Register & Style

Martin: „I'd say there was a certain degree of culpability

involved.“

Jess: „Just because you've swallowed a fucking dictionary, it

doesn't mean you've done nothing wrong.“

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 Register

You adapt your language to specific contexts or audiences.

2
 Style

The way in which you use the language.

3
 Register & Style

Refer to choice of

● vocabulary,
● idioms,

● syntax,

● Certain grammatical structures.

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 Spoken vs. written English

Spoken English tends to be more informal, more personal, less

concise and less organised.

Written English, in contrast, tends to be more formal, more

impersonal, and more precise and economical in the use of
words.

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 Spoken vs. written English

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 Levels

Roughly: formal – informal – vulgar

OALD: figurative, formal, humorous, informal, ironic, literary,

offensive, slang, taboo, technical, dialect, old-fashioned, old
use, saying

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 Formal English

 Written language, serious matters

 Impersonal (passive)
 Precise
 Longer, carefully structured sentences
 No contractions (do not instead of don't)
 more specialized and complex vocabulary than everyday
speech
 Words more often of Latin / French origin

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 Informal English

 Spoken
 Simple grammar and vocabulary
 Vocabulary often from Germanic roots
 Shorter sentence
 Simple punctuation (avoidance of colon and semi-colon)
 Contractions
 Personal (first person)

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 Vulgar (slang, taboo)

 Touches upon taboos (sexuality, body functions)

 Not used in writing (except direct speech)
 Taboo character rather strong in UK and US!!!! Caution!
 Can express social / racial / regional ties
 Can change rapidly

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 Formal / Informal / Vulgar

Formal Informal Vulgar

Comprehend Understand Get it
Intoxicated Drunk Wasted
Exhausted Tired Bagged
Dejected Sad Bummed

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