial.
 It is then to be understood that people have different linguistic and cultural
backgrounds making intercultural communication a significant variable in
communication

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Three Concentric Circles of English

 According to Bautista and Gonzales (2006), the structural characteristics of these

new varieties differ. This is brought about by the mother tongue or home
languages of those who learn or acquire English.
 And even in terms of social features, differences can also be highlighted in that
there is a continuum of basilectal, mesolectal, and acrolectal varieties of English
within the same speech community.

 The horizontal variation corresponds to regional variation, and the vertical

variation corresponds to social variation).
 So at the top of the triangle, you have what is called the Acrolect, for instance, in
British English, the Acrolect, it is the language spoken by the “elite”, and that is
taught to foreigners.
 At the very very top of the social line, there are no regional variations (the
horizontal line) (by the way, RP means “Received Pronounciation”, so the Standard
British English.
 Then, you have the Mesolectal level: it’s the big middle part of the triangle, and
let’s say, it’s “normal” people.
 Here, there are more regional variations (for instance, I’m living with two women
that come from different parts of Philippines than me, and even though we speak
the same way, almost, there are some words or expressions we use that are
regional expressions, and we didn’t know it before). There are also different social
variations here.
 Finally, the bottom of the triangle: the lower classes, the Basilectal level. It is
where you can find the most regional variations.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

 Bautista and Gonzales use the term edulects for these varieties resulting from
certain types of education ascertained by social class but are conveyed or
transferred by the kind of instruction of the school system especially for those
coming from higher-income families and/or better educated classes.
 As regards to structural variation, Kachru and Nelson (2006) claim that these
varieties of English are influenced by the local language(s) in various areas of their
grammars and exhibit specific phonological, lexical, syntactic, and discoursal
characteristics.
o Examples: In terms of stress and rhythm, Outer and Expanding Circle
varieties observe syllable-timed rhythm rather than stress –timed rhythm.
Nigerians say ‘success for suc’cess , Indians and Nigerian say recog’nize for
‘recognize.
o Speaker from Outer and Expanding Circles do not make changes in their
pronunciation to make a distinct between nouns and verbs in pairs which
the Inner Circle countries observe as in the case of ‘import and im’port and
do not utilize contrastive stress for focusing.
o As regards to sounds, Outer and Expanding Circles do not observe initial
aspiration of voiceless plosives such as p, t, k and these are often
perceived by the Inner Circle countries as b, d, g. Some speakers of the
Expanding Circle varieties, as in the case of Japanese speakers, do not
properly distinguish between r and l.

 According to Pope (1976, as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006), in the case of
syntactic features, question-answering systems differ between the Inner and
Outer-Expanding Circles.
o Example: If the question is in the positive, the answer confirming the
assumption of the questioner is in the positive, and the answer
disconfirming the assumption is in the negative.
o If, however, the question is in the negative, the answer confirming the
assumption of the questioner is in the negative as well, while the answer
disconfirming the assumption of the questioner is in the positive.
o The latter observes the agreement-disagreement system which poses
difficulty to speakers who follow the positive-negative system particularly
in interpreting the yes or no of the response unless it is followed by a
clarification.
o Example: Yes, I think your right; No, that’s not so.

 With respect to lexicon, vocabulary words peculiar only to some English varieties
in Southeast Asia can be noted as seen in the following examples.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

o Actsy- show off o Missy –nurse

o Chop – rubber stamp o Marina kids – youngsters who
spend time their leisure time at or around
Marina Square.( a shopping centre)
o Graduates mothers – well-educated o
married woman, they are encouraged to
have more children, and they given certain
privileges in Singapore and compared to
non-graduate mothers

o Examples: Singapore English

o Philippine English
o Deep- puristic or hard to o Stick – cigarette
understand as attribute to language
o High-blood –tense or upset o Blow out – treating someone with
a snack or meal
o Motel – a hotel used for premarital o Manualize – to prepare manuals
or extramarital affairs
o Go ahead – leave before others o Studentry – student body
with host’s permission
o Amboy – a Filipino perceived to be o Promdi – from the province
too pro-American
o Behest loan – unguaranteed bank o Pulot boy- who pick up tennis balls
loan given to presidential cronies in a game
o Balikbayan box – Filipinos returning o
from abroad put all their shopping goodies

LANGUAGE REGISTERS/REGISTERS OF ENGLISH

 When it comes to language variation, the terms genre, register, and style are
often encountered.
 David Crystal (2008) defines register as “a variety of language defined according to
its use in social situations, example: a register of scientific, religious, formal
English.
 He added: “In Hallidays linguistics, the term is seen as specifically opposed to
varieties of language defined according to the characteristics of the users (viz. their
regional or class dialect), and is given a sub classification into field, mode and
manner of discourse.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

