Republic of the Philippines

CITY COLLEGE OF TAGAYTAY

Akle St., Kaybagal South, Tagaytay City
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
General Education Department/Physical Education Department

MODULE 2 - MIDTERM

Time: ____________

Homeschool:____________

Educator: Jeff Jeremiah C. Perea

ENGL1a – Purposive Communication

Title: Unit II: Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Languages, Evaluating Messages,
and Images of Different Types of Texts Reflecting Different Cultures

Lesson 2: Language Registers

 Frozen Register
 Formal Register
 Consultative Register
 Casual Register
 Intimate register
 The Importance of Register Movement
 Bias-free language

Learning Outcomes
a. explain the varieties and registers of spoken and written languages
b. discuss how varieties and registers of languages affect communication
c. participate in activities to enhance communicative competence
d. appreciate the significance of understanding how varieties and registers of languages
affect communication

Rationale:
According to Eaton (2012), language or speech register is the level of formality or
informality with which people converse with one another. The choice of language register
depends on communication situations and people involved.

Topic/s:
Lesson 2: Language Registers

A. Frozen Register
 Literally “frozen” in time and form; rarely or never changes and often learned and
repeated by rote.
 Quality is static.
 Ritualistic and may even be archaic.

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  Most formal communicative style used in respectful situation or formal ceremonies.
 Does not require any feedback from the audience.
Examples:
 Anthems and Pledges
 Alma Mater song
 Marriage ceremonies
 Speeches for state ceremonies
 Prayers like The Lord’s Prayer
 Laws unless amended

B. Formal Register
 Language is standard – avoids slang and may use technical or academic vocabulary.
 Speaker uses complete sentences.
 Is likely that the speaker will use fewer contractions.
 Used for most academic and scientific publishing.
Examples:
 Sermons
 Rhetorical statements and questions
 Speeches
 Pronouncements made by judges
 Announcements

C. Consultative Register
 The normal style for speaking to strangers or persons who are neither acquaintances
nor friends or relatives.
 Two defining features:
o The speaker supplies background information – he does not assume that he
will be understood without it, and
o The listener participates continuously.
 Uses feedback and listener participation – the speaker depends on the listener’s
responses in deciding whether he is being understood.
 Used in semi-formal communication, and uses titles such as “Doctor”, “Mr.”, “Mrs.”
“Atty.”, etc.
 Words are general but precise, rather than technical.
 Conversational in tone. Interruptions can occur during the communication.
 Speaker does not usually plan what he wants to say like in an advice.
 Sentences tend to be shorter and spontaneous.
Examples: A communication between
o a superior and a subordinate
o a doctor and a patient
o a lawyer and a client
o a lawyer and a judge
o a teacher and a student
o a counsellor and a counselee

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D. Casual Register
 Used among friends and acquaintances that does not require background
information.
 No social barriers required.
 Very relaxed and focused on just getting the information.
 Conversational in tone. Interruptions can occur during the communication.
 Used in informal situation and uses informal language – slangs, vulgarities and
colloquialisms are normal and quite often used.
 Used when getting to know someone on a more personal level, or you want the
person to feel at ease.
Examples:
o Chat with buddies
o Emails or letters to friends
o Blogs
o Phrases like –
 “Eyy, You be playing ranked?”
 “Lezz go.” (Let us go.)
 “K” (Okay.)
 “Wassup?” (What’s up?)

E. Intimate Register
 A non-public speech style.
 Used by family members and very close friends.
 Meaning is shared even without “correct linguistic forms” – grammar correctness is
unnecessary.
 Uses private vocabulary – personal language codes, terms of endearment and name
callings.
 Also the language used in sexual harassment.
 Best avoided in public and professional situations.
 Characterized by an economy of words, with a high incidence of significant
nonverbal communication such as gestures, facial expression, eye contact, etc.
 Free and easy participation of both speaker and listener, and is far more elliptical.
Example: Canadians tend to be culturally informal. They are more likely to address
their boss by their first name and use a casual register more than any other (Storti,
2001).

F. The Importance of Knowing When and How to Move between Registers (From:
Language Register and Why It Matters by Sarah Elaine Eaton) (Printed with author’s
permission)
A speaker may move from one register to another with ease. For example, it is not
uncommon for Canadian teachers to address one another casually in the staff room, and then
adopt a more consultative register when speaking with a parent or school board trustee.
If one register is expected and another is presented, the result can be either that offense is
taken (or intended) or a comic response. For example, on the TV show “Big Bang Theory”,

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 Sheldon’s character often uses the higher consultative register with his friends, as well as
everyone else. He sometimes seems “stuck” in the world of high-level vocabulary, unable to
speak in the lower casual register that his friends use among themselves. The result is
comedic. The audience laughs at his social awkwardness and inability to understand that he
can (and should) adapt his speech to different contexts.
In contrast to Sheldon’s academic speech, some researchers have found that those living
in poverty are more likely to be “stuck” at the casual register. They are less likely to have
developed the skills at the consultative or formal language registers. Or if they do know how
to use the higher registers, it feels inauthentic to do so, like wearing a suit that does not fit
properly. As a result, those living in poverty may disregard the higher registers or simply
refuse to use them in their speech and writing. This, in turn, may inhibit them from advancing
in their work and ultimately, getting out of poverty. The same may also apply to professionals
looking for advancement or aspiring scholars who wish to publish their work.
For professional and academic writing, the formal or at the very least, the consultative
register, is appropriate.
Knowing what the various registers are, how to differentiate between them and when to
use which one increases your chances of being accepted by groups and speakers in a variety of
contexts.

