Understanding Linguistic Registers: Colloquial, Cultured, and Vulgar Speech

Understanding Linguistic Registers

Language does not only serve to describe the world; it also acts upon it. Indeed, every utterance is a speech act, depending on its content.

The Three Main Levels of Speech

There are three primary categories of speech: colloquial, cultured, and vulgar.

1. Colloquial Language

This register arises spontaneously in conversation. Spontaneity is essential for expressing subjectivity; the colloquial register can be expressive and often utilizes profanity. Key characteristics include:

• Phonetics: Tends to relax to make speech easier for participants.
• Syntax: Less careful than written language, often featuring incomplete phrases.
• Style: Frequent hesitation, contradictions, and an imprecise lexicon.
• Devices: Abundant use of buzzwords, diminutives, augmentatives, comparisons, exaggeration, and irony.

Slang and Jargon: Slang is marked by creative imagination and a limited vocabulary, often deforming words with suffixes and prefixes. It frequently incorporates terms from marginal groups (e.g., "cool"). Many young people use jargon as a sign of identity.

2. Cultured Language

This system is used by educated individuals and includes literary and scientific levels. Within this category, we can distinguish three ranges based on cultural level:

• Cultured Level: High-level cultural training.
• Common Level: The standard everyday register. It is the correct form of language that enables effective communication between speakers.
• Popular Level: Characterized by minor cultural knowledge and simple vocabulary, but it is not vulgar.

3. Vulgar Language (Marginal Level)

This register features a scarce and poor vocabulary, often replaced by gestures and obscene language. Characteristics include:

• Frequent use of filler words and inappropriate repetitions.
• Abundance of slang and defective expressions.
• Syntactic errors, such as the reverse order of pronouns.
• Use of local, regional, or barbarous expressions.

This level reflects a lack of education and limited contact with the standard language. It is typically used by people with little or no formal training and exhibits phonetic, syntactic, and lexical errors.

Summary of Key Definitions

• Vulgarity: Language that is poorly constructed or misspelled.
• Speech: The act of conversation; one of the primary ways to express language.
• Communication: A fundamental human activity that enables individuals to live in society.