LESSON III:
LANGUAGE REGISTER
What is a Language Register?
- REGISTER is defined as the way a
speaker uses language differently in
different circumstances. Think about
the words you choose, your tone of
voice, even your body language. You
probably behave very differently
chatting with a friend than you would at
a formal dinner party or during a job
interview. These variations in formality,
also called stylistic variation, are known
as registers in linguistics.
- They are determined by such factors as
SOCIAL OCCASION, CONTEXT, PURPOSE,
and AUDIENCE.
- Registers are used in all forms of
communication, including written,
spoken, and signed. Depending on
grammar, syntax, and tone, the register
may be extremely rigid or very intimate.
You don't even need to use an actual
word to communicate effectively. A huff
of exasperation during a debate or a
grin while signing "hello" speaks
volumes.
- Registers are used in all forms of
communication, including written,
spoken, and signed. Depending on
grammar, syntax, and tone, the register
may be extremely rigid or very intimate.
You don't even need to use an actual
word to communicate effectively. A huff
of exasperation during a debate or a
grin while signing "hello" speaks
volumes.
TYPE OF LANGUAGE REGISTERS
1. Frozen Register
- This form is sometimes called
the static register because it
refers to historic language or
communication that is intended
to remain unchanged, like a
constitution or prayer.
- Reciting or reading a document
- Examples: The Bible and The
Philippine Constitution.
2. Formal Register
- The formal register is used in
professional, academic, or legal
settings where communication
is expected to be respectful,
uninterrupted, and restrained.
Slang is never used, and
contractions are rare.
- Uses abstract words of about
1400-1600 word vocabulary
- Uses in teaching and business
professions
- Used when asking questions
- Affects your ability to get into a
good college and get a good job
- Examples: a business
presentation, pronouncements
made by judges, SONA of the
President.
3. Consultative Register
- People use this register often in
conversation when they're
speaking with someone who
has specialized knowledge or
who is offering advice. Tone is
often respectful (use of
courtesy titles) but may be
more casual if the relationship
is longstanding or friendly (a
family doctor.) Slang is
sometimes used, people may
pause or interrupt one another.
- Used in the classroom
 - Examples: the local TV news
broadcast interview, lawyer to
client, doctor to patient,
teacher to student.
4. Casual Register
- This is the register people use
when they're with friends, close
acquaintances and coworkers,
and family. It's probably the
one you think of when you
consider how you talk with
other people, often in a group
setting. Use of slang,
contractions, and vernacular
grammar is all common, and
people may also use expletives
or off-color language in some
settings.
- Does not work for questioning
- The way you normally talk
- Examples: birthday party,
backyard barbeque, letter to
friends. Messenger GC among
friends.
5. Intimate Register
- Linguists say this register is
reserved for special occasions,
usually between only two
people and often in private.
- Words do not need to be used
always
- Examples: inside joke between
two college friends or siblings, a
word whispered in a lover's ear.
Reminders on Formal Register
1. Do not use contractions
- Contractions are not usually
used in formal writing even
though it is very common in
spoken English.
- Examples:
- Have not instead of
haven’t
- Should not instead of
shouldn’t
- Could not instead of
couldn’t
- However, contractions can be
used if you are quoting
someone’s exact words in
writing.
- Example:
- “We shouldn’t put a
premium to plainly
verbal communication”,
the professor said
- For apostrophes, keep in mind
that it does not pertain to a
contraction. Apostrophes are
added to nouns to express
ownership. They are used in all
language registers.
- Examples:
- Teacher’s profile
- Manager’s report
- Mother’s womb
2. Spell out numbers less than one
hundred
- This is a must for reports or any
form of formal writing that uses
number expressions.
- Examples:
- Nineteen
- Twenty-nine
- Sixty-five
3. Avoid using too much passive voice.
- Passive Sentences:
- The members of the
organization were instructed to
assemble at the conference
room by the event’s host.
- The terror attacks were
reported by CNN live.
- Active Sentences:
 - The event’s host instructed the
members of the organization to
assemble at the conference
room.
- CNN reported the terror attacks
live.
4. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggerations
and clichés
- These expressions are
acceptable in informal writing
and spoken English. Slang in
particular is only meant for a
certain area or region.
- Awesome/cool
- Okay/ok
- Check it out
- In a nutshell
- Clichés is a phrase that is often
overused.
- Too much of a good
thing
- Moment of truth
- Last but not the least
- As far as I am
concerned
- In my opinion
5. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
- If you have to use an acronym,
write it out the first time. From
then on, you can use the
acronym itself.
- National Aeronautics
and Space
Administration (NASA)
- Asian Institute of
Maritime Studies
(AIMS)
- Department of
Environment and
Natural Resources
(DENR)
- For abbreviations, write the
complete word the first time,
then abbreviations are in order.
