Oral Communication

Oral Communication in Context

Quarter 2 – Module 4: Shift in Speech Context, Speech Style, Speech Act and
Communicative Strategy That Affects the Language Form
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Writer: Cherie M. Olesco

Editor: Arlene I. Donor
Layout Artist: Marisol Aspuria Baguisi
Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
Aurelio G. Alfonso EdD
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Victor M. Javeña EdD
Chief, School Governance and Operations Division and OIC-
Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

Education Program Supervisors

Librada L. Agon EdD (EPP/TLE/TVL/TVE)

Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
Bernard R. Balitao (AP/HUMSS)
Joselito E. Calios (English/SPFL/GAS)
Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMS/ADM)
Ma. Teresita E. Herrera EdD (Filipino/GAS/Piling Larang)
Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
Dulce O. Santos PhD (Kindergarten/MTB-MLE)
Teresita P. Tagulao EdD (Mathematics/ABM)

Printed in the Philippines by the Department of Education – Schools Division of Pasig City
 Oral Communication

Quarter 2
Self-Learning Module 4
Shift in Speech Context, Speech Style, Speech
Act and Communicative Strategy That Affects the
Language Form
Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the Oral Communication Self-Learning Module on Shift in Speech

Context, Speech Style, Speech Act and Communicative Strategy That Affects the
Language Form.

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed, and reviewed

by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its Officer-in-
Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin, in
partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor, Honorable Victor Ma.
Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum using
the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in developing this instructional
resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st-century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body
of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage
their learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as they
do the tasks included in the module.
For the learner:

Welcome to the Oral Communication Self-Learning Module on Shift in Speech

Context, Speech Style, Speech Act and Communicative Strategy That Affects the
Language Form.

The hand is one of the most symbolized parts of the human body. It is often used
to depict skill, action, and purpose. Through our hands, we may learn, create, and
accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a learner is
capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies and skills at
your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities
for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning material while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills that

you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson at

hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts and

skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and application

of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

This is your self-instructional learner module in Oral Communication in

Context. All the activities provided in this lesson will help you learn and
understand: Shift in Speech Context, Speech Style, Speech Act and
Communicative Strategy That Affects the Language Form.
Specifically, you will learn the following:
1. explain the shift in speech context, speech style, speech act, and
communicative strategy;
2. react to various communication situations; and
3. give reflections on how people interact with each other according to
speech context, speech style, speech act and communicative strategy
that affects the language form.

PRETEST

Identify what is being defined or described. Write the letter of the answer on the
space before the number.

____ 1. Which of the following deals with the internal grammatical structure of
words and phrases as well as the word themselves?
A. Language Structure C. Language
B. Language Form D. Phonemes

_____ 2. What refers to the situation or environment and the circumstances in

which the communication occurs?
A. Communicative Competence C. Speech Context
B. Speech Act D. Speech Style
_____ 3. This refers to the form of language that the speaker utilizes which is
characterized by the level of formality.
A. Register C. Speech Context
B. Speech Act D. Speech Style

_____ 4. A plan to achieve communication objectives. This may apply to

internal communications, marketing communications and public
relations.
A. Speech Act B. Communicative Strategy C. Speech Style

_____5. These are words or terms specific to a field.

A. Register C. Speech Context
B. Jargon D. Speech Style

RECAP

In the previous lesson, you learned about the situations employed in

different communicative strategies: Nomination, Restriction, Repair and
Termination.
To check your knowledge about the past lesson, fill in the box with 2
situations for different communicative strategies given on the table.

