Register in Stylistics

Language Registers

Register in linguistics refers to the patterns of communication used in particular settings and for specific purposes. It is often an indicator of the formality or official nature of an occasion, or a mark of authority.

Linguists make the distinction that register varies with use, rather than with the user. For example, most people's speech contains pointers, lexical, syntactical, and phonological, of their class or social status. Such speech changes register when it is altered to fit an occasion, such as appearing in court or speaking to a bureaucrat, writing a scientific paper, making a business presentation, or interacting with an older relative or small child.

Register is marked by changes in syntax, accent or phonology, vocabulary, morphology. The study of register is commonly thought of as sociolinguistics, though it is also studied by other disciplines such as pragmatic grammar and stylistics.  

Register is also identified by non-linguistic markers, such as body language and attire, The term has been used since the 1960s, when linguist Michael Halliday identified three variables or types of factors that affect register: Tenor, Field and Mode

·         Tenor: The relationship between the speakers matters, such as when a student is talking to a teacher, an offender to a police officer, an office worker to a superior, or a parent to an infant (baby talk). Here register is generally a marker of formality or intimacy, and commonly affects phonology, pragmatic rules, and accent.

·         Field: The subject of conversation or discourse matters, as particular situations call for particular kinds of vocabulary, mood etc. These variations are often called jargon, but are sometimes simply the form of a particular profession. For instance, priests use liturgical language, lawyers use 'legalese'. Philosophers use the language of subjectivity or rationality, while programmers have their own lexicon.

·         Mode: The medium of communication matters, such as whether it is spoken or written, and if either, on the level of formality or professionalism needed to be conveyed. Instant messaging, for example, is less formal than a handwritten letter, and a professional presentation is different from a coffee shop conversation. Here and in register determined by field, authority and expertise is being conveyed as much as formality.

There are five language registers or styles. Each level has an appropriate use that is determined by differing situations. It would certainly be inappropriate to use language and vocabulary reserve for a boyfriend or girlfriend when speaking in the classroom. Thus the appropriate language register depends upon the audience (who), the topic (what), purpose (why) and location (where).

You must control the use of language registers in order to enjoy success in every aspect and situation you encounter.

1.      Static Register

This style of communications RARELY or NEVER changes. It is “frozen” in time and content. e.g. the Pledge of Allegiance, the Lord’s Prayer, the Preamble to the US Constitution, the Alma Mater, a bibliographic reference, laws .

2.      Formal Register

This language is used in formal settings and is one-way in nature. This use of language usually follows a commonly accepted format. It is usually impersonal and formal. A common format for this register are speeches. e.g. sermons, rhetorical statements and questions, speeches, pronouncements made by judges,  announcements.

3.      Consultative Register

This is a standard form of communications. Users engage in a mutually accepted structure of communications. It is formal and societal expectations accompany the users of this speech. It is professional discourse. e.g. when strangers meet, communications between a superior and a subordinate, doctor & patient, lawyer & client, lawyer & judge, teacher & student, counselor & client,

4.      Casual Register

This is informal language used by peers and friends. Slang, vulgarities and colloquialisms are normal. This is “group” language. One must be member to engage in this register. e.g. buddies, teammates, chats and emails, and blogs, and letters to friends.

5.      Intimate Register

This communications is private. It is reserved for close family members or intimate people. e.g. husband & wife, boyfriend & girlfriend, siblings, parent & children.

Rule of Language Use:

One can usually transition from one language register to an adjacent one without encountering repercussions. However, skipping one or more levels is usually considered inappropriate and even offensive. 

Source: Montano-Harmon, M. R. “Developing English for Academic Purposes” California State University, Fullerton.

http://www.genconnection.com

http://www.articleworld.org

Language Interpretation

General Definition

Language interpretation refers to the process of providing ease of understanding between users of language of origin and target language. This could take the form of sign-language, oral interpretation or technologically-assisted programs.

Interpreting refers to the actual process of providing ease of understanding from one language form into its actual or approximate equivalent. Interpretation pertains to the output of interpreting one language to another form (speech, signals, text, etc.)

Interpreter assumes the position of the person who converts thoughts or expression of a language form and defines its equivalent to target language.