- Influenza-flu
- Tablespoon- tbsp.
- Manila- Mla
- The following are among those
that are only for friendly email
and text messages.
- LOL- laugh out loud
- Brb- be right back
- OMG!- Oh my gosh
- TC- take care
6. Formal writing requires the good
transition words like
- Examples:
- Nevertheless
- Additionally
- Consequently
- In fact
- As a result of
- However
7. Always write in sentences. Fragments
are unacceptable in formal writing.
- Fragments:
- Before the expiration date
- Although it was relayed quite
well
- In the middle of an exhibition
- Sentences:
- You must consume the product
before its expiration date
- Although it was relayed quite
well, the message was still
unclear to the audience
- In the middle of an art
exhibition, the artist himself
opened the auction for his
masterpieces
Informal Register Accepts
● Slangs and clichés
● Figurative language
● Symbols and abbreviations
● Acronyms
● Incomplete sentences
 ● Short sentences way worthwhile for the
● Jokes listeners’ understanding.
● Personal opinions - The sender’s primary purpose is
● Active and passive voice to give intellectual
● Extra punctuation understanding, not to change
minds, arouse listeners to
action or entertain.
Informal Writing Includes - Examples: A lecture on the
proper care of the human
● Personal emails heart; a report at a meeting or a
● Text messages convention.
● Short notes 2. To Entertain
● Tweets - The main intention of the
● Facebook posts sender when his purpose is to
● Blogs entertain is not to present
_______________________________________ information. Nor does the
speaker hope to persuade the
listeners in order to stir them to
LESSON 4: a particular action.
- If they do give information
COMMUNICATION PURPOSE along the way, the informative
aspect is only secondary. The
message is intended primarily
The Communication Purpose to entertain.
- Examples: Speeches delivered
- This is what the sender wants to
after dinner at special meetings
accomplish in and through his speech or
of clubs and organizations; at
written correspondence.
social gatherings are mainly
- It is the goal the sender hopes to
presented for entertainment.
achieve as he addresses his message to
3. To Persuade
a particular audience.
- To persuade is to win the
- Does the sender want to inform the
receiver’s intellectual
receiver?
agreement and preferably
- Does the sender want to entertain the
action on its part.
audience?
- The sender may deal on
- Does the sender want to persuade?
controversial issues and he may
convince, stimulate or impress,
or arouse the receiver to action,
Communication Purpose depending on whether it is
1. To Inform favorable or unfavorable,
- The sender’s concern when his hostile or neutral.
purpose is to inform is to - Speeches to persuade may be
present an interesting and clear either of the three types:
● To Convince
 - Since convincing entail PATRONIZE, and so
changing the mind-set forth.
of the receiver in
_______________________________________
relation to some point,
one already in
agreement with the
sender cannot be LESSON 5:
convinced. On the COMMUNICATION AIDS AND TECHNOLOGY
controversial issues, the
people to be convinced
are those who are Examples of Communication Technology that
hostile or basically are used in the 21st Century (Chris Drew, PhD)
neutral towards a plan.
● To Stimulate 1. Social Media Platforms
- Those who need to be - Social media platforms allow
stimulated or people to create personal
impressed are the ones pages, post profile images and
whose attitudes lean on updates on their lives, and
the favorable side, create a friend list of people
whether definitely who can see your updates.
favorable, moderately - The first social media platform
favorable or extremely was 6 Degrees, which was
favorable. Receivers launched in 1997. MySpace was
whose attitudes are launched in 2003 and became
favorable need not be the first mainstream social
convinced for they are media platform. It was the most
already convinced. They popular social media platform
need to stimulated or in the world between 2005 to
impressed for a 2008.
reinforcement of their - Facebook took over from
agreement. MySpace as the most used
● To Actuate social media platform and
- The speaker aims to remains used by billions around
produce action which the world today.
are direct and - Twitter is another large social
observable. ✓ Not only media site used to quickly share
must the receiver have short thoughts to people
intellectual agreement; around the web. Major
it must be sold on the corporations, public figures and
proposition offered by governments use Twitter to
the sender to: quickly share updates and in-
- DO, VOTE, BUY, SIGN, the-moment responses to
RENT, ENLIST, ENROLL, sensitive issues of public
DEPART, SUBSCRIBE, importance.
2. Blogs
- Blogs are personal websites
where people can publish or
‘log’ information for others with
an internet connection to read
– all around the globe.
- A blog is usually a personal
website where someone shares
regular long-form posts about
their lives or hobbies. More
professional or commercialized
blogs are run by media
organizations, companies
seeking publicity, or
professional bloggers who
monetize through advertising or
affiliate marketing.
- Blogs revolutionized mass
communication. Before blogs
you needed to get a publishing
company to print and market
your writing around the world
at great expense.
