Learning outcomes

At the end of the lesson, the student is

expected to:

1. Identify the language used by a writer;

2. Determine the language to be used in
writing;
3. Define register;
4. Illustrate the three dimensions of register;
5. Classify texts according to register; and
6. Differentiate denotative and connotative
language.
Generally, language use is associated with
register, “a term many modern linguists
use to describe what is also known as
‘style’, that is, the variations in language
which reflect such factors of ‘use’ as
whether the language used is spoken or
written, formal or informal, everyday or
belonging to a particular occupation.
Register varieties are defined according to their
social and occupational origins; for instance, we
can speak of a religious register, a register for
advertising, or a formal register. Register may be
identified and defined in terms of three dimensions:
field (broadly speaking, the subject matter of the
text), tenor (the social roles filled by the people
taking part and the personal relationships between
them) and mode (the channel or medium of
communication,Special
that is,words
primarily spoken or written)
or expressions
(Collins & Hollo,that
2000).”
are used by a particular
profession
Field is the dimension or group
of register and is
which are
associated withdifficult for others
occupational to also known
varieties,
as jargons. understand.
Field Register Meaning Sample Word
Language of doctors; Osteoporosis,
Medicalese terms used in the field leukemia, insomnia,
of medicine peptic ulcer

Language of lawyers; Criminologist, jus soli,

Legalese terms used in the field complainant,
of law defendant

Language of journalist; Blue penciling,

terms used in the field editorializing, layout
Journalese of journalism or artist, classified ad
newspapering

Language of Expenditure,
Commercialese/ businessman; terms used merchandising,
Mercantilese in the field of commerce ultimate consumer,
and industry
liabilities
 Language of technocrats; used Halogen, kinetic energy,
Technicalese in the field of science and barometer, acceleration,
technology electron

Language of diplomats; terms Ambassador of goodwill,

Diplomatese used in the field of foreign courtesy call, briefing, state
service visit

Language of teachers; terms Class list, normal distribution

Teacherese used in the field of education curve, blended learning,
assessment

Language of mothers; terms Baby talk, breast feeding,

Motherese used in parenting rashes, toddlers, disposable
diapers

Language of texters; terms Ur, low batt, txtmsg, asap,

Telegraphese used in telegraphy/texting sms, www, http, wifi,

Language of computers; terms Gigabyte, debugging,

Computerese used in computer science and programming, database,
information technology memory, blog
-Denotative meaning of a word that is that
which is found in the dictionary. It is also known
as the literal meaning of a word.

-Connotative meaning of a word is that which is

assigned by a writer to a word as it is used in the
context of his text. It is also known as the
figurative meaning of word.
There are some dictionaries which
contain denotative and connotative
meanings of a word; however, these
dictionaries are rare. Generally,
dictionaries contain only the denotative
meanings of a word. For instance, the
word “eye” means “an internal organ of
human beings and other organisms
capable of seeing” or “the holed part of
the needle where the thread is inserted.”
And Idiomatic expression (idiom in short)
is a number of words which, when taken
together, have a meaning different from
the individual meanings of each word. It
is an expression (a word, a phrase, or a
sentence) that does not mean what it
says literally or an expression in the
usage of a language that is peculiar to
itself either grammatically or in having a
meaning that cannot be derived from the
conjoined meanings of its elements.