Formal, Informal, Conversational, Literary, Technical, Persuasive

Example:

• Formal: "We regret to inform you that your application has been declined."

• Informal: "Sorry, but we can't accept your application."

Example:

When you hear the word “orange,” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? It can be a color or it can be the fruit itself. 🟠 🍊

Situational, Cultural, Linguistic, Social, Historical

Example:

Situational Context

• At home: "Can you turn off the lights?" (casual request)

• In a meeting: "Would you mind switching off the lights?" (polite request)

Frozen, Formal, Consultative, Casual, Intimate

Example:

• Casual (Everyday, Friendly): "Hey, what's up?"

  
  

• Intimate (Personal, Private): "Love you, babe!"

📌 Definition: Occurs when a speaker modifies his speech to be more similar to that of his interlocutor.

📌 Example: A foreigner adopting the local accent to be better understood.

📌 Reason: To generate closeness, empathy and improve communication.

DIVERGENCE

📌 Definition: It occurs when a person emphasizes differences in the way they speak to mark distance.

📌 Example: A speaker uses his regional dialect more markedly to emphasize his identity.

📌 Reason: To assert one's identity or to mark cultural/social differences.

✔ Context and audience: formality, level of trust, and relationship between speakers affect adaptation.

✔ Perception of the other: How the interlocutor is perceived influences whether the manner of speaking is adopted or maintained.

🗣 Example 1: A politician adapts his accent to connect with a rural audience.

🗣 Example 2: In a conversation between a native speaker and a non-native speaker, the native speaker slows down when speaking.

🗣 Example 3: A teenager changes his slang when speaking to adults to be more understandable.

Context in communication is about the setting, the people involved, and their roles.

In the example of Judge M. F. Hobbs and his son Jock in court:

• Required Formality: Even though they are father and son, Jock must address his father as “Your Honour” or “Sir” in court, following professional rules.

• Roles Over Personal Relationships: The formal setting overrides their personal bond, showing how context dictates language use.

Style refers to how we express ourselves, and it changes based on the situation and the people involved.

In this case:

• Formal Style: Jock uses a respectful, professional tone when speaking to his father.

• Professional Distance: Despite their family connection, the judge’s role requires formal address, maintaining respect and authority.

Class influences communication, especially in settings with clear hierarchies, like a courtroom.

• Power Dynamics: As a figure of higher status, the judge is addressed formally, showing how social position shapes language.

• Social Expectations: Jock, despite being the judge’s son, must follow the professional norms of the courtroom.