- Now, with the click of a button
your writing can be seen
around the world.
- The first blog was written in
1994 on the website links.net
by Justin Hall. Justin didn’t call it
a blog at the time, but it had all
the features of a blog.
- The term ‘weblog’ was invented
in 1997 by Jorn Barger. The
word was a shortening of the
phrase “logging the web”.
- In 1999, weblog was shortened
to ‘blog’ by Peter Merholz.
Then, by 200
3. Vlogs
- Vlogs are “video logs”. They
emerged as an extension of
blogging after increased
bandwidths enabled regular
people to post video online.
- The typical vlog style involves
the vlogger using a handheld
camera or camera on their
computer monitor to record
themselves speaking. Some
vlogs, however, are high
production with complex
graphics and recording teams.
- The first vlog was published in
2000 when Adam Kontras
posted a video on his blog for
his family and friends to view.
- With the emergence of
YouTube in 2005, blogging
became increasingly popular.
YouTube gave everyday people
the ability to upload and embed
videos online. Another
facilitating factor was the
emergence of cheap
smartphone cameras.
4. Live Video Stream
- Live video is an extension of
vlogging that has responded to
online content consumers’
needs for immediacy and
authenticity.
- Live video was integrated onto
the YouTube video sharing
platform in April 2011.
Competitor network Facebook
introduced Facebook Live in
August 2015.
- Live video has the benefit of
synchronicity in
communication. On YouTube,
for example, the live vlogger
can read live community
comments appearing on-screen
in real time and respond to
their comments or questions
mid-stream.
- An important element of live
video stream is the capacity for
 video to be played, paused and
rewound in real time. A video is
not uploaded as a standalone
packet of data that can only be
viewed once it has been
completely downloaded on the
receiver’s end. Instead, the data
is downloaded, buffered and
played in real time.
5. Conferencing and Live Lecture
Technology
- Sophisticated conferencing
technology helps workplaces
communicate across long
distances. Today, live
conferencing technology tends
to use live video alongside
complex speaker systems.
- Examples of common
affordances of conferencing
technology include:
1. 360 degree cameras.
Cameras automatically
detect who is speaking
then display the current
speaker’s face.
2. Microphone and
speaker capacities to
allow anyone in a room
to speak clearly to
people on the other
end of the conference
call.
- Some online collaboration tools
also allow users to interact by
sharing computer screens. A
conference can have a
brainstorming screen on which
all members of the conference
can write from their computers.
- For university live lecture
technologies such as
Blackboard collaborate, a
teacher can be speaking to
hundreds of students around
the world at once.
6. Group Wikis
- A wiki is a website where
anyone can edit and add
content. The most famous wiki
is, of course, Wikipedia.
- Wikis allow collaborative
crowdsourcing of information.
This can help members of the
wikis to amass a lot of
information in a short period of
time.
- The collective knowledge that is
stored on Wikis can be accessed
at ease by all users, allowing
the creation of a ‘hive mind’.
Hive minds are knowledge or
information stored and
accessed by a community of
people.
7. Group Forums
- A group forum allows people to
post questions and answers for
others to respond to. Many
forums are sorted by topics,
such as Reddit, which allows
people with shared interests to
communicate with one another.
- Group forums are also
commonly used in education
where online schools have
students respond to a stimulus
question each week.
- Another benefit of forums is
that people can reply to each
others’ comments to create a
long-form conversation
between individuals online. The
full conversation is recorded in
comments and replies, leaving a
paper trail of conversations
which can be great for tracking
 the progress of the group’s
thinking.
8. Tablet Computers
- The sleek, modern tablet
computers that we enjoy today
emerged around 2008-2010
with the emergence of big
players like Android and Apple
into the tablet computer
market.
- The emergence of tablet
computers was made possible
by technological advances that
saw the requisite technologies
both compact and cheap
enough for the mass market.
- Key challenges included
creating small and affordable
touch screen technology and
compact long life battery packs.
- Tablets are now widely used as
a portable device that fits in the
market between a smartphone
that’s carried in the pocket and
a laptop that usually requires its
own bag. Tablets easily fit into
carry bags, are sufficiently
lightweight for carefree travel,
and are powerful enough to
make video phone calls, take
photos, and carry out light
personal computing tasks.
9. Podcasts
- Podcasts are packets of audio
information that can be
uploaded and stored on cloud
technology ready for anyone to
download and listen to at-will.
A podcast can be automatically
downloaded onto a smartphone
through RSS feeds so that fans
of a podcast series can get the
latest episodes at-will.
- Podcasts emerged out of radio
technology. Whereas radio is
transmitted through radio
waves, podcasts are
transmitted through the more
agile and feature-rich internet.
This has provided features such
as downloads at-will rather
than forcing people to tune in
at a specific point in time.