 Crystal (1964) further discusses style and register:

o Language being the product of interaction among the members of society,
must ultimately be studied according to the social context in which it is
found. Within a language, there are variations in style and register, which
differentiate and formally characterize distinct social situations.
o Style refers to the degree of formality attached to particular interpersonal
social situation which is reflected by differences in language – for example ,
the kind of language used while talking to a friend will differ noticeably
from that used in addressing a superior, in otherwise the same situation.
o Register refers to a kind of language whose forms are of a definable social
situation, regardless of the status of the participants – thus one finds the
register of legal language, liturgical language, and so on.
 It is to be noted that genre and register overlap and are sometimes used
interchangeably.
 According to Lee (2001), whereas genre is associated more with the organization
of culture, register is associated with the organization of situation.
 To end this, register understood as the context-specific variety of language to
which the field-mode-tenor framework is important.
o Example: with the genre of recipe, field may be analyzed in terms of social
setting and the communicative purpose in which the text is produced.
o Tenor may be described in terms of the role/s required of the writers and
readers including the cultural values shared by both.
o Mode could be explained in light of the knowledge of other texts required
of speakers/listeners and writers/readers as regards the genre including
the formal text features.

 Language register then refers to the formality of language which one speaks.
 Different registers are used in different situations. It is through register that you
are able to determine the kind of lexicon or vocabulary to use as well as the kind
of structure to be used.
 Even in writing, you may use a formal or an informal register. In some instances,
even a neutral language register is identified.
 The formal register then is used in formal speaking and writing situations.
o Examples: state of the nation address classified as a formal communicative
situation, the speech is usually delivered using a highly-polished language,
read from a manuscript. This is certainly allowed since the President
occupying the highest position in the country could not afford to make
mistakes.
o On the contrary, a priest delivering his homily, more often than not, speaks
extemporaneously an uses ordinary language. This is so since the audiences
coming from different walks of life. The priest should be able to convey his
spiritual message to the listeners without difficulty of comprehension on

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

their part. The priest should also be able to touch the very core of the
listeners’ hearts so that they live the preaching s they hear.
 The formal register is likewise appropriate for use in professional writings like
o Examples: project proposals, position papers, and business letters as in the
case of writing to a superior or to a head of a certain organization.
o It is more impersonal, objective, and factual.

 Informal register, which is more casual in tone, is appropriate for people with
whom you have established a more personal relationship as in the case of friends
and relatives.
 This type of writing may sometimes be emotional as an intimate relationship
exists between the speaker and listener or writer and reader.

 Legalese or legal language is highly characterized by archaic expressions, technical
jargon (Jargon special words or expressions that are used by a particular
profession or group and are difficult for others to understand) essential only to the
community of legal professionals, embedded structures, nominalizations, passive
voice, and kilometric sentences.
 Textese or language text or SMS language use of abbreviations, acronyms, slang
words, and expressions. This is so since messages used to be limited to a certain
number of characters/spaces which made texting much easier and quicker.
 However, misinterpretation and/or miscommunication in text messaging may arise
if vocabulary and knowledge of context are limited. Hence, extra care should be
practiced when comprehending text messages.

Performance Tasks

PT 1
Directions: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why is it important to use appropriate varieties and registers of language
2. What does it mean to use language effectively?
3. What are the characteristics of effective language use?
PT2
1. In what situations are the local and global varieties of spoken language used?
2. What registers are appropriate to such situations?

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Understanding Directed Assess

Rubric for Designing Lesson Plan (PT 1 & 2)

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Learning Resources

Africa, Augusto C., Purposive Communication in the Now, Books Atbp. Publishing Corp. 2018

Barrot, Jessie S. & Sipaco, Philippe John F., Purposive Communication in the 21st Century, C & E Publishing,
2018

Madrunio, Marilu R. & Martin, Isabel P., Purposive Communication: Using English in Multilingual Contexts,
C & B Publishing, Inc. 2018.

Santos, Maria L. & Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., Communication for Society Purposive Communication, Rex Book
Store, 2018

SyGaco, Sonia B, Principles and Competencies in Purposive Communication, GBT Great Books Trading, 2018

https://versatilely.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-three-concentric-circles-of-english.html

Faculty In-Charge

VIOLETA P. RANA
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Santa Cruz, Main Campus
Barangay Bubukal, Santa Cruz, Laguna
Email: violyrana@gmail.com
Mobile: 09751949186

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING