SPEECH AND WRITING

Spoken language and speech communication In a normal speech communication a speaker tries to influence on a listener by making him: In a normal speech communication a speaker tries to influence on a listener by making him: perceiving, perceiving, understanding understanding or feeling something particular. or feeling something particular.

The speech communication can be defined by: a linguistically structured speech behaviour; a linguistically structured speech behaviour; non-verbal signals; non-verbal signals; various kinds of background knowledge that the speaker and the listener have; various kinds of background knowledge that the speaker and the listener have; the listener's responses; the listener's responses; social context in which the communicative activities are made. social context in which the communicative activities are made.

The features of speech communication 1. Speech is a dynamic, 1. Speech is a dynamic, distributed in time; distributed in time; it proceeds continuously, it proceeds continuously, its dynamics must be subject to on-line activity; its dynamics must be subject to on-line activity; the products of the speaker's and listener's activities fade rapidly over a period of time, which leads to focusing on the dynamic behavior. the products of the speaker's and listener's activities fade rapidly over a period of time, which leads to focusing on the dynamic behavior.

The features of speech communication 2. Speech behavior has many features of continuous movements (rather than a chain of successive states). 2. Speech behavior has many features of continuous movements (rather than a chain of successive states).

The features of speech communication 3. The whole interaction between speaker and listener is dependent on the situation (context) in many extremely important ways. 3. The whole interaction between speaker and listener is dependent on the situation (context) in many extremely important ways.

Context in the speech communication the speaker's speech behavior is continuously accompanied by non-verbal signals, the speaker's speech behavior is continuously accompanied by non-verbal signals, the verbal message is often much less explicit than in writing; the verbal message is often much less explicit than in writing; referents may be pointed to, interpretations may be made more precise and complex through gestures, facial expressions, tones of voice etc. referents may be pointed to, interpretations may be made more precise and complex through gestures, facial expressions, tones of voice etc.

Context in the speech communication an utterance involving face-to-face interaction is part of a comprehensive communicative act which includes the use of both verbal means (speech) and nonverbal means; an utterance involving face-to-face interaction is part of a comprehensive communicative act which includes the use of both verbal means (speech) and nonverbal means; both speaker and listener are present at the same place, and they have a considerable amount of background knowledge about each other, the things talked about etc. both speaker and listener are present at the same place, and they have a considerable amount of background knowledge about each other, the things talked about etc.

Context in the speech communication the listener responds all the time influences the speaker's behavior; the listener responds all the time influences the speaker's behavior; the speaker must produce his utterances quickly and readily; the speaker must produce his utterances quickly and readily; the listener must respond just as rapidly, under the pressure of the emotive and social atmosphere of the face-to-face interaction. the listener must respond just as rapidly, under the pressure of the emotive and social atmosphere of the face-to-face interaction.

The features of speech communication 4. Communication through speech is a resource available for all human beings across different social groups and cultures. 4. Communication through speech is a resource available for all human beings across different social groups and cultures. To a large extent it remains a feature of the private sphere of people's lives. To a large extent it remains a feature of the private sphere of people's lives. Knowledge of one's spoken language is an important element of one's knowledge of everyday culture. Knowledge of one's spoken language is an important element of one's knowledge of everyday culture.

Communication by written texts written texts are typically not perceived and interpreted at the same times and places as they are produced; written texts are typically not perceived and interpreted at the same times and places as they are produced; the analysis of written language focuses on the products of the writer's activities. the analysis of written language focuses on the products of the writer's activities.

The use of written texts the written texts can be used in different ways distributed to particular persons or groups in new situations; the written texts can be used in different ways distributed to particular persons or groups in new situations; written texts are normally performed by other people than the writer (the original sender); written texts are normally performed by other people than the writer (the original sender); a writer is not able to influence the listener's thoughts and feelings through his own verbal (or non-verbal) signals. a writer is not able to influence the listener's thoughts and feelings through his own verbal (or non-verbal) signals.

