The social context and user of a language determines the register, or variety of language used. Registers depend on factors like formality and the social setting. Different registers are used for different occupations and situations, like legal language versus medical language. One aspect that affects register is the formality scale, ranging from frozen/formal language to casual/intimate styles. The relationship between participants also impacts formality, as different forms of address are used depending on the context. Language varies across lexical, grammatical, and phonological levels based on the social context and register.

1. Social Context
Language

2. The set of circumstances or facts
that surround a particular event,
situation, etc.

3. depends on
The use
of the
language
The user
of the
language

7. Registers
A register (sometimes called a style) is a variety of
language used in a particular social setting.
Settings may be defined in terms of:
greater or lesser formality.
For example when talking to a close friend one
would most likely use a different register
than when one is
holding a public address.

8. A register is occupational style using
specialized or technical jargon, it describes the
language of groups of people with common
interests or jobs, or the language used in
situations associated with such groups, such as
the language of doctors, engineers, journals,
legalese, etc.
For example, the register of law is different from
the register of medicine, which in turn is
different from the register of engineering, and
so on.

9. One of the most analyzed areas where the use
of language is determined by the situation is the
formality scale. the term "register" often forms a
shorthand for formal/informal style, although
this is an aging definition. Linguistics textbooks
may use the term "tenor" instead (Halliday 1978),
but increasingly prefer the term "style" – "we
characterize styles as varieties of language
viewed from the point of view of formality"
(Trudgill, 1992) – while defining "registers" more
narrowly as specialist language use related to a
particular activity, such as academic jargon.

10. In one prominent model, Martin Joos (1961) describes five styles in spoken
English:
Frozen: Also referred to as static register. Printed unchanging language,
such as Biblical quotations, often contains archaisms. Examples are the
Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America and other "static"
vocalizations that are recited in a ritualistic monotone. The wording is
exactly the same every time it is spoken.
Formal: One-way participation; no interruption; technical vocabulary or
exact definitions are important; includes presentations or introductions
between strangers.
Consultative: Two-way participation; background information is provided –
prior knowledge is not assumed. "Back-channel behavior" such as "uh
huh", "I see", etc. is common. Interruptions are allowed. Examples
include teacher/student, doctor/patient, expert/apprentice, etc.
Casual: In-group friends and acquaintances; no background information
provided; Ellipsis and slang common; interruptions common. This is
common among friends in a social setting.
Intimate: Non-public; intonation more important than wording or
grammar; private vocabulary. Also includes non-verbal messages. This is
most common among family members and close friends

12. There is a terminological distinction between
register and style. Both are associated with a
specific speech situation but whereas register
often refers to the specific vocabulary chosen
and expected in connection with a particular
speech situation, style also includes
grammatical variation (cf. Kortmann 2005:
255ff).

13. The role relationship between the participants in a
discourse has also an effect on the formality of the
language

14. Speakers choose between different forms of
addressing others depending on the degree
of formality of the speech situation: first or
family name (Billy or Mr. Smith), family
name plus preceding title, second person
pronoun, deferential terms (Sir, Madam)

19. Lexical level
Grammatical
level
Phonological
level