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Style, context, and registration. Accommodation theory. Register

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Style, context, and registration. Accommodation theory. Register

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Developed by Howard Giles (1973), Accommodation Theory explains how people adjust their speech, communication style, and behavior to either converge (become more similar) or diverge (highlight differences) when interacting with others.

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People change their way of speaking to sound more like the person they are talking to. This helps create a better connection and makes communication easier.

Examples:

A teacher uses simple words when talking to young students.

A salesperson speaks politely to match a customer’s tone.

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A person keeps their own way of speaking to show they are different from the listener. This can protect identity or show disagreement.

Examples:

A teenager uses slang to be different from adults.

A person keeps their accent when moving to another country.

A lawyer using formal language in court while others speak informally.

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The speaker does not change how they talk, even if the listener is different. This can show confidence or lack of interest in adapting.

Examples:

An elderly person continues using traditional vocabulary with younger generations.

A professor continues using technical terms when speaking to students.

A tourist keeps speaking their own language in a foreign country.

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In linguistics, style refers to the way a person uses language depending on the situation, audience, and intention. It can vary in formality, tone, and word choice.

Examples:

Formal style: "Dear Professor, I would appreciate your assistance with the assignment."

Informal style: "Prof, can you help me with the homework?"

Technical style: "Phonological analysis reveals underlying patterns in speech production."

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Context refers to the social, cultural or situational circumstances surrounding an interaction that influence how people adjust their communication style. According to accommodation theory, context can determine whether speakers adopt a more formal or informal style, depending on factors such as:

The purpose of the interaction: for example, in a job interview, the candidate tends to use more formal language to align with the interviewer's expectations.

The social setting: In a family gathering, language may be more relaxed and colloquial.

Example:

A university student may use technical and formal language when presenting a project to his or her professors but will switch to a more relaxed and colloquial tone when discussing the same project with peers.

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According to Ure and Ellis (as cited in Areiza, Cisneros, & Tabares, 2012, p.76) register is understood as “… a situational variant of the language, constituted by a choice of preferences from among the total linguistic options offered by the repertoire of the language in question.”

Examples:

Formal Register

"It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Please submit your application by the deadline."

Frozen Register

"I pledge allegiance to the flag..."

"Once upon a time, in a land far away..."

Language:

Another reason why individuals use or shift a language is perception. It has been said that people can adjust their speech to new circumstances and purposes.

For example:

Speaker A is accustomed to speaking in a high tone.

Speaker B used to talk in a low voice and not so well.

A: Where is the key? (high-pitched, and not intended to be angry, mean simply asking a question)

B: I do not know!! (with high tone, intends to be angry because in his perception B is angry because A uses high intonation).

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Style refers to the linguistic choices speakers make to suit the context and interlocutor, including aspects such as tone, level of formality, vocabulary and grammar.

Styles vary according to:

The degree of familiarity: The closer the relationship between the interlocutors, the more informal the style.

Perceived social status: People may adjust their style to reflect respect or match the interlocutor's perceived level.

Cultural influence: Different cultures have specific rules about what styles are appropriate in certain contexts.

Example:

A doctor may use technical medical terms when talking to colleagues but will simplify his language when explaining a diagnosis to a patient to ensure that it is understood.

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Context is the set of circumstances surrounding language use. It includes factors such as location, the relationship between speakers, and the purpose of communication.

Examples of different contexts:

In a job interview: "I have experience in customer service and teamwork."

In a conversation with friends: "Dude, the party last night was awesome."

In an academic conference: "Sociolinguistic studies demonstrate linguistic variability according to the environment."

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Social class also influences the way people communicate because according to sociolinguistic theory, people from different social classes may have distinctive linguistic styles reflecting their social identity which may include:

Vocabulary choice: Speakers from higher social classes tend to use more formal and elaborate language compared to those from working classes.

Attitudes towards other styles: Stylistic differences can be interpreted as signals of belonging or distinction between social groups.

Example:

A speaker with a strong regional accent might soften their convergence when interacting with someone from an upper social class to reduce perceived social distance. On the other hand, he might deliberately maintain his accent, and divergence, to emphasise his regional identity.

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Register refers to the level of formality in language and varies according to the relationship between speakers and the communicative situation. It is classified into:

Formal register: Used in official or professional situations. Example: "We inform you that your application has been approved."

Informal register: Used in everyday conversations and with friends. Example: "That's cool! See you later."

Neutral register: Used in situations that do not require much formality. Example: "I'm going to the store to buy bread."

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Cognition refers to the mental processes associated with language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition.

It includes perception, memory, attention, reasoning, and problem solving related to how people understand and produce language.

Cognitive processes influence language learning, speech recognition, and sentence processing.

Language Acquisition

Children learning their first language (L1) process words by using memory and pattern recognition to associate sounds with meaning.

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In sociolinguistics, culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, customs, and social norms that shape language use within a community.

It influences language variation, dialects, code switching, and language preferences.

Culture plays an important role in shaping communication styles, politeness strategies, and discourse patterns.

Language and Gender

In some cultures, males and females use different speech styles, such as Javanese, where females may use more subtle speech forms.