Oral Communication in Context

Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

LESSON 5.1
What Are Speech Styles?
Table of Contents
Introduction 1

Objectives 2

DepEd Competency 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 3
Speech Style 4
Factors Affecting Speech Style 4
Audience 4
Topic 5
Purpose 5
Location 6

Key Points 7

Check Your Understanding 7

Let’s Step Up! 8

Bibliography 8
 Oral Communication in Context

Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Lesson 5.1
What Are Speech Styles?

Fig. 1. A man speaking from a podium

Introduction
In what way does your style or manner of speaking differ when you are talking to a person
who is close to you and when you are talking to an acquaintance? There are various types of
speech style, and each of them is meant to be used in a certain type of communication
situation. This unit will help you become familiar with each of the speech styles and use
them to communicate effectively.

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 Oral Communication in Context

Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Define what a speech style is.
● Enumerate the different speech styles.

DepEd Competency
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to distinguish types of speeches
and speech style (EN11/12OC-Ifj-17).

Warm-Up

Conversation Starters
Procedure
Create conversations out of the following situations. Imagine talking about the topics to
different people you know. What words would you say?

Situation Relationship with the Person

After reading a romantic poem, you want English teacher

to discuss its deeper meaning and
underlying symbolisms.

After listening to a top pop hit, you recall friend

that this song might be about the former
lover of the singer.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

You are particularly concerned about a Guidance Counselor

close friend who might be struggling with
depression.

Guide Questions
1. Do you always consider who you are talking to when having a conversation? Why?
2. Does your relationship with them affect your word choice, tone, etcetera?

Learn about It
How do you greet your friends at a party, your parents at home, or your teacher in a
classroom setting? We greet persons according to our relationship with them, the level of
formality we are currently involved in, or the setting of the situation.

Vocabulary
internal
the unconscious shifting of one’s language style
variation
depending on the situation they are in
(noun)

acceptable behavior or action in a particular setting,

norm (noun)
culture, and tradition

formality
observation of rules and etiquette
(noun)

the ability to express one’s thoughts and feelings using

speech (noun)
articulate sounds

acquaintance a person who you are familiar with but is not your
(noun) friend

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Essential Question
How do we vary our speech style from one situation to another?

Speech Style
When a person interacts with others, he or she uses a particular style of speaking or speech
style. A speech style also indicates the level of formality with which a person speaks.

In his book The Five Clocks, Dutch linguist Martin Joos identified five types of speech style:
intimate, casual, consultative, formal, and frozen. These speech styles are also called
language registers.

According to Ronald Wardhaugh in his book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (1986), “no one
speaks the same way all the time.” For him, “language will exhibit considerable internal
variation, and single-style speakers will not be found.” As such, you will find yourself using
different speech styles in different situations. In some situations, you may even transition
from one speech style to another. However, Wardhaugh states that this variation has limits
(or norms). For instance, you cannot just alter the meaning of words or pronounce them
differently. Doing any of these is not only unacceptable but also difficult to understand.

When you interact with others, it is important to choose an appropriate speech style to use.
In doing so, you should consider several factors, which include the following:

Factors Affecting Speech Style

Audience
Who are you speaking with? What is your relationship with him, her, or them?

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Your audience may be acquaintances, peers, friends, family members,

teachers, counselors, doctors, or other professionals.

Topic
What is the subject of the conversation or the communication situation? Is it a serious topic
or a lighthearted one?

Subject of the Conversation Communication Situation

poetry English class

product reviews marketing team discussions

existence of God discussion between theologists

jokes about a political candidate friendly discussions

Purpose
What is the objective of the communication? What do you and the other participants in the
conversation aim to achieve?

Subject of the Communication Situation Objective of the

Conversation Communication
poetry English class to analyze the elements and
themes of the poem read
product reviews marketing team discussions to improve sales and increase
product awareness
existence of God discussion between to prove that there is a Supreme
theologians Being
jokes about a political friendly conversations to express political opinions in a
candidate satirical way

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 Oral Communication in Context

Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Location
Where is the communication being held? What is the environment like?

Subject of the Communication Objective of the Location

Conversation Situation Communication
poetry English class to analyze the elements classroom setting
and themes of the poem
read
product reviews marketing team to improve sales and business meeting
discussions increase product
awareness
existence of theologians to prove that there is a theological forums
God Supreme Being
jokes about a friendly conversations to express political casual talks in a food
political opinions in a satirical way park
candidate

Assessing the factors present in a communication situation and asking yourself the given
guide questions will help you in choosing the speech style to use.

Let’s Check In
What are the factors that we consider in communicating with different
kinds of people?

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Key Points

● There are five types of speech styles: intimate, casual, consultative, formal, and
frozen.
● Several factors affect our speech style, and they are audience, topic, purpose, and
location.

Check Your Understanding

Complete the table with the appropriate information about the speech
interaction based on the following scenarios:

1. Ara shares her beauty secrets with her best friends.

2. An English teacher discusses the themes of the novel Pride and Prejudice in
class.
3. A priest gives a homily about the “Parable of the Mustard Seed.”
4. A basketball team discusses its strategy for the championship game.
5. Your Korean friend asks for directions to the nearest videoke bar.

The subject of Communication Objective of the Location

the Situation Communication
Conversation

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 5: Speech Styles

Let’s Step Up!

How does the level of relationship you have with your audience and the
communication situation affect the type of speech style you use? Share your answer
with a partner.

Bibliography
Antonio, Mary Ann K., Rodrigo A. Litao, and Marilu R. Madrunio. Contextualizing Oral
Communication. Manila: University of Santo Tomas Publishing, 2011.

Dunn, Daniel M., and Lisa J. Goodnight. Communication: Embracing Difference. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon, 2003.

Horan, D. “Living the ‘Prayer of St. Francis’ With All of Creation.” Huffpost, December 4, 2012.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-p-horan-ofm/living-the-prayer-of-st-francis-w
ith-all-of-creation_b_1937279.html

Hybels, Saundra, and Richard Weaver II. Communicating Effectively. 10th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 2011.

Wardhaugh, Ronald. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Fifth ed. Massachusetts: Blackwell

Publishing, 2006.

Loyola Press. "Peace Prayer of Saint Francis." Accessed May 10, 2018.
https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/prayer/traditional-catholic-prayers/sa
ints-prayers/peace-prayer-of-saint-francis.