VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 20:36:22 05/28/07 Mon
Author: Danilo
Subject: TASK 3

“English, like other languages, makes use of two channels: speech and writing. They have different transmission systems. Speech is transmitted by sound-waves […]. Writing is transmitted by letters and other visible marks […]”. This definition contrasting spoken and written English is quite good and realizing such differences is quite easy. Even if we do not know much English it is possible to realize many aspects from each system if we analyze them concerning the form. However, many aspects have to be taken into account for being possible to realize actual differences between them. We must be concerned about some exclusive aspects of such systems. For doing it so, it is necessary to bear in mind some features.
Firstly, speech is transitory and writing is permanent. Normal speech is processed in real time and is transitory, leaving no trace other than what we may remember. Writing, on the other hand, takes longer to produce and can be read not just once but many times. So, such differences between the two channels affect our language use in several ways. Spoken language requires fast production and understanding, on the other hand, when we write, we have time to revise, check and rewrite.
Secondly, within spoken language there are many variations, but we will distinguish two main uses of spoken language. One of them is the conversation – private speaking – with two or more participants taking their turns when talking to each other. The second use of spoken English occurs with one person speaking at a time to an audience of people who do not talk back just listen, which is known as public speaking lectures and news broadcasts. Those two varieties of spoken language can be compared with two varieties of written English such as not printed – letters and memos – and printed forms – novels and legal documents.
Formal and informal language is the way English varies according to differences in the relation between speaker and writer. Formal language is the type of language we use publicly for some serious purpose, for example in official reports, business letters, regulations, and academic writing. Formal English is nearly always written. Informal language is language of ordinary conversation and of a private interaction in general. Informality is typically found in spoken language.
Finally, spoken and written English do not have different grammars, but the shared English grammar is used differently on the two channels. Both are important, and knowing how to handle and how to identify the differences is important for those who want to acquire good, all-round communicative competence in the use of English grammar.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.