VARIETIES AND REGISTERS OF SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE REGISTER

 the level of formality in language determined by the context in which it is spoken

and written.
 refers to the range of language choice that are available for use in different
situations.
 associated with the levels of formality and informality of language.
 based on the context of communication
Formal Register
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
 Refers to the range of language choice that are available for use in different
situations.
 Associated with the levels of formality and informality of language.
 Based on the context of communication
 can include everything from an academic essay to wedding vows
Academic Essay
 includes polished speech , complex sentences, and precise vocabulary
Wedding vows
 Extremely formal in language that must be said the same way each time as part of
the ritual.
Informal Register
 is conversational or casual.
 occurs between or among people who know each other well and who speak
without trying to be ‘proper’.
 sometimes includes speaking in slang and simply a more casual delivery
“Hey, dude! What’s up?”
Formal
“Could you bring us more coffee, please?”
Informal
“Can I get a little more coffee here?”
REGISTER AND FICTION
Fiction - something invented or not true
Register informs the style of narration. It is important in dialogue
between characters. A narrator can take a distanced stance and sound very formal
and objective. However, when a character speaks, his register can depend on what
defines him such as gender, social class, or cultural background

LANGUAGE REGISTERS/ STYLES

1. Frozen Register
2. Formal / Academic Register
3. Consultative Register
4. Casual ( Informal ) Register
5. Intimate Register
Frozen Register - language that remains fixed or unchanged.
Examples:
Pledge of Allegiance
Lord’s Prayer
Preamble to the Constitution
Formal or Academic Register
Examples:
Professional settings:
Interviews
Academic language in classroom
( lectures, instructions)
Public Speaking
Consultative Register - asking for assistance.
Examples:
Talking to a boss/ supervisor/teacher
lawyer, doctor, counselor
Casual or Informal Register
Examples:
Talking with family and friends
Meeting people at casual venues
Slang ( writing drafts should allow casual before the formal
draft
because it “gets the information out” on the paper).
 Intimate Register - language of lovers, sexual harassment ( not for public
information)
Universal Rule
A person can go from one register to the next register without any conflicts
whatsoever ( casual to consultative...) ; however, if a person goes from one
register to another register , skipping a level or more, this is considered anti-social
behavior ( i.e. moving from frozen to intimate, etc. marks a difference between a
public voice and private voice ). Students should know how and when to move
from one register to the next.

LANGUAGE VARIETY
 Also known as “lect “
 A general term for any distinctive form of a language or linguistic expression.
 Linguists commonly use language variety ( or simply variety ) as a cover term for
any of the overlapping subcategories of a language , including dialect, register,
jargon, and idiolect.

What is the difference between STANDARD ENGLISH AND DIALECT?

STANDARD ENGLISH
 A controversial term for a form of the English language that is written and spoken
by educated users.
 For some linguists, it is a synonym for good or correct English usage.
 Others use the term to a specific geographical dialect of English or a dialect
favored by the most powerful and prestigious social group.
DIALECT
 a regional or social variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary,
grammar , and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting
together with them a single language .
 Often used to characterize a way of speaking that differs from the standard variety
of the language.
REGISTER
The way the speaker uses language differently in different circumstances.
Think about the words you choose, your tone of voice, even your body language.
You probably behave differently chatting with a friend than you would at a formal
dinner party or during a job interview.
Registers are determined by factors as social occasion, context, purpose,
and audience. They are also marked by a variety of specialized vocabulary and
turns of phrases, colloquialisms ( a word or phrase used mostly in informal speech) , the
use of jargon ( a specialized vocabulary word/s used by professionals), and a difference
in intonation and pace.
JARGON
  the specialized language of a professional or occupational group. Such language is
often meaningless to outsiders.
LECTS
Types of Lects:
1. Regional dialect
2. Sociolect
3. Ethnolect
4. Idiolect
Regional Dialect - a variety spoken in a particular region .
Sociolect - also known as social dialect
 a variety of language used by a socioeconomic class, a profession, an age group or
any other social group.
Ethnolect - a lect spoken by a specific ethnic group
 For example, Ebonics, the vernacular spoken by some African-Americans.
Idiolect - The language or languages spoken by each individual.
 For example, if you are multilingual and can speak in different registers and
styles , your idiolect comprises several languages, each with multiple registers and
styles

What is the difference between a dialect and a language?

There is no linguistic difference between a dialect and a language, but usually the
term dialect refers to a lect that is both:
- different enough from the underlying language to more than just an
accent
- similar enough to the underlying language that it can mostly be
understood by its speakers ( and vice versa) .
The most common language registers in writing:
1. Formal – more appropriate for writing and letters to a boss or strangers;
probably the most difficult type of writing; impersonal - not written for a
specific person and is written without emotion.

Examples : business letters, essays, reports, official speeches, announcements.

professional e-mails

Rules for the formal registers:

a. Do not use contractions
Ex: cannot instead of can’t
have not instead of haven’t
will not instead of won’t
could not instead of couldn’t
 is not instead of isn’t
b. Spell out numbers less than one hundred
Ex:
nineteen
twenty-two
seventy-eight
six
c. Write in third person point of view. Avoid using I, You, We, Us.

Ex : You may submit the documents earlier.

One may submit the documents earlier.
I have gathered many data for the paper.
The researcher has gathered many data for the paper.

d. Avoid using too much passive voice.

Ex: The paper was completed by the researcher.

The researcher completed the paper.

e. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggeration (hyperboles) and clichés.

Slang is common in informal writing and spoken English. It is particular
to a certain region or area.
Ex: awesome ( cool) busted ( broken)
Okay ( ok) hip ( fashionable)

*Portmanteau slang-a new word created by combining portions of two

existing words.

Ex: frenemy – friend and enemy

bromance – brother and romance

f. Avoid abbreviations - if you use an acronym or abbreviation, write it out

the first time. When using acronyms, write the entire name out the first
time it appears followed by the acronym. From then on you can use the
acronym by itself.
Ex:
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Philippine Statistics Authority ( PSA)

For abbreviations, write the complete word the first time, then use the
abbreviation.
Ex: influenza – flu tablespoon- tbsp. Kilometer- km.

* Do not use slang abbreviations or symbols that you would use in

friendly emails and texts.
lol - laugh out loud
& - and
w/o – without
w/ - with
g. Do not start sentences with words like and, so, but, also.
h. Always write in complete sentences.
 a. Write longer, more complex sentences

2. Informal- also called casual or intimate; - conversational and appropriate when

writing to friends and people you know very well.
Ex:
Personal emails
phone texts
short notes
friendly letters
blogs
diaries and journals

* There are no major rules to informal writing.

slang and cliches
figurative languages
symbols and abbreviations
acronyms
incomplete sentences
short sentences
personal opinions

3. Neutral- non-emotional topics and information; sticks to the facts; most

appropriate for technical writings
Examples:
reviews, articles, letters, essays, technical writing