Module 8:

Formal Language vs. Informal Language

Challenges of Intercultural
Communication
Presented by: Group 4
OBJECTIVES: At the end of the period,
the students must be able to:

Differentiate formal from informal language.

Explain the challenges in intercultural communication
The Difference between
Formal and Informal
Language
 FORMAL VS INFORMAL
LANGUAGE
FORMAL
Is distinguished by the use of
standard English, more
sophisticated sentence
structures, less use of personal
pronouns, and the absence of
colloquial or slang words.
INFORMAL
Do not use colloquialisms,
contractions, or first-person
pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’.
Permits the use of nonstandard
English forms, colloquial
terminology, and usually
shorter sentence patterns.
10 TIPS ON HOW TO USE
FORMAL AND INFORMAL
LANGUAGE
EXAMPLES OF WHEN TO USE FORMAL LANGUAGE:
EXAMPLE WHEN TO USE INFORMAL LANGUAGE:
2. GRAMMAR

IN FORMAL LANGUAGE, SENTENCES ARE LONGER AND MORE

COMPLICATED, WITH COMPLEX EXPRESSIONS.

EXAMPLE:

FORMAL
"PLEASE SUBMIT THE REPORT BY FRIDAY."

INFORMAL
"HEY, CAN YOU GET THAT REPORT TO ME BY FRIDAY?"
3. MODAL VERBS
FORMAL LANGUAGE USES MODAL VERBS.
A MODAL VERB IS A HELPER WORD THAT SHOWS POSSIBILITY,
NECESSITY, OR ABILITY. EXAMPLES INCLUDE "CAN," "MUST,"
AND "SHOULD."

FOR EXAMPLE:

EMPLOYEES MUST ADHERE TO THE DRESS CODE POLICY.

PARTICIPANTS SHOULD COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION FORM
BEFORE THE EVENT.
4. PRONOUNS
FORMAL LANGUAGE IS LESS INTIMATE AND IS LIKELY TO REFER TO
GROUPS OF PEOPLE AS "WE" RATHER THAN "I":

FOR EXAMPLE:
INFORMAL: "I THINK WE SHOULD GO WITH OPTION A."

FORMAL: "IN OUR COLLECTIVE OPINION, IT IS ADVISABLE TO CHOOSE

OPTION A."
5. VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY IS THE COLLECTION OF WORDS A PERSON KNOWS AND USES
IN LANGUAGE. INFORMAL LANGUAGE TYPICALLY HAS LONGER WORDS.

FOR EXAMPLE:
(INFORMAL) GET VS ACQUIRE (FORMAL)
(INFORMAL) USE VS UTILIZE (FORMAL)
(INFORMAL) TELL VS INFORM (FORMAL)

6. PRONUNCIATION
DELIBERATE SPEAKING TEMPO, ACCURATE PRONUNCIATION, AND A CALM
TONE ARE ALL COMPONENTS OF FORMAL LANGUAGE, WHICH UPHOLDS A
SERIOUS POSTURE WHILE MAINTAINING PROFESSIONALISM AND CLARITY
IN THE SITUATION.

FORMAL: THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PROPOSAL.

INFORMAL: THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE PROPOSAL.
7. CONTRACTION
FORMAL LANGUAGE LACKS CERTAIN FEATURES, WHILE INFORMAL LANGUAGE
INCORPORATES THEM FOR SMOOTHER FLOW AND QUICKER SPEECH.

FOR EXAMPLE:
FORMAL: THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PROPOSAL.
INFORMAL: THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE PROPOSAL.

8. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

THESE ARE NOT USED FOR FORMAL LANGUAGE

FOR EXAMPLE:
INFORMAL: ASAP
FORMAL: AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
INFORMAL: CEO
FORMAL: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
9. COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE
THIS IS NOT USED FOR FORMAL LANGUAGE

FOR EXAMPLE:
FORMAL: CONSUME
COLLOQUIAL: EAT
FORMAL: WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE LUNCH TOGETHER?
COLLOQUIAL: WANNA GRAB LUNCH?

10.EMOJIS ARE NEVER USED IN FORMAL LANGUAGE!

SIX FUNDAMENTAL PATTERNS OF
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD CONFLICT: SOME CULTURES
SEE CONFLICT AS POSITIVE,WHILE OTHERS AVOID IT; OPEN
CONFLICT IS PREFERRED IN SOME CULTURES, WHILE OTHERS
RESOLVE DIFFERENCES QUIETLY.

DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMPLETING TASKS:CULTURES

DIFFER IN VALUING RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING EARLY IN A
PROJECT OR FOCUSING IMMEDIATELY ON THE TASK.

DIFFERENT DECISION-MAKING STYLES SOME CULTURES

DELEGATE DECISIONS, WHILE OTHERS PREFER HOLDING
DECISION-MAKING RESPONSIBILITIES THEMSELVES; MAJORITY
RULE AND CONSENSUS VARY IN DIFFERENT CULTURES.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD DISCLOSURE: SOME
CULTURES FIND IT INAPPROPRIATE TO DISCLOSE EMOTIONS OR
PERSONAL INFORMATION, IMPACTING CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO KNOWING: CULTURAL

DIFFERENCES IN WAYS OF KNOWING, SUCH AS COGNITIVE,
AFFECTIVE, AND TRANSCENDENTAL APPROACHES, CAN IMPACT
PROBLEM-SOLVING AND DECISION-MAKING.
GUIDELINES FOR MULTICULTURAL
COLLABORATION
LEARN FROM GENERALIZATION ABOUT OTHER
CULTURE
HOWEVER, DO NOT USE THESE GENERALIZATIONS TO
SIMPLIFY YOUR PERCEPTION OFANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL. THE BEST USE OF A GENERALIZATION IS
TO ADD IT TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE SO THAT YOU
BETTER UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S
CULTURES.

PRACTICE,PRACTICE, PRACTICE
THE FIRST RULE IS THAT WE IMPROVE OUR CROSS-
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS VIA PRACTICE.
DON'T ASSUME THAT COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
OCCURS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE
WRONG TRACK.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THE
BREAKDOWN, LOOK FOR
SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.

DON'T ASSUME THAT THERE IS ONE RIGHT WAY

(YOURS) TO COMMUNICATE
CONTINUE TO RETHINK YOUR PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE
"RIGHT WAY" TO COMMUNICATE.
DON'T ASSUME THAT COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
OCCURS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE
WRONG TRACK.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THE
BREAKDOWN, LOOK FOR
SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.

DON'T ASSUME THAT THERE IS ONE RIGHT WAY

(YOURS) TO COMMUNICATE
CONTINUE TO RETHINK YOUR PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE
"RIGHT WAY" TO COMMUNICATE.
LISTEN ACTIVELY AND EMPATHETICALLY
TRY TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE OTHER PERSON,
ESPECIALLY IF THEIR THOUGHTS OR IDEAS DIFFER GREATLY FROM
YOURS.

RESPECT OTHERS CHOICE

RESPECT THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT IS HAPPENING.

STOP, SUSPEND JUDGMENT

AND TRY TO SEE THE PROBLEM FROM AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ENCOUNTER ROADBLOCKS OR CHALLENGES
WHILE WORKING WITH OTHERS, CONSIDER YOUR OWN BELIEFS OR
ACTIONS THAT MAY BE HOLDING YOU BACK. CONSIDER HOW
OTHERS SEE YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND CONSIDER HOW
YOU MAY ADJUST YOUR ACTIONS TO MAKE THEM FEEL MORE AT
EASE.
BE PREPARED FOR A
DISCUSSION OF THE PAST - RATHER THAN BECOMING DEFENSIVE OR
IMPATIENT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET
INSIGHT INTO "THE OTHER'S" POINT OF VIEW.

AWARE OF CURRENT POWER UNBALANCE

BE OPEN TO HEARING HOW OTHERS PERCEIVE THOSE DISPARITIES. IT
IS CRITICAL TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE.

REMEMBER THAT CULTURE NORMS MAY NOT APPLY TO

THE BEHAVIOR OF ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL
MANY OF OUR FACTORS SHAPE US, AND THEY ARE FAR MORE
COMPLEX THAN ANYSOCIETAL NORM COULD SUGGEST. IF YOU ARE
UNSURE ABOUT WHAT WAS MEANT, PLEASE DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR
INTERPRETATIONS.
 CONCLUSION
THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING WHEN TO USE FORMAL AND
INFORMAL LANGUAGE IS WE EMPLOY FORMAL LANGUAGE
WHEN DEALING WITH SEVERE CIRCUMSTANCES OR PERSONS WE
DON'T KNOW WELL. INFORMAL LANGUAGE IS MORE TYPICALLY
USED IN LESS FORMAL CONTEXTS INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS WE
KNOW. WE USE MORE FORMAL LANGUAGE WHEN WE WRITE.
WHEN WE TALK, WE USE MORE INFORMAL LANGUAGE.
Thank You For
Listening