Presentation and Politeness

What is idiolect?

• The language traits and features peculiar to an individual person.

• This could include lexical choices, grammatical choices, pitch and intonation.

• The speech habits peculiar to an individual person.

What is sociolect?

• A variety of speech associated with a particular identity or group.

• To be thought of as a social dialect, rather than a regional dialect based on geographical location – it’s related to social background and identity.

What are forensic linguistics?

Can be used to help catch criminals, for example, a murderer sending texts and was caught by tiny differences in punctuation – scientific investigation of a person’s language.

What is positive politeness?

Involves using language to signal liking and approval.

What are features of positive politeness?

• Show interest in the hearer.

• Claim common ground with the hearer.

• Seek agreement.

• Give sympathy.

What is negative politeness?

Being polite to mitigate the situation, involves using language to minimise the imposition on someone.

What are features of negative politeness?

• Be indirect.

• Minimise the imposition (make out it’s not a big deal).

• Beg forgiveness.

• Give deference.

What are features of Joos’ frozen register?

• Language that never changes.

• Wedding vows, court room language, etc.

• Situations that play out similarly each time.

What are features of Joos’ formal register?

• Standard English.

• Speeches, school lessons.

• Little shared backgrounds.

• Communication is largely one way.

• Designed to inform.

• Uses fairly complicated sentence structures.

• Discourse is kept to relevant topic, lexis kept “formal”, little/no personal information involvement.

What are features of Joos’ consultative register?

• Less formal standard English.

• Two-way communication between people who aren’t family/friends; requires the speaker to deliver some background information in order to be understood – e.g employee to employer.

• Acquaintances conversation, can be somewhat casual but too much is inappropriate, fleeting/in-passing chatter, not very personal.

What are features of Joos’ casual register?

• Language between friends.

• Used between people who know each other reasonably well in informal settings; features include colloquial forms and interruptions.

• Loose sentences, vernacular speech.

• Easy to pick up conversation and understand restricted code and feels relaxed.

What are features of Joos’ intimate register?

• Language between lovers or other close family and friends.

• Reserved for private communication, e.g between family members and close friends.

• Often use a kind of code with invented words for familiar objects.

• Pet names, inside jokes.