Varieties and Registers

of Spoken and Written

Language
 SPOKEN LANGUAGE

- The actual use of speech,

sounds, or related utterances
that convey meaning to share
thoughts or information.

2
 WRITTEN LANGUAGE

- Communication by means of
written symbols/writing system.

3
 LANGUAGE VARIETY

-A general term for any distinctive form of

a language or linguistic expression.
-Various form of language triggered by
social factors.

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 Categories of Language
Variety

DIALECT REGISTER PIDGIN CREOLE

-. It includes the -refer to particular - a simplified - a pidgin that is used
differences in ways of using language, language derived by native speakers
grammar, morphology, whether formal or from two or more and with fully
vocabulary, syntax, informal in particular languages used by developed grammar
and pronunciation. contexts and in social people who do not and syntax.
- Also refers to the way situations. share a common
people speak their language in a given
native language. geographical
5 location
 DIALECT

-. It includes the differences in Southern states say

grammar, morphology, “y’all” while most of
vocabulary, syntax, and the US citizens say
pronunciation. “you guys”.
- Also refers to the way people Americans call it
speak their native language. “highway” while in
the West they call it
6 “freeway”.
 ACCENT

Refers to how
people pronounce
words and how
someone speaks
another language.

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TYPES OF DIALECT

Regional Dialect- spoken in a particular geographical area.

Sociolect- Differences in speech associated with various social

group such as income level, education, occupation.

Ethnolect- spoken by a specific ethnic group

Idiolect- A person’s specific way of speaking that differs from

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the way other people talk.
 PIDGIN

a simplified language
derived from two or
more languages used
by people who do not
share a common
language in a given
At a ferry landing in the Pacific Island nation of
geographical location. Vanuatu, a sign in Bislama (an English-lexifier
pidgin-creole) can be translated as, “If you
want the ferry to come, strike the gong.”
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 CREOLE

A creole is a pidgin that is used by native speakers and with fully developed
grammar and syntax.
Example: Chavacano is a Spanish-based creole spoken in Zamboanga,
10 Philippines.
 REGISTER

▰ Refers to a particular ways of

using language, whether formal
or informal in particular contexts
and in social situations.

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 TYPES OF REGISTER

▰ FROZEN
▰ FORMAL
▰ CASUAL
▰ CONSULTATIVE
▰ INTIMATE
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Frozen- These are specific written or
oral acts that remain unchanged.

Examples: The Bible, the United States

Constitution, and National Anthem.

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Formal- used when communication
is expected to be respectful,
uninterrupted, and restrained.
Examples: a TED talk, and a business
presentation.

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Consultative- used when speaking
with someone who has specialized
knowledge or who is offering advice.
Examples : Doctor's appointment, and a
meeting with the school principal.

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Casual- used when they're with
friends, close acquaintances and co-
workers, and family.
Examples: a birthday party, hanging out
with friends.

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Intimate- usually between two
people and often in private.
Examples: words whispered in a lover's
ear, and inside jokes of two college
friends.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF
SPOKEN AND WRITTEN
LANGUAGE
Chafe (1994) introduces six differences
between spoken and written language.
 Evanescence
 Differences in tempo
 Spontaneity vs.
deliberation
 Richness of prosody
 Naturalness
 Situatedness and
desituatedness

SPOKEN and WRITTEN

Evanescence- refers to its nature of rapid fading. This quality of sound makes
spoken language available only at the time and place it is uttered unless it is
recorded.

Faster Tempo- - speaking is usually delivered faster than the written language is
produced.

Spontaneity- refers to the nature of spoken language wherein it tends to be

delivered without careful thought about the content. Since speakers produce
utterances off the top of their head, their utterances tend to be fragmented and
disorganized. It tends to be full of repetitions, incomplete sentences, corrections and
interruptions.

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SPOKEN
Richness in prosody- means that we can utilize pitches, prominences, pause,
and voice quality when we speak.

Naturalness – we can speak without the need for any tool.

Situatedness- refers to the setting in which communication takes place.

Speakers who are engaged in the conversation have to be present at relatively
nearby locations in order to hear each other’s voice.

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SPOKEN
Permanent and transportable- we can read books from all over the world
and even books from hundreds of years ago.

Slower tempo- there is no technological device which allows us to write as fast

as we speak.

Deliberate and complicated- writers usually have the opportunity to look

over their work and to alter its content. As a result, writers can easily produce longer
and more complicated sentences as compared to their everyday speech.

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WRITTEN
Low of prosody- writing systems do not have a well developed ways to express
prosodic phenomena.

Less natural- we need writing tools to write with and on.

Desituatedness- writer and reader do not have to be close when the writer
constructs and produces a text.

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WRITTEN