Register and Style

This is not what we mean for register

• Register You adapt your language to specific contexts or audiences.
• Style The way in which you use the language.
• Register & Style Refer to choice of vocabulary, idioms, syntax, Certain grammatical structures.
• 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.
• Spoken vs. written English
• Levels Roughly: formal – informal – vulgar OALD: figurative, formal, humorous, informal, ironic, literary, offensive, slang, taboo, technical, dialect, old-fashioned, old use, saying
•  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
• 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)
• 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
• Formal / Informal / Vulgar
• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/uk63/register-and-style