Understanding Language Varieties: Dialects, Registers, and Jargons, Summaries of Materials science

Download Understanding Language Varieties: Dialects, Registers, and Jargons and more Summaries Materials science in PDF only on Docsity!

Although, the main language is the same, still it is not entirely similar in terms of the intonation, pronunciation and even its vocabularies. The use of the English language depends on the geographical location of a certain group of Americans Example of Varieties: English Language

• British English
• American English
• Canadian English
• Australian English
• Philippine English

Same goes with the Philippines. Although we speak the Filipino language, there are still terms that has different meanings in other region or places. Philippines had a very rich culture and consist of many ethno-linguistic groups. We speak a variety- Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bisaya, Zambal, Bicolano, etc.

The language register on the other hand, is how the speaker uses the language depending on the situation/circumstance. It may be formal or informal depending on the person whom the speaker is talking to. Example:

• Speaking to professors
• Elderlies
• Your classmates at the same age

To understand the meaning of language

varieties, it is important to consider how lect

differ from standard English

The word dialect – which contains “lect” within the term – derives from the Greek word dia- meaning “across, between” and legein “speak”. A dialect is a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, and/or vocabulary.

1. Regional Dialect – Variety spoken in a particular region
2. Sociolect – also know as social dialect. A variety of language (or register) used by a socio-economic class, a profession, an age group, or any other social group.
3. Ethnolect – It is a lect spoken by a specific ethnic group
4. Idiolect – It is the language or languages spoken by each individual

Slangs may be characterized as a very informal language variety that includes new and sometimes not polite words and meanings. It is often used among particular group of people. Example: Group of teenagers or professional groups, and is usually not used in serious speech or writing

Jargon is a set of vocabulary items used by

members of particular professions also referred as

“technical terms”.

In Korean, personal and reflexive pronouns not

only express differences of person and number,

but also the relative social hierarchy between the

speaker and the addressee or third person

referent.

In fact, Koreans has six politeness levels, that are realized inter alia in the pronoun system and in verbal inflections. Sohn (1999) defines politeness level as follows:

• Plain level – lowest level; used in general by any speaker
• Intimate level – between close friends whose friendship began in childhood
• Familiar level- slightly more formal than intimate level, typically used by a male adult to an adolescent, two close adult fries whose friendship began in adolescence.

Sohn (1999) defines politeness level as follows:

• Blunt level – gradually disappearing from daily usage probably due to its authoritative connotations, is sometimes used by a boss to his subordinates or by an old generation husband to wife
• Polite level – Most popular towards to an adult, and is used by both makes and females in daily conversation. It is less formal than deferential level
• Deferential level – used in formal situations such as news reports and public lectures