Composition Journal Start a new page with today’s date; answer the following: Why is language important? How does a person’s communication skills impact their daily interactions? Describe a time you felt judged by your communication skills or judged another person based upon theirs.

REGISTER in language usage

We tell our thoughts, like our children, to put on their hats and coats before they go out. H.W. Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage

Register defined Sociolinguistics = the intersection of language and society How does language reflect society? How does language shape society? “Questions of language are basically questions of power.” Noam Chomsky, quoted by S. Romaine

A simple observation: In different situations, people use different forms of language.

Depending on the situation, we use different words and phrases For example, to refer to death: died, passed away, passed, passed on, moved on, expired, croaked, bought the farm, passed from life temporal to life spiritual, went to meet her Maker, be taken, meet one’s end, perish, kick the bucket different grammatical patterns Gimme a dime. Could I trouble you for the time? Do call me. Elicit phrases for death When do we use each? When is each appropriate? When would croaked NOT be acceptable? When would perished not be acceptable?

How do we start to analyze register? Depending on the situation – So - look first at the components of the situation. What is actually taking place? Where? Who is taking part? What is their relationship? What part is language playing? What is taking place is it a ceremony? neighbors gossiping? an exchange at work about a client? a request from employee to boss? Where are the speakers? in a back yard? at church? at a christening? at a coffee shop? Who are the speakers? Their dynamics? What role does language play? are there expectations about the words? ceremonial words about a baptism, for example

Consider: Social setting Situation Addressor Addressee Topic who, what, when, where

A fancy academic definition The concept of register is typically concerned with variations in language conditioned by uses rather than users and involves consideration of the situation or context of use, the purpose, subject-matter and content of the message, and the relationship between the participants. Suzanne Romaine, 1994 More definitions: A preference for particular syntactic patterns, lexical devices or rhetorical devices in certain situations A stylistic variant of a language appropriate to a particular social setting, also called style (V. Fromkin and R. Rodman, An Introduction to Language)

Register refers to: the variations in language which reflect the particular situation the goals of the communication the relationship between the speakers power education intimacy

Joos’ Five Clocks The concept of register has been around a long time. introduced in the 50s. Martin Joos outlined it clearly in his 1961 book The Five Clocks. quoted, referred to, kicked around by many others: Cheryl Carter, Suzanne Romaine, and also Ruby Payne in her book A Framework for Understanding Poverty. This term register has been around a long time. Introduced in the 50’s - really caught on when M. Joos published his work The Five Clocks in 1961. Since then, I have found others referenced it from many others, including Ruby Payne’s well known work on the Culture of Poverty. Not sure why he called it clocks – kind of like it though! Let’s look at them.

Frozen printed, unchanging language, formal, almost scripted phrases that do not vary Examples: The Bible The Lord’s Prayer The Pledge of Allegiance Laws Preamble to the US Constitution

Formal One way communication, no interruptions Used in impersonal, formal settings Follows a commonly accepted format - complete sentences, more complex syntax and specific word usages Often used to show respect Examples: Introductions between strangers Rhetorical statements and questions Speeches, pronouncements made by judges, announcements standard for work, school, public offices and business settings Academic language and the language of school – is part of this register.

Consultative Two way participation, professional setting Background information is provided (prior knowledge is not assumed). Interruptions and feedback fillers allowed (“uh-huh”, “I see”). More complex syntax, longer phrases Examples Doctor:patient, lawyer:client, lawyer:judge Teacher:student, Superior:subordinate Colleagues:peers School language still part of this register when it is two-way

Casual Very informal language, slang is common No background information provided “Group” language – must be a member to use Interruptions common Context and non-verbal communication important Examples: friends and acquaintances family teammates chats and blogs

Intimate Non-public Intonation as important as wording and grammar Often a private vocabulary Examples: husband, wife boyfriend/girlfriend twins (siblings) pets, I would also add Interesting to note here, this is the language of sexual harassment as well. One source said siblings, family, parent and children, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend. Another source made the circle much tighter and said only lovers and twins. 

How do we know what register to use? How does this work? Language is behavior Part of our cultural code, unwritten rules Taught explicitly to children (and teens!) Absorbed as we mature Labored over consciously as we get older in academic settings, or writing speeches other? Mostly – we both learn registers and slip between them without conscious thought. It is part of being fluent in a language. Part of Native Speaker cultural competence – being culturally fluent as well as fluent in the grammar and vocabulary. Unwritten rules – linguists are still trying to figure it out. Language is a rather slippery thing. Does any one have any experience with grappling with registers in another language/culture? My Swedish and my French –

Language is all about power To re-visit this idea – We mark and judge people immediately upon speaking with them. We make judgements about their educations their backgrounds their incomes their intelligence We adjust ourselves in our relationship to them, according to each piece of linguistic information we receive. Don’t deny it – it’s true! And people will cut Non-native speakers some slack, but our ELL’s who are native americans will not get the same allowances made for them.

EXPECTATIONS keeping in mind language = power We expect people in authority to speak a certain way, using the formal register. Businessmen Politicians Supervisors, administrators Professors, teachers Professionals (doctors, lawyers) TV Newscasters My friend whose grade schooler has a teacher who is just too familiar with the students – it makes her a little uneasy.

A simple truth You must master the upper registers if you want to get to certain upper positions in American society. (Barring rap stars, athletes, actors and some other groups. They seem to have a ticket to ignore language register requirements.) This may offend my descriptivist friends Prescriptive v. descriptive view of language Prescriptive = there is a right and a wrong way to speak Descriptive = just takes language as it is – no right or wrong to the forms and usages. My favorite example is ain’t. Perfectly OK in Shakespeare’s time – marks you as uneducated now. OK – all well and good. Just don’t say ain’t at a job interview for teaching or banking or the like. It won’t get you in the door – the door will slam shut. Rap stars and athletes - does money perhaps trump language registers?