Purposive Communication

M odule 4

Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language

Introduction

This module provides topics that will enhance your knowledge about the concept of the varieties
of English in Asian contexts, its importance to both oral and written contexts, and concept of
registers of English in spoken and written language. Thus, knowledge of these topics will not only be
useful in choosing appropriate register to be used in different communicative situations but also be
a great help for you to easily adjust and cope with communication problems.

Learning
Outcome 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.
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Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss the concept of the varieties of English in Asian contexts;

2. Discuss the importance of the varieties of English in both oral and written contexts;

3. Discuss the concept of registers of English in spoken and written language;

4. Use appropriate register depending on the communication situation.

Content Exploration

VARIETIES OF ENGLISH

Languages constantly undergo changes, re-

sulting in the development of different varieties of
the languages.
Language variety is a general term for any dis-
tinctive form of a language or linguistic expression or
various form of a language triggered by social fac-
tors.
World Englishes (WE) or varieties of English
actually stand for the localized varieties of English as
they are used or spoken in certain areas. In the Asian
context, the concept was introduced by Braj
Kachru. The famous ―Three Concentric Circles of
Asian Languages‖ attributed to Kachru presents
three circles: Inner Circle with ENL (English as a native
language) member countries; the Outer Circle with
ESL ( English as a second language) member
countries; and the Expanding Circle with EFL
(English as a foreign language)member
countries ) Aside from the fact that the Outer and
.
Expanding circles are ESL and EFL speaking,
respectively, they have been colonized by some
Three Concentric Circles of English member countries in the Inner Circle making the
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varieties they speak as post –colonial. It is then to be understood that people have different linguistic
and cultural backgrounds making intercultural communication a significant variable in
communication.

According Bautista and Gonzales (2006), the structural characteristics of these new varieties
differ. This is brought about by the mother tongue or home languages of those who learn or acquire
English. And even in terms social features, , differences can also be highlighted in that there is a
continuum of basilectal, mesolectal and acrolectal varieties of English within the same speech
community.

The acrolect then come closest to the standard while the basiect digresses thoroughly from it
and comes closest to the pidgin. Mesolect or the middle variety is midway between the acrolect
and mesolect. Bautista and Gonzales use the term edulects for these varieties resulting from certain
types of education ascertained by social class but are conveyed or transferred by the kind of
instruction of the school system especially for those coming from higher income families and/or
better educated classes.

As regards structural variation, Kachro and Nelson (2006) claim that these varieties of English
are influenced by the local language(s) in various areas of their grammars and exhibit specific
phonological, lexical, syntactic, and discoursal characteristics.

Example:

 In terms of stress and rhythm, Outer and Expanding Circle varieties observed syllable-timed
rhythm rather than stress-timed rhythm.

suc‘ cess ‗success (Nigerians)

recog‘ nize ‗recognize (Indians, Nigerians)

 Speakers from the Outer and Expanding Circles do not make any changes in their
pronunciation to make distinction between nouns and verbs in pairs which Inner Circle
countries observe (Bamgbose, 1992 & Gumperz, 1982a, 1982b, as cited in Kachru & Nelson,
2006).

‗import Im‘ port

 As regards sounds, Outer and Expanding Circles do not observe initial aspiration of voiceless
plosives such as p. t, k and these are often perceived by the Inner Circle countries as b, d, g.
Some speakers of Expanding Circle varieties, as in the case of Japanese speakers, do not
properly distinguish between r and l.

 According to Pope (1976, as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006), in case of syntactic features,

, question-answering systems differ between Inner and Outer-Expanding Circles. While the
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former observes the positive—negative system where the answer follows the polarity of the question
(i.e., If the question is in the positive, the answer confirming the assumption of the questioner is in the
positive, and the answer disconfirming the assumption of the questioner is in the negative. If,
however, the question is in the negative, the answer confirming the assumption of the questioner is in
the negative as well, while the answer disconfirming the assumption o the questioner is in the
positive), the latter observes the agreement-disagreement system which poses difficulty to speakers
who follow the positive- negative-system particularly in interpreting the yes or no of the response
unless it is followed by a clarification.

