1 / 11

Register

Register. Commentary Lesson 11. What is it?. The degree of formality suitable for the situation or the writing required. Five Registers. On a continuum, they range from intimate to oratorical (frozen). Intimate. Oratorical/Frozen. Formal. Informal. How do you know what to use?.

kiona-oneal
Download Presentation

Register

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Register Commentary Lesson 11

  2. What is it? • The degree of formality suitable for the situation or the writing required

  3. Five Registers • On a continuum, they range from intimate to oratorical (frozen). Intimate Oratorical/Frozen Formal Informal

  4. How do you know what to use? • The choice of register depends on • the situation one is in. • the “distance” (either physical or emotional) between the speaker/writer and the listener/reader.

  5. Intimate • The language used by lovers and and by adults to small children or pets • Nearly always accompanied by touch • Consists of broken fragments of words such as “mmm,” “nice,” “there’s a good boy,” and so on

  6. Casual • The language used among friends and family • There is little/no planning of what is to be said • Sentences are not always grammatical • There will be inside jokes and references • Can be accompanied, but fleetingly, by touch

  7. Consultative • The language used in class discussions, meetings, and seminars • There is more forethought and organization given to what is being said • Attention signals are asked for and given • One expects an occasional “yes” or head nod as a response • Sentences may not always be grammatically correct • Ideas may shift mid sentence • Contractions and abbreviations used regularly

  8. Deliberative • The language one would find in an essay, scholarly work, or public lecture where the lecturer is reading a prepared set of notes • No verbal attention signals are expected • The speaker will expect the audience to look at him/her • The words have been planned across sentences and paragraphs • Often uses passive voice • Less likelihood of abbreviations and contractions

  9. Oratorical or “Frozen” • Totally impersonal • Completely prepared • The language used in law courts and church ceremonies • Sometimes the words can change a person’s legal status • “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

  10. Five ways of saying it. . . • Intimate: “Sshhh!” • Casual: “Shut up!” • Consultative: “Please be quiet!” • Deliberative: “Silence, please!” • Oratorical or “Frozen”: “Silence in the court!”

  11. Using Register to Create Humor • Comedians use the wrong register to create humor. • A workman who has just been hit by a tool dropped by a fellow workman does not say, “I way, old chap, could you be a wee bit more careful?”

More Related