` Chapter 4

VARIETIES AND REGISTERS OF SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE

There are many differences that can be noted between written and spoken language.
1. Spoken language is generally less formal than written language.
2. Spoken language tends to be less precise than written language.
3. Written language is often more articulate and sophisticated than spoken
language.
4. Spoken language can be more communicative than written language due to extra
cues such as body language and tone.

VARIETY

In sociolinguistics a variety, also called a lect, is a specific form of a language or language

cluster.
Dialects
Dialect, which refers to differences in syntax, morphology, and vocabulary as well as
pronunciation.
A variety spoken in a particular region is called a regional dialect;
some regional varieties are called:
topolects,
(The language or speech of a particular place, such as a country, region, village, or  valley,)
ethnolects dialect varieties associated with particular ethnic groups
sociolects), socioeconomic classes or other social or cultural groups.

Dialectology is the study of dialects and their geographic or social distribution.

Accent is used to refer only to differences in pronunciation, especially those that are
associated with geographic or social differences.

Definitions of different kinds of Language Varieties:

 Pidgin: A pidgin is a new language which develops in situations where speakers of different
languages need to communicate but don't share a common language.

Creole: When children start learning a pidgin as their first language and it becomes the
mother tongue of a community, it is called a creole. Like a pidgin, a creole is a distinct
language which has taken most of its vocabulary from another language, the lexifier, but
has its own unique grammatical rules.

Regional dialect: A regional dialect is not a distinct language but a variety of a language
spoken in a particular area of a country.

Minority dialect: Sometimes members of a particular minority ethnic group have their own
variety which they use as a marker of identity, usually alongside a standard variety. This is
called a minority dialect.

1
Indigenized variety: Indigenized varieties are spoken mainly as second languages in ex-
colonies with multilingual populations.

DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

English is the most widely-spoken language in the world, having the distinct status of
being the official language of multiple countries. While the English language is uniform with
major variations in spelling present between American English and British English, the
dialect or accent is usually the factor that enables one to distinguish the various types of
English.

AMERICAN ENGLISH
American English sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is
the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States and widely
adopted in Canada.

BRITISH ENGLISH
British English is the English language as spoken and written in the United
Kingdom or, more broadly, throughout the British Isles. Slight regional variations
exist in formal, written English in the United Kingdom.

AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH
Australian English is a major variety of the English language, used throughout
Australia. Although English has no official status in the constitution, Australian
English is the country’s national and de facto official language as it is the first
language of the majority of the population.

NEW ZEALAND ENGLISH Short form NZE. 

The English language as used in New Zealand, a country of the Southern
Pacific and a member of the COMMONWEALTH. English has been used in New
Zealand for over 200 years.

BLACK VERNACULAR ENGLISH (BVE), OR colloquially Ebonics (a controversial term), is

the variety (dialect, ethnolect and sociolect) of English natively spoken by
most working-  and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians,
particularly in urban communities. 

SINGAPORE ENGLISH is the English language spoken in Singapore, of which there are
two main forms, Standard Singapore English and Singapore Colloquial English
(better known as Singlish).
The language consists of three sociolects; Acrolect, Mesolect,
and Basilect. Both Acrolect nd Mesolect are regarded as Standard Singapore English,
while Basilect is considered as Singlish.
Acrolect; there is no significant and consistent difference from the features of
Standard British English
Mesolect; it has some features distinct from SBE 

2
 1. Question tenses in an indirect form; e.g. "May I ask where is the toilet?"
2. Indefinite article deletion (copula absence); e.g. "May I apply for car
licence?" (Instead of saying "a" car licence)
3. Lack of marking in verb forms (Regularisation); e.g. "He always go to the
shopping centre."
Basilect (Singlish);
Generalised "is it" question tag; e.g. "You are coming today, Is it?"
Consistent copula deletion; e.g. "My handwriting no good, lah."
Use of particles like ah; lah, e.g. "Wait ah; Hurry lah, I need to go now!"

PHILIPPINE ENGLISH
Philippine English is any variety of English (similar and related to American
English) native to the Philippines, including those used by the media and the vast
majority of educated Filipinos. English is taught in schools as one of the two official
languages of the country, the other being Filipino (Tagalog).

LANGUAGE REGISTER

Language register is the level and style of your writing. It should be appropriate for
the situation you are in.

Let's look closely at the three most common language registers used in the English language.

FORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER

Formal writing is probably the most difficult type of writing. It is impersonal,

meaning it is not written for a specific person and is written without emotion.
Some kinds of writing are always written in formal English.
Formal writing includes:
Business Letters
Letters of complaint
Some essays
Reports
Official speeches
Announcements
Professional emails

There are many rules for writing in formal writing. We will discuss some of the most
common rules here..

