Understanding Linguistic Registers: Formal and Informal Language

Understanding Linguistic Registers

Our way of speaking depends on the communicative situation. The set of linguistic particularities a speaker chooses to adapt to the situation defines a type of language variety called a register. It is an index of the speaker's communicative competence.

Classes of Registers

Registers vary in formality, ranging from formal to informal. Formality is expressed in the speaker's concern for the form of the message. Registers can be planned or unplanned (spontaneous). Between these two extremes, there are many intermediate registers, for example:

• Intimate: Family and friends
• Friendly: Among neighbors and coworkers
• Neutral: Encounters with strangers
• High: Lectures, exams
• Ritual: Ceremonies

Factors Influencing Register Selection

Register selection depends on various factors:

1. Social relations: Equality favors a less formal register, while unequal relationships impose a more formal register. These choices depend on the relationship between sender and recipient (e.g., Javier vs. Sr. Garcia).
2. Purpose: The purpose to be achieved can determine the choice of a register or a change of register. These resources are common when the speaker intends irony, burlesque, or parody.
3. Social framework: The context in which communication occurs determines the degree of formality (e.g., dinner party, get-together in a cafe, a class).
4. Oral vs. Written: Oral communication often results in a lesser degree of formality than written communication.
5. Subject matter: The subject of the message also influences the degree of formality.
6. Genre: The text may require the use of certain language resources not common in other genres (e.g., telegraphic style in a telegram).

Formal Register

Characterized by careful use of language at the phonic, morphosyntactic, and lexical levels. It is mainly found in theoretical scientific or literary texts.

Colloquial Register

This register is dominated by spontaneity and less concern for language. It is the most frequently used in everyday life. This phenomenon is determined by location and ignorance of the rules. Colloquial language is not equivalent to vulgar language. Characteristics:

1. Spontaneity: Lack of planning.
2. Colloquial expression: The speaker is usually heavily involved in the message, including numerous subjective and evaluative elements.
3. Effectiveness: The speaker looks for a faster and more effective way of expressing themselves.

Particularities Affecting Sentences in Colloquial Register

1. Low syntactic complexity: Short sentences with few connecting elements.
2. Primacy of syntactic expressiveness: The most important element is placed first (e.g., "The computer, I think it's going very slow").
3. Use of linguistic means to regulate conversation: Greetings, farewells, changing the subject, etc.
4. Frequent interruptions, suspensions, repetitions, or elaborations.

Particularities Affecting Words in Colloquial Register

1. Restrictions in the lexicon: Using a very limited and generic vocabulary (e.g., "those from there," "you know, it's on the right," etc.).
2. A very expressive vocabulary: With increased use of interjections.
3. Numerous appellations and references to the interlocutor: (e.g., "child," "hey," "don't tell me").
4. Frequent expressive intensification procedures: Weighting and attenuation valuation (e.g., "really good," "ugly," "a little rare," "beautiful, beautiful," "cool").

Particularities Affecting Pronunciation in Colloquial Register

Tendency to relax certain sounds, very expressive intonation (e.g., ridicule, irony, reticence), use of intonation and other resources as organizers of discourse (i.e., silence).