Example:

Yes, I think you‘re right; No, that‘s not so.

With respect to lexicon, vocabulary words peculiar only to some English varieties in Southeast
Asia can be noted as seen in the following examples:

1. Singapore English ((Pakir, 1992 as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006)

Singapore English Meaning

actsy show off

missy nurse

chop rubber stamp

Marina kids youngsters who spend their leisure time at or

around Marina Square, a shopping centre

Graduate mothers graduate(well-educated) married woman,

encouraged to have more children and
accorded certain privileges in Singapore,‘ as
compared to non-graduate mothers
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2. Philippine English (Bautista, 1997, as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006)

Philippine English Meaning

deep puristic hard to understand

stick cigarette

high blood tense or upset

blow out treating someone with a snack or meal

motel a hotel used for premarital or extramarital affairs

manualize to prepare manuals

go ahead- leave before others with host‘s permission

studentry student body

Amboy a Filipino perceived to be too pro- American

promdi from the province

behest by:
Prepared loan unguaranteed bank loan given to presidential cronies

pulot boy boy who picks up tennis balls in a game

Mrs. Menchie box

balikbayan M. Tiaga Box where Filipinos returning from abroad put all their
shopping

3. Malaysian English

Malaysian English Meaning

antilog a male hated by a girl

popcorn a loquacious person

kachang peanuts, easy

slambar relax

red spot, open shelf girls who are popular

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Philippine English is legitimate, having its own grammatical, lexical, and syntactic features
(Bautista, 2000). Gonzales (1985, as cited in Bautista, 2000) identified the following lexical features in
Philippine English (p. 76):

1. Preference for specific words and collocations specifically shall, could, such, wherein, of ( to
signal possession);

2. Unusual words and collocations, specific terms, and word combinations which may have been
originally confused with other collocations but which, because of frequent use have become fixed
combinations in their own right (e. g., results to instead of results in); and

3. Unusual preposition usage, including omission of prepositions in two-word verbs, addition of

prepositions to verb phrases, local use of different prepositions in noun phrases following certain
verbs or adjectives.

The syntactic features identified include the following:

1. Word order features, consisting of the placement o time adverb before the place adverb,
placement of the adverb between verb and object, placement of the adverb between noun and
prepositional phrase, placement of indirect object introduced by to between verb and direct
object, other unusual adverb placement.

2. Use of articles including absence of the definite article, unusual use of the definite articles,
absence of indefinite article;

3. Noun sub-categorization, consisting of the non-pluralization of count nouns, the reclassification

of General American English (GAE), mass nouns as count nouns, mass noun pluralization,
pluralization of adjectival nouns in compounds;

4. Pronoun-antecedent incongruence;

5. Subject-predicate incongruence;

6. Reclassification of GAE transitive verbs as intransitive verbs; and

7. Tense-aspect usage consisting of unusual use of verb forms and tenses, use of the perfect

tense where the simple past tense or even present perfect tense is called for in GAE, lack of tense
sequence,
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As for the question ―When does an error become a feature of Philippine English?‖
Gonzales (1985) has to say:

When do these errors cease to be errors and become part of the standard? If enough
educated elites in the society ‗commit‘ these errors in effect have been accepted by the
society as the standard. From the varieties o English used by the native speakers such as British,
Americans, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders, English has evolved into post-colonial
varieties and should not be mistaken as errors most especially if they have become the standard
in the speech community and have been codified.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF LANGUAGE VARIETIES

1. Pidgin

 No formal structures/simplified form.

 Different languages need to communicate but don‘t share a common language.

 Lexifier- the vocabulary of a pidgin comes from one particular language.

2. Creole

 When children learn the first language and it is considered as their mother tongue
of a community.

Example: Gullah (Jamaican Creole)

3. Regional Dialect

 Language spoken by a particular area of country.

