VARIETIES AND REGISTERS OF SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Communication

knows no boundaries. Whether such communication takes place in the home, in the street, at a business meeting, or inside the classroom, an individual uses techniques and strategies to be able to put their message across. In today’s society and age, communication has become so fluid (Davies, 2014) and boundless (Yagmur, 2011) due to increasing effects and influences of globalization, international communication (also referred to as transnational communication) practices continually occur borders. This is why multimodal and multicultural tasks among learners need to be reintroduced and strengthened.

Diversity

is reality. It is increasingly affecting traditional and digital media, trade, labor practices, and even casual conversations. Changes in registers in one part of the world affect people everywhere. There are many types of diversity which are associated with injustice and inequality where not every person or group is treated equally because of them. These types of diversity include socially excluded groups, nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual preference, social class, religious beliefs and practices, and physical or mental disability.

Barry Tomalin

For ___________, culture is the fifth language skill in addition to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Traditionally, culture is defined as a set or collection of traditions, beliefs, values, and customs of a particular community. This brings forth the British and American

traditions of pronunciation, accent, spelling and writing conventions. Yet such traditions were all interesting and sometimes useful knowledge and often included in textbooks.

Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language

There are two factors that distinguished spoken language from the written one:

(1) the actual situation or context in which the language is used, and

(2) the purpose of communication.

Characteristics of Spoken Language

• The situation in which the spoken variety of language is used and in which it develops presupposes the presence of an interlocutor.

• The spoken language is mostly maintained in the form of a dialogue.

• The spoken language utilizes the human voice and all kinds of gestures which give additional information.

• The spoken language is spontaneous but momentary. It vanishes after having fulfilled its purpose, which is to communicate the thought, no matter how trival or important.

• The spoken language cannot be detached from the user of it.

• The spoken language widely uses intensifying words. These are interjections and words with strong emotive meaning, as oaths, swear words and adjectives which have lost their primary meaning.

• The spoken language is characterized by the insertion into the utterance of words without any meaning, which are called “fill-ups” or empty words (as well, and all, so to

say, whatever).

interlocutor (a person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation)

The situation in which the spoken variety of language is used and in which it develops presupposes the presence of an ____________

The spoken language

is mostly maintained in the form of a dialogue.

The spoken language

utilizes the human voice and all kinds of gestures which give additional information.

spontaneous

The spoken language is ____________ but momentary. It vanishes after having fulfilled its purpose, which is to communicate the thought, no matter how trival or important.

detached

The spoken language cannot be ____________ from the user of it.

interjections

The spoken language widely uses intensifying words. These are ______________ and words with strong emotive meaning, as oaths, swear words and adjectives which have

lost their primary meaning.

utterance

The spoken language is characterized by the insertion into the ____________ of words without any meaning, which are called “fill-ups” or empty words (as well, and all, so to

say, whatever).

five types of spoken language

1. Interactional

2. Referential

3. Expressive

4. Transactional

5. Phatic

Interactional

having a social function. This makes use of informal type of speech which aims to develop relationships between interlocutors.

Referential

providing the listener some information referring to objects or abstract concepts. The speaker assumes that the listener has knowledge on the matter at hand. In return, the listener has to know the context before they can understand the reference.

Expressive

showing the speaker’s judgments or feelings about a person event, or situation.

Transactional

getting information or making a deal. It has a specifiv purpose and is driven by needs and wants rather than sociability. Unlike interactional language, transactional spoken language has its intention to achieve a give and take relationship between the speaker and the listener.

Phatic

engaging in small, plain talk. The speaker and listener use minimal amount of language to engage in the conversation.

Characteristics of Written Language

1. The written variety presupposes the absence of the interlocutor.

2. The written language is mostly maintained in the form of a monologue.

3. The written language is more carefully organized and more explanatory Most often, the word choice is more deliberate. The written language is able to live forever with the idea it expresses,

4. The written language is able to live forever with the idea it expresses.

5. The written language can be detached and objectively looked at. The writer has an opportunity to correct and improve what has been put on paper.

6. The written language bears a greater volume of responsibility than its spoken counterpart.

absence

The written variety presupposes the ____________ of the interlocutor.

monologue

The written language is mostly maintained in the form of a __________

organized

The written language is more carefully ___________ and more explanatory. Most often, the word choice is more deliberate.

live forever

The written language is able to ______________ with the idea it expresses

detached

The written language can be ___________ and objectively looked at. The writer has an opportunity to correct and improve what has been put on paper.

writer

The ___________ has an opportunity to correct and improve what has been put on paper.

responsibility

The written language bears a greater volume of _____________ than its spoken counterpart.