The features of written texts 1. A written text and its components parts (letters, words, sentences, paragraphs etc) are persistent and static objects; 1. A written text and its components parts (letters, words, sentences, paragraphs etc) are persistent and static objects; considerable sections may be scanned (almost) simultaneously or at least repetitively (in principle as many times as required); considerable sections may be scanned (almost) simultaneously or at least repetitively (in principle as many times as required); rapid, urgent responses are usually not necessary. rapid, urgent responses are usually not necessary.

The features of written texts 2. The written text is made up of discrete symbols, i.e. letters (at least in print) and (graphic) words organized in certain regular spatial patterns (according to syntactic rules as well as various conventions of punctuation and paragraph division). 2. The written text is made up of discrete symbols, i.e. letters (at least in print) and (graphic) words organized in certain regular spatial patterns (according to syntactic rules as well as various conventions of punctuation and paragraph division).

The features of written texts 3. Unlike spoken utterances, a written text lacks an immediate context. 3. Unlike spoken utterances, a written text lacks an immediate context. A reader must place a written text it in a wider context (using various kinds of background knowledge). A reader must place a written text it in a wider context (using various kinds of background knowledge). A written text is - as a rule and in comparison with spoken utterances - relatively explicit (and relatively autonomous or context-free. A written text is - as a rule and in comparison with spoken utterances - relatively explicit (and relatively autonomous or context-free. In principle a written text can be decoded at any place, and the decoding can often be performed by a great number of different people. In principle a written text can be decoded at any place, and the decoding can often be performed by a great number of different people.

The features of written texts 4. The acquisition of the ability to read and write belongs to the so-called secondary socialization. 4. The acquisition of the ability to read and write belongs to the so-called secondary socialization. Spoken language is largely every man's property, written language is the belonging of only rather few people. Spoken language is largely every man's property, written language is the belonging of only rather few people. Written language is mainly used in the non- private life sphere, and is not integrated with everyday knowledge and culture. Written language is mainly used in the non- private life sphere, and is not integrated with everyday knowledge and culture.

Speech communication VS written texts а) written language is more constrained by rules and conventions than spoken language, especially as regards its form. а) written language is more constrained by rules and conventions than spoken language, especially as regards its form.

Speech communication VS written texts b) in general, there is less variation (i.e., less dialectal and idiolectal variation) and more invariance in written language, except perhaps in advanced literacy uses, especially poetry. b) in general, there is less variation (i.e., less dialectal and idiolectal variation) and more invariance in written language, except perhaps in advanced literacy uses, especially poetry.

Speech communication VS written texts c) the conditions under which written language is generally taught have promoted the quite common belief that (some variants of) written language represent(s) the grammatical correct language, whereas many variants of spoken language are incorrect, defective, incoherent, ugly and/or rude. c) the conditions under which written language is generally taught have promoted the quite common belief that (some variants of) written language represent(s) the grammatical correct language, whereas many variants of spoken language are incorrect, defective, incoherent, ugly and/or rude.

Speech communication VS written texts the differences are not always and everywhere very clear-cut; the differences are not always and everywhere very clear-cut; writing can sometimes be used for mirroring certain speech styles; writing can sometimes be used for mirroring certain speech styles; historically, there must have existed transitory forms, because some cultures were originally oral in nature; historically, there must have existed transitory forms, because some cultures were originally oral in nature; there are variations in normativity in spoken language too there are variations in normativity in spoken language too

Speech communication VS written texts certain features of written language have their natural counterparts in certain spoken genres; certain features of written language have their natural counterparts in certain spoken genres; writing has had a great influence on our thinking, since it always transforms the structure of language; writing has had a great influence on our thinking, since it always transforms the structure of language; writing creates a special type of background for the development of linguistic theory; writing creates a special type of background for the development of linguistic theory; a theory of written language cannot, and should not, be identical with a corresponding theory of spoken language a theory of written language cannot, and should not, be identical with a corresponding theory of spoken language