Example: Kapampangan, Ilokano

4. Minority Dialect

 Particular minority ethnic has their own language that they used as a marker of
identity

Ex- African American Vernacular English(in USA)

5. Indigenized variety

 Spoken mainly as second languages in ex-colonies with multilingual populations,

Ex. Singlish spoken in Singapore)
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LANGUAGE REGISTERS/ REGISTERS OF ENGLISH

What is register?

 Crystal, (2008) defined register as a variety of language defined according to its use in
social situations e. g. a register of scientific, religious, formal English)

 According to Crystal (1964), ―Language being a product of interaction among the

members of society, must ultimately be studied according to the social context in which it
is found. Within a language, there are variations in style and register, which differentiate
and formally characterize distinct social situations. Style refers to the degree of formality
attached to a particular interpersonal social situation which is reflected by differences in
language- for example, the kind of language used while talking to a friend will differ
noticeably from that used in addressing a superior, in otherwise the same situation.
Register refers to a kind of language whose forms are of a definable social situation,
regardless of the status of the status of the participants—thus one finds the register of
legal language, lithurgical language, and so on.+

 Lee (2001) stated that genre is associated more with the organization of culture while
register is associated with the organization of situation. To this end, register is understood
as the context-specific variety of language to which the field-mode-tenor framework is
important.

Example: Field maybe analyzed in terms of social setting and the communicative purpose in
which the text is produced. Tenor maybe described in terms of the role/s required of the writers
and readers including the cultural values shared by both. Mode could be explained in light o
the knowledge of other texts required of speakers/ listeners and writers/readers as regards the
genre including the formal text features.

 Language register describes the various styles of language available for writing.

 In sociolinguitics, a register is a variety of language used for a particular purpose in a

particular communicative situation.

MAIN TYPES OF LANGUAGE REGISTER USED IN ENGLISH

1. Frozen. The language that is ―frozen‖ in time and form. It does not change and is often
learned by rote

Examples: Biblical verses, prayers, Pledge of Allegiance

2. Formal. Often used in formal speaking and writing. Avoids slang and speaks in complete
sentences.

Examples: Academic and professional writing like proposals business letters, medical or
technical language, speech,
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.
3. Consultative. Similar to formal register but used more in conversation.

Examples: conversing with a doctor or other expert, newscating

4. Casual. Informal language that may include slang and colloquialisms. Words are general
rather than technical.

Examples: language used between friends.

5. Intimate. Language used between lovers. Also used in cases of sexual harassment. Avoid
using this register in public and professional situations.

 Legalese or legal language is highly characterized by archaic expressions, technical

jargon intrinsic only to the community of legal professionals, embedded structures,
nominalizations, passive voice, as well as long sentences which are not features of
textese.

 Textese or languages of texts are exactly the opposite --use of abbreviations,

acronyms, slang words, and expressions. Misinterpretation and/or miscommunication in
text messaging may arise if vocabulary and knowledge of text are limited. Hence,
extra care should be practiced when comprehending text messages.
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Check your learning of the text by answering the following questions:

1. How do you become aware of the language features of post- colonial varieties?
What I Learn?
2. How do you think can you begin to communicate with people from other cultures and
avoid conflicts and misunderstandings?

3. How do the different types of register affect the way one speaks? How do they affect
one‘s way of writing?
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Tell whether each of the

following is frozen, formal,
consultative, casual, or intimate.

1. Lupang Hinirang

2. Speeches

3. Newscasting

-4. Sweetie

------------------5. Vernacular speech

Fill in the columns by writing the

expressions or vocabulary you
commonly encounter in the registers
indicated below.

Legalese (e. g., whereas) Textese (e. g., laugh out loud) Other type ( Academese)

e. g. commodification feministing

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3.
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References

Madrunio, M. & Martin, I.2018. Purposive Communication (Using English in Multilingual

Contexts). Philippines: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Russel, K. 2018. Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language.scrbid.com

Study.com

http://WP.ME/PNAh3-1PR

www.drsarahaton.wordpress.com

wikidiff.com

slideshare.net.

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Purposive Communication