- Podcasting has also given
people the chance to access
audio of their favorite topics
from around the globe.
Whereas radio tends to appeal
to the widest possible audience
in a specific geographical
location (where it is
transmitted), podcasts tend to
appeal to a dispersed
community of people interested
in specific topics, such as ‘true
crime’, ‘politics’, or ‘comedy’.
- Publication of podcasts is also
available to anyone with a
computer and microphone. It is
therefore very similar to other
examples of communication
technologies in this list (see for
example: blogs). While once
communicating messages to
large audiences was restricted
to the powerful, now we can all
share our message from behind
our computer screens
10. Wearable Technology
- Wearable technologies help
make communication easier
than ever. A wearable
technology is any information
technology that is carried on
the body. Examples include:
● Smart Watches
 - allow people to use
voice commands to
control them. With
internet connections,
wearable technology 11. Smart Speakers
can provide quick
answers to questions
that we ask them, make
hands-free phone calls,
and help you keep
spoken-word memos
and notes throughout
the day.
● Smart Glasses
- can integrate
augmented reality into
a person’s everyday life.
When a user is wearing
smart glasses, they can
have the glasses project
data like their travel
speed or internet
search data directly
onto their retina. They
usually also allow
people to make phone
calls through voice
commands. Most smart
glasses technologies
also allow users to
communicate with 12. Web Chat
them through eye
movements, blinks or
hand movements.
● Exercise bracelets
- and other wearable
health trackers tap into
people’s bodies to
measure vital signs and
sleep rhythms. These
bracelets can
automatically send data
to exercise trainers and
medical professionals
to provide quick and
accurate updates on
the health profile of the
wearer.
- Smart speakers are
computerized personal
assistants placed around offices
and homes in order to help
people complete tasks hands-
free. They are usually activated
using a hot word, like ‘Hey
Computer’ or ‘OK Google’.
Smart speakers can hear people
from distances, allowing people
to use the speakers while still
going about their business.
- Once activated by a hot word,
the user asks the device
questions or provides voice
commands such as ‘turn out the
lights’, ‘add this to the shopping
list’ or ‘play a song’.
- Furthermore, smart speakers
can be hooked into phone lines
and internet lines to allow
people to ask search engine
questions via voice command or
make phone calls while going
about their daily lives.
- While web chat has been
around since the early days of
the internet, it has experienced
a resurgence in recent years for
business to consumer (B2C)
communication.
- Early web chat software
included MSN messenger which
was embraced by adolescents
and young adults as a way of
chatting with friends during the
early 2000s. With the rise of
Facebook and Facebook
 messenger, MSN messenger
declined and was disbanded in
2012.
- Smartphone apps have made
webchat an increasingly
popular form of instant
Insights… (Prof. Chris Drew, PhD)
communication between
friends.
- However, it has also recently
been used by companies as a
means of offering “web chat
support” to customers seeking
help with their products. Web
chat support for business to
consumer interactions is a
viable alternative to phone
helpline support. It enables
customers to go about their
daily lives and get a notification
whenever the support team has
a new piece of information,
rather than waiting on hold on
the phone.
13. Email
- While email has been around
since at least the 1970s, it
makes this list because of its
continuing relevance in the 21st
Century.
- Email in fact outdates the
internet by several decades.
Early emails were sent via
closed-circuit LAN networks in
government and university
databases. The first email using
the ‘@’ symbol to direct the
message to the correct servers
was used in 1971!
- Perhaps most emblematic of
email’s increased relevance to
our lives is the growing rate of
‘paperless billing’. Whereas
once we would have received
bills via post, most business to
consumer (B2C) billing and
invoicing is done via email
today. Email has also rendered
alternatives like Fax almost
irrelevant in the 21st Century
- Communication technology has come a
long way since the days of Morse code.
It was only a handful of generations ago
that communication across long
distances was excruciatingly slow and
rudimentary.
- If we went overseas, we wouldn’t
expect to see the faces or hear the
voices of our loved ones until we came
home. Now, a quick (and free!) skype
call can give us a live and immersive
face-to face conversation with our
family back home.
- The single greatest advance in
technological capabilities in the past 50
years was the invention of the internet.
Other hardware such as satellite
capabilities and fiber optic cable have
helped improve internet capacity and
rapidly progressed internet-based
communication.
- Communication technology continues
to advance at a rapid pace. The
emergence of the internet has made
communication more democratic than
ever. Now, anyone with an internet
connection can broadcast their ideas
online.
- However, with this increased capacity
for anyone to share information comes
challenges. The rise of ‘fake news’
highlights the importance of being
critical of information passed on
through online media and the need to
inform ourselves using reliable,
trustworthy and scientific information.
- This list of examples of examples of
communication technology highlights
just some of the technologies that keep
us connected in the 21st. Century.