Module I. Styles of speech and their prosodic characteristics Unit 1. Correlation between Extralinguistic and Linguistic Variation Explanation

It is common knowledge that the type of language we are using changes with the situation in which communication is carried on. A particular social situation makes us respond with an appropriate variety of language. We use one variety of language at home, another with our friends, a third at work, and so on. In other words, there are ‘appropriate’ linguistic ‘manners’ for the different types of situations in which language is used and we are expected to know these manners in our native language.

Varieties of language correlating with social situations are generally termed styles. The distinctive features of styles include language features of various kinds, among which phonetic modifications play the leading role in oral speech. The main circumstances of reality that course phonetic modification in speech are as follows:

• the aim of spontaneity of speech (which may be to instruct, to inform, to narrate, to chat, etc.);

• the extent of spontaneity of speech (unprepared speech, prepared speech);

• the nature of interchange, i.e. the use of a form of speech which may either suggest only listening, or both listening and an exchange of remarks (a lecture, a discussion, a conversation, etc.);

• social and psychological factors, which determine the extent of formality of speech and the attitudes expressed (a friendly conversation with close friends, a quarrel, an official conversation, etc.).

These circumstances, or factors, are termed extra-linguistic factors. Thus, different ways of pronunciation caused by extra-linguistic factors and characterized by definite phonetic features, are called phonetic styles, or styles of pronunciation.

Correlation between extra-linguistic and intra-linguistic variation does not necessarily imply that there are as many varieties of language (styles) as there are extra-linguistic situations. First of all, the factors, or dimensions, constituting an extra-linguistic situation are not equally important, as far as modification of language means is concerned. The greatest influence in this respect is exercised by such factors as the social status of the speakers and their relations to each other, the place of communication and its subject-matter (topic).

Significant variations within each of the given factors (dimensions) are most conveniently described in terms of an opposition: formal/ informal, and there is a strong tendency for identical features (formal or informal) from different dimensions to co-occur: an informal subject-matter tends to be combined with an informal sphere of communication and informal relations between the speakers and vice versa. Accordingly, the broadest and most widely recognized division of English speech is into f o r m a l and i n f o r m a l s t y l e s.

The formal style covers those varieties of English that we hear from a lecturer, a public speaker, a radio announcer, etc. These types of communication are frequently reduced to monologue, addressed by one person to many, and are often used prepared in advance. They also include official and business talks.

The informal style is used in personal every day communication. This category embraces the most frequent and the most widespread occurrences of spoken English. Most typically informal speech takes the form of a conversation, although monologue is not infrequent either.

According to the degree of formality in one case and familiarity in the other, the two styles can be subdivided as follows: