Varieties of Language

 - Subcategories of language
 Dialect
 Jargon
 Idiolect
 Register
 Dialect – it contains the word “lect”
within the term derives from the Greek
words dia-meaning ‘across between’ and
legein ‘speak’.
 A dialect is a regional or social variety of
a language distinguished by pronunciation,
grammar, and/or vocabulary. The term
dialect is often used to characterize a way
of speaking that differs from the standard
variety of the langauge.
Types of Lects
 Regional dialect- a variety spoken in a
particular region
 Sociolect – also known as a social dialect, a
variety of language used by a socioeconomic
class, a profession, an age group, or any other
social group.
 Ethnolect- spoken by a specific ethnic
group (Ebonics-the vernacular spoken by
some African-Americans
 Idiolect-the language or languages spoken
by each individual
Jargon
 It refers to the specialized language of a
professional or occupational group. Such
language is meaningless to outsiders
 -Professional jargons
 -Informal jargons
Register
 It is defined as the way a speaker uses
language differently in different
circumstances.
 -choice of words
 - tone of voice
 -body language
VARIETIES OF SPOKEN AND
WRITTEN LANGUAGE
1. Language varies when
communicating with people
within (local) and outside
(global) community.
2. Language varies in
speaking and in writing
3. Language varies in
everyday and
specialized discourses.
 Eight Different Domains in
Language Variations
 1. Local everyday written – this may
include instances of local everyday written
usage found in the neighborhood (poster
looking for transients/bed spacers
2. Local everyday oral may occur in
local communication among
neighbors in everyday, informal
and local varieties of languages
 3. Local specialized written – can be found in
the publications and web sites of local
societies such as Baguio Midland Courier.
4. Local specialized oral involves specialized
discourses – specialized computer
game-related vocualary is needed
 5. Global everyday written avoids local
colloquialisms to make the text accessible to wider
communities of readers
 6. Global everyday oral may occur in interactions
between people coming from different parts of the
world when they talk about everyday casual topics.
 7. Global specialized written expands to as many
readers internationally, hence the non-usage of
local colloquial expressions (international research
journal articles)
 8. Global specialized oral occurs when people from
different parts of the world discuss specialized
topics in spoken form (paper presentation sessions
in an international academic conference)
Seatwork
 1. In what situations are the local and
global varieties of spoken language used?

 2. Why is it important to use appropriate

varieties and registers of language in
certain communication contexts?
FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Objectives:
a. Discuss the functions of communication
b. Identify the speaker’s purpose
c. Watch and listen to sample oral
communication activities
d. Ascertain the verbal and nonverbal cues
that each speaker uses to achieve
his/her purpose
e. Identify strategies used by each speaker
to convey his/her ideas effectively
Introduction
We are in a busy world where we
cannot resist but to communicate. In
whatever means we use in communicating
with our loved ones, friends, colleagues
and superiors we certainly have a purpose
in doing so.
Five Functions of Communication
1. Regulation//control
2. Social interaction
3. Motivation
4. Information
5. Emotional expression
1. Regulation/Control Function
“The most basic of all
human need is the need to
understand. The best way
to understand people is to
listen to them”.
- Dr. Ralph Nicholas
DESIRE

A. We want to meet our

own needs/desires
B. We try to control the
actions of others to
help us meet our needs
and desires
Regulatory Communication
 It refers to giving orders or directions,
making requests or attempting influence the
actions of others and accepting or refusing
directions.
 Regulatory Language – it may include giving
orders in a more indirect way of controlling
and manipulating others.
 Language when used as a means to control
may have positive(polite/request) or negative
connotations (command/insist).
The list below specifies the communicative acts
under regulation function
 Making suggestions in which the speaker is
involved
 Making requests, suggestions
 Refusing to accept a suggestion or a request
offering an alternative
 Persuading someone to change his point of
view
 Requesting or granting permission
 Asking for help, responding to a plea for help
 Forbidding someone to do something,
issuing a command
 Giving and responding to instructions
 Warning someone
 Discouraging someone from pursuing a
course of action
 Establishing a guideline and deadlines for
the completion of actions
 Asking for directions or instructions
Questions to be used in analyzing
this function of communication:
1. What result or outcome is the person
trying to achieve?
2. Did he initiate action or did someone
give him the clue or prompt him; if so,
how much prompting was needed?
3. Did he achieve the result or outcome
that he desires?
 Examples of desired outcome:
Example of Regulation Purpose or Desired Outcome

Turns the person’s face to him The person wants attention

Wants approval to switch on the air The person wants permission

conditioning unit

Don’t throw your trash on the floor The person wants to stop or refuse

“Place the laptop on that table.” The person commands, directs, or

points where the table is located. demands
Grammatical structures, vocabulary and
phrases associated with a particular function
 Giving Orders and Instructions
We use the imperative form to give orders,
warnings and advice:
Be silent!
Be careful!
Listen to me attentively!
 It might be rude to give direct orders
(especially if you are talking to an adult),
we soften the imperative form with “let’s”
or “please”:
 Let’s go to the auditorium
 Please take note of what I’m saying