Rules of the formal language register:

1. Do not use contractions

2. Spell out numbers less than one hundred
3. Write in third person point of view
4. Avoid using too much passive voice
5. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggeration (hyperboles) and clichés

3
6. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
7. Do not start sentences with words like and, so, but, also
8. Always write in complete sentences.
9. Write longer, more complex sentences.

INFORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER

Informal writing is written in the way we talk to our friends and family. We use
informal writing when we are writing to someone we know very well.
Some kinds of writing can be written in an informal style.

NEUTRAL LANGUAGE REGISTER

We use the neutral language register with non-emotional topics and information.
Neutral writing is not necessarily formal or informal. It is not usually positive or
negative. A neutral register is used to deliver facts.
Some writings are written in a neutral register. This means they are not specifically
formal or informal.

JARGON
Jargon refers to the specialized language of a professional or occupational group.
Such language is often meaningless to outsiders.

BIAS-FREE LANGUAGE
Here are some general principles to follow when referring to different groups or
categories:

1. Gender and Sexual Orientation

To be inclusive of all people in general references, one should favor gender-
neutral words and phrases over gender-biased words
Gender-biased examples: Each student should submit his term paper by Monday.
Restatement: Each student should submit a term paper by Monday.
Plural construction: Students should submit their term papers by Monday.
Use of “you” : You should submit your term paper by Monday.

2. Race and Ethnicity

Racism is a form of discrimination against a person or persons of different
race. In general, it is best to avoid identifying people by race or ethnic group.
a) Words that reinforce stereotypes and that imply all people of a
particular race or ethnic group care the same should be avoided.
b) One should be attuned to the current terminology by which racial and
ethnic groups refer t themselves.
c) It is also important to be sensitive to religion when referring to various
ethnic groups.

3. Age
Ageism is a form of discrimination against other people because of their
age, or assuming that older people are less physically, intellectually or emotionally
able than other age groups.

4
 4. Disabilities
When referring to people with disability, the focus should be on the person,
not the condition.

USING SPECIFIC AND CONCRETE DICTION

Writing teachers often tell their students to "show--don't tell." To make your writing
effective, "show" something to readers that they can imaginatively experience; don't just
"tell" readers an abstract idea.
For example, the two sentences below, both conveying the same basic idea.
Abstract "Telling"
Even a large male gorilla, unaccustomed to tourists, is frightened by people.
   Concrete "Showing"
"A four-hundred-pound male [gorilla], unaccustomed to tourists, will bolt
into the forest, trailing a stream of diarrhea, at the mere sight of a person."

1) Abstract and Concrete Diction

Abstract Diction
Abstract diction refers to words that do not appeal imaginatively to the reader's
senses.
Concrete Diction
Concrete diction refers to words that stimulate some kind of sensory response in the
reader:
2) General and Specific Diction
General Diction
What do you imaginatively "see" when you read the following sentence: "The
dog jumped on top of the car"?
Specific Diction
Now, what do you imaginatively "see" what you read this sentence: "The
Saint Bernard jumped on top of the red corvette"?
3) Be Specific!
Specific diction will help ensure that the meaning you intend is exactly the meaning
that readers receive.
4) Use the Right Words, not the Almost-Right Words!
Some composition and writing experts argue that writers should write with verbs
and nouns, avoiding the use of adverbs and adjectives (those words that "modify," or
change, verbs and nouns). If you use the right verbs and nouns, there should be no need to
modify them into something else.

5
6
7
8
9
USING SPECIFIC AND CONCRETE DICTION
Writing teachers often tell their students to "show--don't tell." To make your writing effective,
"show" something to readers that they can imaginatively experience; don't just "tell" readers an
abstract idea.
For example, the two sentences below, both conveying the same basic idea.
Abstract "Telling"
Even a large male gorilla, unaccustomed to tourists, is frightened by people.
   Concrete "Showing"
"A four-hundred-pound male [gorilla], unaccustomed to tourists, will bolt into
the forest, trailing a stream of diarrhea, at the mere sight of a person."

1) Abstract and Concrete Diction

Abstract Diction
Abstract diction refers to words that do not appeal imaginatively to the reader's senses.
Concrete Diction
Concrete diction refers to words that stimulate some kind of sensory response in
the reader:
2) General and Specific Diction
General Diction
What do you imaginatively "see" when you read the following sentence: "The dog
jumped on top of the car"?
Specific Diction
Now, what do you imaginatively "see" what you read this sentence: "The Saint Bernard
jumped on top of the red corvette"?
3) Be Specific!
Specific diction will help ensure that the meaning you intend is exactly the meaning that readers
receive.
4) Use the Right Words, not the Almost-Right Words!
Some composition and writing experts argue that writers should write with verbs and nouns,
avoiding the use of adverbs and adjectives (those words that "modify," or change, verbs and nouns). If
you use the right verbs and nouns, there should be no need to modify them into something else.

10