STYLE AND REGISTER

• STYLE AND REGISTER

• Language Varieties

• – Slang and Jargon –

• Style

• Style is language variation which reflects changes in situational factors, such as addressee, setting, task or topic.

• Style is often analyzed along a scale of formality.

• The level of formality is influenced by some factors like the various differences among the participants, topic, emotional involvement, etc.

(Janet Holmes, 2001)

• Addressee as an Influence on Style

• Age of addressee è People generally talk to the very young and to the very old è For example: Baby-talk

• Social background of addressee è People talk differently to the higher class and to the lower class è For example: The pronunciation of newsreaders on different radio station

(Janet Holmes, 2001)

• Context, Style and Class
(Some Examples)

• Formal contexts and social roles

• Different style within an interview

• Colloquial style or the vernacular

• The interaction of social class and style

(Janet Holmes, 2001)

• Register

• Registers are specific sets of vocabulary items associated with different occupational group or the language of groups of people with common interests or jobs.

• For example: the language used by airplane pilots, surgeons, bank managers, jazz fans, commentators, etc.

(Janet Holmes, 2001: 246)

• Slang

• Slang is a label that is frequently used to denote certain informal or faddish usages of nearly anyone in the speech community

• Slang is special vocabulary used by any set of persons of a low or disreputable character; language of a low and vulgar type (Oxford Dictionary).

• Nowadays, slang is often applied to aspects of the language of adolescents or others who are perceived as speaking non-standard varieties of the language.

(Contemporary Linguistics, 1997:555)

• Slang

• Slang exist alongside jargon and argot

• The use of slang plays a major role in the maintenance of the gang’s group identity.

• It separates the in-group, who use the slang, from the rest of society who do not and are not part of the gang.

• For example: Glasgow slang, American university (UCLA) slang, etc.

(Contemporary Linguistics, 1997: 555)

• The Examples of Glasgow Slang

Slang

• Crap-bag è

• Punters è

• Malky è

• Snide gear è

• Sleekit è

• Peter è

Meaning

• Coward

• Fellow gang members

• Weapon

• Unfashionable clothes

• Cunning

• Police or prison cell

• Slang

• Slang is area of vocabulary which reflects a person’s age.

• Current slang is the linguistic prerogative of young people and generally sounds odd in the mouth of an older person.

• It signals membership of a particular group – the young.

• For example: spiffing, topping, super, groovy, fab, etc.

(Janet Holmes, 2001: 167)

• Jargon and Argot

• The terms jargon and argot are often used almost interchangeably to refer to “obscure or secret language” or “language of a particular occupational group”.

• The term argot arose in the 17^th century as the label for a speech variety used by French beggars and street merchants and later was applied to the secret language of criminals.

(Contemporary Linguistics, 1997: 557)

• Jargon and Argot

• It is a label for speech varieties associated with social groups whose members wish or must conceal themselves or some aspects of their communication from non-members.

• Jargon or argot is restricted to a smaller number and is more obscure to outsiders than slang.

(Contemporary Linguistics, 1997: 555-557)

• The Examples of Jargon and Argot

• Cockney rhyming slang è English argot used among navies in London’s East End in the 19^th century (bees & honey è money, merry-go-round èpound sterling)

• Gay lingo è used among homosexual co.

• Hacker jargon (freeware, happiware, etc.)

• Cyberspace jargon (www, mailing list, e-mail, etc.).

(Contemporary Linguistics, 1997: 558-561)