Spoken Language Terminology

jargon

overly specific technical language

expletive

offensive language

collocation

frequently repeated combinations of words

inverted syntax

defiance of s-v-o word order

register

the variety of language used for a particular context

dialect

the way of speaking specific to a particular place

sociolect

the way of speaking specific to a particular social group

idiolect

the way of speaking specific to a particular person

discourse marker

a word or phrase which manages the flow of conversation

verbal filler

ultimately meaningless words or utterances which fill pauses

pauses

gaps in speech

repair

when a speaker abandons one utterance and begins another, because the original was incorrect

hedging

words or phrases which add uncertainty to an utterance

tag questions

short interrogatives added to the end of an otherwise declarative utterance

elision

the blending together of sounds at the start or end of words

contraction

a shortened version of a word or words

topic shift

changing the topic of conversation

idiom

an extremely common figurative phrase

slang

very informal words or phrases often specific to a group of people

interjections

short, often exclamative, interruptions

backchannelling

ultimately meaningless utterances which show a listener is paying attention

agenda setting

deciding the topics of conversation

dominant speaker

the most active or influential speaker

subordinate speaker

the least active or influential speaker

adjacency pair

two utterances often used together

overlap

when speakers talk at the same time

interruption

when a speaker begins to talk before the previous speaker has finished

non sequitur

a statement which does not logically follow the previous one

convergence

adapting one’s speech patterns to match the other speaker

maxim of manner

the expectation that a speaker is clear

maxim of relevance

the expectation that a speaker stays on topic

maxim of quality

the expectation that a speaker tells the truth

maxim of quantity

the expectation that a speaker says the appropriate amount

threatening negative face

when a speaker does not respect their listener’s need to not be imposed upon

saving negative face

when a speaker signals the need to not be imposed upon

negative politeness

taking pains to not impose upon a listener

threatening positive face

when a speaker attacks their listener’s qualities

saving positive face

when a speaker reinforces their face

positive politeness

when a speaker flatters another