Equivalence in interpretation refers to linguistic, emotional, tonal and cultural parallel meaning of a language format with the target language.

General Contrast

Interpretation	Translation
Takes a message from a source language and renders that message into a different target language.	Transfers the meaning of a language format from text to text
Interpreters take in a complex concept from one language, choose the most appropriate vocabulary in the target language to faithfully render the message in equivalent idea.	With ample time, translators use external resources (dictionaries, thesaurus, glossaries, etc.) to faithfully transfer the source language into the target language to produce accurate documents or artifacts.
Does not use verbatim in process	Attempts to reproduce source language in its exact equivalents of the target language
Call for accuracy is instantaneous as the process is actual and immediate (extempore, consecutive, chuchotage, relay, liaison)	Uses revisions and editing techniques to attain accuracy

Modes of Language Interpretation

Simultaneous (extempore) - interpreter renders the message in the target language as quickly as he can formulating from the source language while the source continuously provides input.

Consecutive interpretation (CI) - interpreter renders the message into the target language after the source stopped provided the information. The interpreter relies on memory and sometimes uses memory aids to render long passages. Sight translation - refers to the process of transfering the language as he sees it and usually done for legal or medical documents. Could also be classified as partial or full consequtive interpretation.

Whispered - interpreter sits or stands next to the small target-language group and simultaneously interprets information coming from the source language.

Relay -usually used when there are several target languages. A source-language interpreter interprets the text to a language common to every interpreter, who then render the message to their respective target languages.

Liaison - involves passing on the message through relay, between two or more, consecutively with the assistance of short notes as memory aid.

Forms and Styles of Biography

There are many forms of biography and essay biography and it can be classified depending on the period it was written. Religious and epic biographies were introduced in the Renaissance period. In the western civilization, there was a propagation of inspirational literary works which included biographies of saints, martyrs and remarkable kings of the time. On the other hand, during the same period, the medieval Islamic civilization introduced Prophetic biographies that featured various traditional Muslim biographies of Muhammad – these presented the most historical information of his life and the early period of Islam. During this era, mass publications became popular with the introduction of paper in general population. Through this, a new genre entered the literary scene and termed as biographical dictionary – this contained massive but important social data of the pre-industrialized segment of society.

By the end of this period, writings became less religious and skewed on the principle of ‘humanism,’ – an approach in writing that focuses on human values and concerns.

The word ‘biography’ finally entered the world of literature in 18^th century. This also gave birth to the term ‘classical biography’ that pertains to the Grecian and Roman works of ancient times, ‘romantic biography’ for the literary outputs of the Renaissance era and the ‘contemporary’ or ‘modern biographies’ for literary pieces produced at the dawn of 18^th century until the present times. As used to defend reputations; classical biographies generally are discourses of accomplishments of Kings, tribe leaders, royal families and prophets. While romantic biographies focused on the lives of artists, authors and their works, modern biographies concentrate on the lives of celebrities and politicians – their rise to fame or otherwise; the lives of common people and their slice of life.

In terms of styles, AD 400 until 17^th century followed chronology or the order of events in order to narrate a life of person as a subject of a literary work. By the end of the 17^th century, Boswellian school of thought introduced the process of presenting documents as a way of emphasizing the subject in chronological order. 

At the time of linguistic revolution by the end of this century, formal linguists believed that biographers should be able to see their subject in a more intimate way, thus introduced the use of carefully selected anecdotes and incidents that characterize their subjects without giving focus on the order of events. On the contrary, new critics used romantic point of view and confessional styles with the use memoire format in writing.

At the turn of the century, didactic form of biography was introduced in the United States to shape individual characters and used for political propaganda. With the advancement of technology in publication, biographical sketches also appeared in general periodicals.

Mass biography and literary biography were defined in the middle of the 19^th century as a reflection of the social differences between high culture and middle-class society brought about by the worldwide economic conditions.

New century biographies, also called as new-age biographies emerged in1980’s as the need for social and environmental awareness escalated during those times and literature slanted on the principle of ‘common good’ or generality from individuality. Gender biography, Sociological biography and Anthropological biography are some of the products of this change. Another new-age style of biographies is scientific biography – literary works that aims to document the life and works of a scientist or a physician to aide the advancement of science. Psychoanalytical biography is an example of this type