SUMMARY

Introduction to Sociolinguistics

STYLE, CONTEXT, & REGISTER

Group 4: 

Safitri Nasution (20018148)

Siwi Sasria (20018034)

Speakers can convey the same information differently. They change the style

of their speech according to the Addressee & Context.

Style

The range of variation in an individual speaker's speech. This can be in the

form of language variations from formal to informal. Gaya bicara orang [fitur gaya]

mencerminkan tidak hanya aspek identitas mereka seperti etnis, usia, jenis kelamin,

dan latar belakang sosial, tetapi juga menunjukkan konteks di mana bahasa

digunakan.

Example:

a) Excuse me. Could I have a look at your photos too, Mrs. Hall? [Formal]

b) C’mon Tony. [Informal]

 When the addressee is the influence, a speaker will choose the appropriate style

based on:

a) Relationship between the speaker and addressee.

b) How well the speaker knows the addressee.

c) How close the speaker feels to the addressee (solidarity and social distance).

d) Age of the addressee.

e) Social background of the addressee.

People talk differently to children and to adults.

 Children: Talking to a child would likely be in a sing-song intonation and

“baby talk” and when writing to them, we use shorter explicit sentences,

simple grammar and common vocabulary items.

 Elderly people: It is noticed that people tend to employ similar stylistic

features when they talk to children like using simpler vocabulary, less

complex grammar and the use of “we” to refer to the addressee (in English).

1. Addressee as an influence on style

The more familiar the speaker is with the addressee, the style used will be

less formal – this tendency is observed across languages. Factors relevant to

the addressee: age, social background, gender, etc.

1.1 Age of addressee

  Speaking to children, and in many cases, to the elderly, simpler

vocabulary, less complex grammar, distinctive (sing-song)

intonation is used;

 Speaking to adults: more complex sentences, larger vocabulary,

standard intonation patterns.

1.2 Social background of addressee

Different language varieties are employed to addressees of different

social backgrounds: pronunciation, vocabulary and grammatical

differences – more formal to casual styles!

2. Accommodation theory

Speech accommodation: the speech of each person converges toward

the speech of the other person they are conversing with – the style becomes

similar!

Condition: the speaker intends to please the addressee, or, trying to make the

conversation more fluid – a politeness strategy!

2.1 How do speakers accommodate?

 Simplified speech to foreigners and children (vocabulary,

grammar);

 Selecting the language (or variety) of the addressee in multilingual

communities.

2.2 Speech divergence

 Negative attitude:

Deliberate choice of the language or variety not used by the addressee: for

example, the use of Arabic instead of English.

Positive attitude:

The divergence may benefit the speaker: for example, deliberate

incorporation of foreign accent.

Referee design:

A third party’s style is employed for special effect

Context

Context refers to those objects or entities which surround a focal event, in

these disciplines typically a communicative event, of some kind. Context is "a frame

that surrounds the event and provides resources for its appropriate interpretation.”

Register
It is an occupational style with jargon that describes the language of groups

of people with common interests or jobs or the language used in situations associated

with such groups. Some linguists use the term register to refer to the style of speech

from slang to elevated variety. Others restrict it to specialised vocabulary.

If style is analyzed along a scale of formality, then register, when

distinguished from style, is associated with the language of a particular group of

people. Examples of registers: Journalese, baby-talk, legalese, sports commentators,

language of airline pilots, criminals, doctors, engineers, politicians, students …etc.