“What about language

in the whole gamut of

Communication”
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the chapter, the PC students are expected to:
Determine culturally appropriate terms, expressions, and
images (sensitivity to gender, race, class, etc.); and
Adopt cultural and intercultural awareness and sensitivity in
communication of ideas.
THE FORMAL REGISTER
The three most common language registers are formal, informal, and
neutral.
FORMAL REGISTER is appropriate for professional writing and letters to a
boss, or someone we are meeting for the first time. It is also the probably
the most challenging type of writing that requires the formal register.
FORMAL WRITING includes: Business Letters Announcements
Letters of Complaint Professional email messages
Reports
Official Speeches
In using the FORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER,
the following are to be observed:

1. Do not use contractions. Examples: Will not instead of won’t

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 pertain to a contraction. Apostrophes are
added to nouns to express ownership. They are used in all language registers.
In using the FORMAL LANGUAGE
REGISTER, the following are to be observed:
2. Spell-out numbers less than one hundred.
3. Avoid using too much passive voice.
4. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggerations, and clichés.
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.
6. Formal writing requires the good transition words like: Nevertheless,
Additionally, Consequently, In fact, As a result of, However……
7. Always write in sentences. Fragments are
unacceptable in formal writing.
In using the FORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER,
the following are to be observed:
Examples: Before the expiration date.
Although it was relayed quite well.
In the middle of an exhibition.
Complete 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.
In using the FORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER,
the following are to be observed:

8. Write longer, more complex sentences. As formal write-ups

are usually written by educated individuals, complex
sentences are commonly seen in them.
THE INFORMAL LANGUAGE REGISTER
To young people, the informal register always works. This is the
register that we use when we communicate with friends and family. We
use informal writing to someone we know very well. Unlike the formal
register, the informal register accepts: Slangs and clichés
Figurative language
Symbols and Abbreviation Acronyms
Incomplete sentences Short sentences
Jokes Personal opinions
Active and passive voice Extra punctuation
THE INFORMAL LANGUAGE
REGISTER
Thus, informal writing includes:
Personal emails Friendly letters
Text messages Chat messages
Short notes Diaries and journals
Tweets
Facebook posts
Blogs
THE NEUTRAL LANGUAGE
REGISTER
The neutral register is neither formal nor informal. Basically, it is the
tone that is used when expressing facts devoid of emotions. Some
writings, including some books, are written in neutral register. Other
writings that use the neutral register are: Reviews
Articles
Some letters
Some essays
Technical writing
THE LANGUAGE REGISTER
FOR THE LINGUISTS
The linguists would refer language register as tenor, tone, or style. Specifically, a
register is a variety of language dictated by a particular social setting. For example,
when you are asked to deliver a speech to a gathering of professionals, you
automatically gravitate towards the use of formal complex sentences and do away
with contractions and slang expressions in order to appear respectable to a specific
type of an audience. For the most part, from informal to formal or vice-versa is
intuitive as we unconsciously shift registers when we talk to our friends and family
versus how we do a job interview. This is the reason why register is considered a
language variation based on the “use” and not on the “user”.
 The term register was first used by the linguist Thomas Bertram Reid
in 1956 and began to be largely used by other linguists who wanted to
define register as a variation according to the user affected by other
variables like social background, geography, gender, age, among others.
This means that a person or a user of a language register processes a
range of register to suit him at different times with different types of
audience.