Nomination Restriction Repair Termination

 LESSON

Change in any part of the communication process brings change to the

entire process. This means that change from one speech style to another, one
speech context to another or from one communicative strategy directly or
indirectly affects the entire communication process. Today, you will be learning
shifts in communication and one of these shifts that affects the communication
process is the Language Forms.
Language forms deal with the internal grammatical structure of words and
phrases as well as the word themselves. When we say language form it can be
formal or informal.
Example: purchase is formal while buy is informal;
inform – formal and tell – informal
Form is the style in which a piece of text is written for example novel, short
story, play, dramatic monologue, and sonnet.
Language is considered as the vocabulary used within a text including
language devices, such as pathetic fallacy, personification, direct speech and
metaphor.
Formal language is characterized by the use of standard English, more
complex sentence structures, infrequent use of personal and lack of colloquial
or slang terms. Informal language, on the other hand, allows the use of
nonstandard English terms, colloquial vocabulary, and typically shorter
sentence structures.
Consider the following words: investigate, examine, check out. Each of
them has a different level of formality. While check out can be used in informal
writing and speech, using it I a formal research paper would not be appropriate.
Example:
Formal: The study examined the health effects of passive smoking.
Informal: The study checked out the health effects of passive smoking.
Formal: This experiment was successful.
Informal: This experiment worked just fine.
 Contractions are more casual and if you are striving for more formal style,
they should not be used. Contractions in negative sentences should be especially
avoided since they are easy to miss.
Informal: The outcomes of the study haven’t been documented yet.
Formal: The outcomes of the study have not been documented yet.
Likewise, a speaker must use the appropriate form of language to be used
in a given setting. The technical term for the term for the form of language is
register. There are different registers of any given language depending on the
formality of the communication setting, participants, topic, and other factors.
For example, there are different registers for speaking in a showbiz talk show,
funeral, academic forum, casual conversation and others. A speaker must know
which register to use and the elements of that register when speaking to specific
audience. For example, when a doctor speaks to an audience of doctors, he or
she may as a speaker may use medical jargon, which are words or terms specific
to a field of medicine. Register may also change because of a shift in topic or
setting. For example, during a conference of doctors, a speaker must use formal
language but during their entertainment night, the speaker must definitely use
informal language because the topic is not academic but about entertaining
stuff.
Shifts in communication affect the form of language being used. This does
not concern the variety of languages but may take the forms that reflect the types
of sentences. (Lander, 2016)
Can you still recall the types of sentences? These are: Decalarative (making
statements), Interrogative (asking questions), Imperative ( commands or
requests) Exclamatory (expresses strong emotion ). All of them are parts of
language forms.
How can we apply language forms in speech context? Blend of language
forms are observed in Intrapersonal and Interpersonal communication; they both
use formal and informal language.
In public and mass communication, we often use declaratives and not
commands because you are giving information just like speaking for an advocacy
in front of a lot of people. Speakers here usually give statements to inform.
Reporters on TV and radio use declaratives too since they speak to inform.
 For Speech style, we mostly use declaratives too for Formal and Frozen
styles, then we can shift to interrogative or asking questions in Consultative style
since we are asking for clarification. But as speakers we can shift the blend of
declarative, interrogative and exclamatory in casual and intimate style of
communication.
Language form in Speech Acts also changes. We use declarative for
Assertive and Declaration; mostly exclamatory form in Expressive Speech Act.
Example: We say, “Wow! Oh!”, when you get amazed with someone or something.
But Imperative language form is employed when we give Directives and
Commissives.
Examples:
- DOH shall institute measures to ensure that all accredited COVID-19
laboratories observe transparency in the pricing of tests.
- I promise to be on time.
For Communicative strategies like Nomination, Turn-taking, and Topic
Control we use mixed forms of interrogative and imperative.
Examples:
- What was the most interesting trend for 2019?
- Wait for your turn to speak. Let’s listen first to the present speaker.
In Topic Control, Repair and Termination, we mostly use declarative and
exclamatory forms of sentences.
Examples: This is the topic you must focus with.
Let me rephase my statement…
Let me end by saying ……
Language Structure: language is a “nested structure.” For example: letters are
combined to form syllables, syllables are combined to form words, words are
combined to form clauses and sentences. (Hawkins, 177)
Human language involves two types of structures. In the first, elements
from a finite set of meaningless “sounds” are combined into meaningful “words”
and parts of words, known as “morphemes.” Linguists call this “phonology.” The
rules of phonology cover “intonation” and “rhythm,” as well as the way specific
sounds can be combined. In the second type of structure, words and morphemes
are combined into “phrases.” This is what linguists call “syntax.” (Kenneally, 154)
(Includes) factors involved in carrying out a structural analysis of language,
whether spoken, written or signed.
In general, form refers to the shape and structure of something. It can also
mean the organization, placement and relationship between things. As such,
language form refers to the so-called surface features of language and how these
are arranged. The rules that govern how particular language features are
arranged are the grammar of the language.
When we shift into any of the four: speech style, speech context, speech
act and communicative strategy, it affects the language a lot.
It gives a completely different impression to the listener and changes the
duration of interaction considerably.
The language form is also changed with the change of vocabulary and
strategy.
In speaking situations such as dyad, small group, public and mass
communication, language shifts depending on who we are speaking to and the
language we use. Language form also shifts depending on the environment or
the atmosphere where communication takes place. Like for example, a mother
and daughter (dyad) talking about a certain situation at home. The language that
they use when they communicate to each other may be different when they are
in a group and when they are at home. For when they are at home, they can
comfortably communicate than when they are in public. The language they use
may vary.
Examples:
 Speech Context
Dyad (Best friend): Are you hanging with the gang tonight?
Dyad (Best friend’s mother): Miss Lopez may I ask for your permission to
allow your daughter to have a dinner party with us tonight?
(Change of tone and words are carefully thought out.)
 Speech Styles
Intimate (Family member): Mom are we going to attend that thing?
(The word thing is only familiar to them and not shared in public.)
Casual (Friend) I ain’t coming tonight we’re gonna be at the wake.
(Slang, street language)
  Speech Act
Locutionary (friend’s house): Would you be so kind to pass the rice please?
Locutionary (your house): Pass the rice before I starved to death!
 Communicative Strategies
Termination (Stranger): Do you have anything else to say; can I go now?
Termination (Teacher): Best regards to you Miss Olesco. See you around
Madam!

