LIES1 a08_t04_5

Prévia do material em texto

Architecture of a language: dimensions of variation 
Diamesic variation 
Dimension Explanation Examples 
Diamesic 
(across medium 
of 
communication) 
Variants in written and oral 
situations. 
Oral vs. written language 
 
What are the differences between Spoken and Written English? Are there 
advantages and disadvantages for each form of communication? 
Note: instead of "spoken", some people say "oral" (relating to the mouth) or 
"aural" (relating to the ear). 
 
Because of a writing system that incorporates etymology, spelling cues not 
present in oral discourse can give readers additional clues to the relationship 
between words through a vague awareness of different morphological classes. 
Anglo-Saxon words are usually characterized by a cloudy morphology 
(early\ere), wildly unphonemic spelling, and the presence of silent letters and 
digraphs. Common affixes are “un-”, “-ful”, and “-ness”. These are the most 
common words used to describe everyday, informal and interpersonal 
matters. 
Romance words are also common and bear closer resemblance to French 
morphemes and words (very\vrais). There is often more regularity in their 
spelling. 
Latinate and Greek words are set apart from Romance words by very 
methodical morphology, Classical Latin and Greek morphemes, and consistent 
spelling. They usually have rigid definitions and are used more frequently in 
formal and scientific writing as well as in constructing technical, 
philosophical, and legal jargon. 
Hybrids (e.g. kay, Byte, Prisoner) have the relative formality and familiarity 
of Romance words. 
 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPEECH AND WRITING 
 
 
SPEECH WRITING 
Spoken language has dialect 
variations that represent a region. 
Written language is more restricted 
and generally follows a standardised 
form of grammar, structure, 
organization, and vocabulary. 
Speakers use their voices (pitch, 
rhythm, stress) and their bodies to 
communicate their message. 
Writers rely on the words on the 
page to express meaning and their 
ideas. 
Speakers use pauses and 
intonation. 
Writers use punctuation. 
Speaking is often spontaneous and 
unplanned. 
Most writing is planned and can be 
changed through editing and 
revision before an audience reads it 
Speakers have immediate 
audiences who nod, interrupt, 
question and comment. 
Writers have a delayed response 
from audiences or none at all and 
have only one opportunity to convey 
their message, be interesting, 
informative, accurate and hold their 
reader’s attention. 
Speech is usually informal and 
repetitive. 
Writing on the other hand is more 
formal and compact. It progresses 
more logically With fewer 
explanations and digressions. 
Speakers use simpler sentences 
connected by lots of ands and 
buts. 
Writers use more complex 
sentences With connecting words 
like however, Who, although, and in 
addition. 
Speakers can gauge the attitudes, 
beliefs, and feelings of their 
audience by their verbal and non-
verbal reactions. 
Writers must consider what and how 
much their audience needs to know 
about a given topic. 
NOTE: Take a look at ‘Phonetics and Phonology’, lesson 2.