G. Bias-Free Language by Jesus Perry L. Caudilla

In speaking and writing, it is important that bias is avoided. You must not attempt to use
discriminatory words or remarks that either degrade or elevate people based on your
assumptions on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities and religion of the recipient
of your communication. In other words, the use of bias-free language is essential in a bias-free
communication so that it will not result to offending your audience.
Locker (2006) defined bias-free language as “language that is sensitive to people’s sex,
race, age, physical condition and many other categories. Bias-free language does not
discriminate and therefore includes all readers in a fair and friendly manner.” Failure to use
bias-free language in communication may lead to disturbance of message, thus it is necessary
to select your words carefully. In addition, all communications should be inclusive and
diverse.

Here are some guidelines for bias-free communications:

Gender
1. Use gender-neutral or inclusive terms to refer to people.
Use this Avoid this
2 . D o n o t u s
people, humanity, human beings man, mankind
chair, chairperson, moderator chairman
Use this
staff the operation Avoid this
man the operation
Each
labor,employee should hand
human resources, in a
workforce, Each employee should hand in his
manpower
business report by…
staff, personnel business report by…
You should
ordinary hand in your business report
terms Each employee
layman’s terms should hand in his
by…
manufactured, synthetic, artificial business
manmadereport by…
Guidance counselors give advice to their
spokesperson A guidance counselor gives advice to
spokesman
students…
salesperson, sales clerk her students…
salesman, sales lady
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When talking to customers, ask them to When talking to a customer, ask
give… him/her to give…
Age
Refer to a person’s age only when it is relevant to the message.

Appropriate:
◦ Sir Ferrer will retire next month since he’s already 65 years old.
◦ Sen. Perea is already 48 years old. He can now run as president of the Philippines.

◦ Is this appropriate or not?

Marcus is already 42 and his girlfriend is only 19.
Inappropriate:
◦ Student 1: I think Ma’am Sanchez forgot to record our quiz.
◦ Student 2: She’s like that coz she’s old.
Instead: She must have a lot of things going on her mind.

Inappropriate:
◦ Speaker A: I don’t like going to Max’s.
◦ Speaker B: Why?
◦ Speaker A: Only old people go there.
Instead: I don’t like the food there.
I like the atmosphere better in…
Inappropriate:
◦ Speaker A: You smell like an old person!

Inappropriate:
◦ Speaker A: Do not invite Jet.
◦ Speaker B: Why?
◦ Speaker A: He’s too old for our vibe.
Instead: Just invite, regardless

Inappropriate:
Ten-year old Stephen still finds it difficult to read and write.

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Instead: Ten-year old Stephen continues to improve his ability to read and write.

Ethnicity

Unless important, never identify people by race or ethnic group.

-Research/Purposive Sampling
-Case Studies
-Demographics/Surveys
-Laws protecting Indigenous People
-Documentaries/News Reports

Example 1:
◦ Randy Sumag-ao, the Aeta student from Zambales, always submits his assignment on
time.
◦ Randy Sumag-ao always submits his assignment on time.

Example 2:
◦ Dr. Beltran is an Ibanag professor of chemistry.
◦ Dr. Beltran is a professor of chemistry

Example 3:
◦ I have black friends, Asians too.
◦ I have different/a lot of friends.

Example 4:
◦ Speaker A: I think our new neighbors are pretty stingy.
◦ Speaker B: Maybe they’re Ilokanos.

Example 5:
◦ Speaker: What are you wearing? You look like a Bisaya.

Example 6:
Filipinos were ‘angered’ when Koreans seem to ‘discriminate’ us but often use these words as
derogatory statements:
◦ Badjao
◦ Ita
◦ Bisaya (particularly of their Tagalog accent)
◦ Bisakol
◦ Mangyan

Disabilities

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 Put people first, not their disabilities.

◦ The deaf receptionist can do her duties competently.

◦ The receptionist, who has an aural impairment, can do her duties competently.

People are more important than their disabilities.

◦ Our manager, who is battling polio, will talk about the company’s financial status.
◦ Our manager will talk about the company’s financial status.

Problematic terminologies for persons with cognitive disability/specific learning needs:

-retarded -abnormal
-brain damaged
-special
-dumb
-slow

Using bias-free language in communication can lead to better message exchange and
stronger relationship with those whom we work with in the academic, business, civic and
other fields.

Instruction/s:
Read and analyze the different instructions given below. Follow what they tell you to do.

Activities:

TEST YOUR KNACK!

A. Sentence Correction. Fix the following registers depending on the given context. (15
pts.).

1. Context: Online Class Group Chat

Student: @Jeff Jeremiah Perea, give me the latest copy of the modules.

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Correction:

2. Context: School Registrar

Registrar: (politely and calmly) Would you mind giving me your name, address, and student
number?
Student: Juan Dela Cruz, Marahan II, Alfonso, Cavite, 202112345
Correction:

3. Online Class:
Teacher: (stern) I do not want students copying everything from online sources, okay?
Student: Sure, sorry.
Correction:

B. Sentence Creation. Aside from the examples given, write different conversations
showing the following registers:
(15 pts.).

1. Formal Register (must be based on your future profession)

2. Consultative Register (must be based on your future profession)
3. Casual Register
4. Intimate Register

Summative Evaluation:
1. What is the importance of being knowledgeable on the different types of language or
speech registers? Explain your points using concrete example/s. (10 pts.)