Guided Practice
Read and analyze the conversation of the siblings below.

SIBLINGS WHEN THERE ARE NO SIBLINGS WHEN THERE ARE

VISITORS VISITORS

Ruie: Hey brotha!!! You wash the Ruie: (smiling and whispering) Would
dishes or else I’m going to punch you! you be so kind to wash the dishes
Adrian: Punch your face! It’s your tonight?
turn tonight. Not mine! Adrian: Not a problem my dear
brother!

As observed in the two scenarios above, language form shifts depending

on the speech context, speech style, speech act and communicative strategy.
Communication between two people changes when the context changes and so
when the audience changes too.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Analyze the conversation below and identify the speech context and the language
form used.
 https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/411797959668979794/

Answers:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Activity 2
Reflect: Think of TV presenters in different situations – gossip or talk show,
variety show, headline news, celebrity news and opinion. Describe how the forms
of language they use are different from each other. Write the answer on a sheet
of paper.

WRAP-UP

To wrap-up everything you learned about the lesson, draw a table with two
columns. On the first column, write the types of speech style, speech context,
speech acts and communicative strategies. On the next column, write the
language form being used.
 VALUING

Explain briefly what this quote means:

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.
If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” - Nelson Mandela

POSTTEST

Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer on the space before the number.

_____1. In which speech style do we commonly use a formal language?

A. Frozen B. Casual C. Consultative D. Intimate

_____2. Exclamatory form of sentences is usually used in which type of speech

act?
A. Assertive B. Commissive C. Directive D. Expressive

_____3. What type of speech acts are imperatives appropriate to sue?

A. Assertive B. Commissive C. Directive D. Expressive

_____4. If you are in a formal event, which statement is best to use?

A. Can I suggest you try this new model?
B. May I suggest you try this new model.
C. Might I suggest you try this new model.
D. Try this new model.

_____5. When you are in a dinner party with friends, and you need to leave for
an urgent phone call, which is best to say?
A. Excuse me for a while. C. May I leave for a while?
B. I’ll be back. D. Would you please excuse me for a while?
 communication-strategy-within-an-organization
https://www.ucanwest.ca/blog/business-management/importance-of-
Strategies
https://www.scribd.com/document/390245737/7-Types-of-Communicative-
References
Pretest Activity 2 Posttest
1. B 1. Repair 1. Restriction
2. A 2. Restriction 2. Nomination
3. D 3. Nomination 3. Repair
4. C 4. Termination 4. Termination
5. Nomination 5. Repair
Activity 4
Nomination and Restriction
Ken: I think MECQ is already lifted. Mom, I want to go to the mall.
Mom: Don’t risk. You won’t go there without my permission.
Ken: I am going to follow all the safety precautions, I promise.
Mom: No. It’s still not safe because the cases of COVID is still rapidly growing.
Ken: I miss eating at my favorite restaurant, don’t you miss it too?
Mom: Why don’t you order online, I think that’s better? Order for two, please!
Ken: Oh, J.Co Doughnut is on sale, did you see it on facebook?
Mom: No, go! Dial the number order your favorite food. You won’t go out. That’s an
order!
Repair and Termination
A: I’d love to continue this conversation, but I really need to go now. I have to get
back to the office.
B: Well, let’s get together soon.
A: How about Friday?
B: Friday sounds good. Where shall we meet?
A: (looks at watch) I really must be going now or I’ll be very late. Can you give me a
call tomorrow and we’ll decide?
B: Fine. I’ll talk to you then.
A: Sorry I have to rush off like this.
B: That’s OK. I understand.
A: Good bye.
B: So long.
KEY TO CORRECTION