This document contains a student's answers to exam questions about linguistic variation and language features. For question 1, the student describes how social status, age, gender, local culture, and societal norms influence linguistic variation with examples from their own experience. For question 2, the student compares Philippine English online to standard English and discusses how language functions affect online registers. They also discuss introducing language variations to students as a teacher.

1. LING 203
LONG EXAM (Final Term)
Veny Mae S. Maglana- MALE
1. Illustrate (by citing one example you experienced or observed) how each of the following
factors influences linguistic variation: (25 pts)
a. Social status/group
Answer:socialstatus gives people an opportunity to use thelanguage moreand less.
High social status people have more chance to be exposed in linguistic variation
since they are able to use the language in any place (e.g house, school, daily
conversation). Each society is delineated in various classes and they are
fundamentally estimated through financial conditions. However, in the 21st
century
moreand morepeople creategroups around the social networkingsites that created
a gap between people socially. People who are more exposed to social media has
greater chance to be on the pedestal of linguistic variation and newly discovered
words unlike the older ones and people who has no access to social networking sites.
b. Age
Answer: Age has always contributed to linguistic variation. Thus, as we grow old,
instead of contributing more to linguistic variation, we grow behind it. New
generations learn new language and words faster than adult since, teenagers will
generally utilize more non-standard assortments than more adults.
c. Gender
Answer: Gender differences in language use show up right on time; young girls are
bound to used language with regards to emotions with others, while young men are
bound to utilize language to depict articles and occasions. However, before, girls
were not given so muchopportunities to go to school and learn language in a formal
school does they have innate abilities to learn language faster and store it more that
men do.
d. Local culture
Answer: Local culture influences the language variation since people are more
expose to it that cultures from other countries. The language spoken the language
that is spoken within its constraints as a society, such as how certain words are used

2. in support of the culture. The culture develops its own language and has nuances
accompanied by forms of group body language and voice inflections. Same as in
Valencia, there are many cultures and tribes that surrounds here. If you live in the
city proper, people will mostlyspeak Cebuano, but if you live in barangaymiles away
from the center, some will speak Ilocano or Ilonggo which is at some point difficult
to understand for plain. Cebuano.
e. Societal norms
Answer:Social norms are the unwrittenrules of beliefs, attitudes,and behaviors that
are considered acceptable in a particular social group or culture. Norms provide us
with an expected idea of how to behave, and function to provide order and
predictability in society. Norms provide order in society. People who live in the city
will mostly to have norms a little different from those who will in rural and remote
areas since people in urban are exposed to industrialization, as well the trends
adapting the societal norms of different countries.
2. Read the article “Digitalk: An Exploration of the Linguistic Features of CMC” by Chenee M.
Dino and Leah E. Gustilo and answer the following questions: (30 pts)
a. How do you compare the style or register of Philippine English in the internet (or
Facebook) with that of standard English language? Give examples.
Answer: The style or register of Philippine English in the internet follows a lot of
abbreviations, discourse particles, borrowing, affixation, compounding, blending,
and code-switching making it understandable only in the Philippines. Mostly are
jargons in the Philippines. However, there are other English internet words in the
Philippines that are not understandable around the country due to being an
archipelago and having culture diversity. In terms of spelling, there is a big
difference between the Philippine English in the internet to the standard English.
b. Illustrate how language functions affect the register of this electronic language variety.
Answer: Due to many factors like social status and education, it really affected the
language functions since anyone can register in social media sites even if they were
illiterate causing them to write misspelled words. They matter more on how it is
most likely to be pronounce making it more different in the standard English. Upon
using the misspelled words and abbreviated words over and over again, it has been
normalized by others and accepted as a shorter way to write. This is why, there are

3. been more researches promoting students to write in correct spelling so they may
not bring the knowledge of writing it in a wrong way.
c. How do these language variations relate to the concept of prescriptive grammar? As a
language teacher, how would you introduce these language features to your students?
Answer: A prescriptive grammar is a set of rules about language based on how
people think language should be used. In a prescriptive grammar there is right and
wrong language. It can be compared with a descriptive grammar, which is a set of
rules based on how language is actually used. Due to the fast-changing society,
people just words like a blink of an eye- fast and dynamic. In the research “Digitalk:
An Exploration of the Linguistic Features of CMC”, the researchers showed how
language can vary over the time according to the factors that affect it. Even high-
class people tend to adopt abbreviating words making words understandable on
their own circle.
As a teacher, it is very alarming to pass students forgetting the correct spelling and
correct grammar in all of their write-ups. We may not be able to monitor their
statuses one by one, because there are options that could make a post hidden for
you. At least,we will pick trustedpersons to help us monitortheir classmates tostop
normalizing wrong spelling and adding more letters or numbers to words. Let us
help them be aware with the effect that they might bring it until they grew up and
forget about the standard English. I am going to introduce them the language
features using real life scenarios and abrupt evaluation on how they really are
outside the classroom.
3. Read the article “Old Speak or Young Speak: An Analysis of Netspeak Features in Filipino
Netspeak” by Leah E. Gustiloand Chenee M. Dinoand answer the followingquestions: (30pts)
a. Explain how the study confirms previous studies that there is a connection between
language and age.
Answer: Age was regarded as a contributory factor in this study of Filipino
Netspeakers’ linguistic features in CMC. The researchers found out that, children
tend to adjust to adult norm when talking to people who are older than them. The
choice from simplified to adult-like language shows children’s flexibility in
communication. Although children (at a certain point in their lives) opt to blend in

4. with the language of the adult, they also (at another point in their lives) choose to
detach themselves from the language of the elders.
The findings of the present study both corroborate and contradict previous studies.
Although, Netspeak features abound in the language of the young, confirming that
youngspeak is common among the young people, Netspeak features are also
prevalent in the second and third age cohorts. Electronic language is considered to
be the language of the young generation, having the connotation of being modern
and associated to the young. However, Electronic language is a language owned not
by today’s generation alone as proven by the percentageof netspeakfeatures found
across age cohorts; the old are sharing the same netspeak with the youngsters. The
Filipino Netspeakers in this study, regardless of age, broke the rules of punctuation,
capitalization, spellings, and even publicize taboo expressions
b. Illustrate (with examples) how the study debunked the notion that the older generation
complies with the standard conventions of language.
Answer: It has been said that older people have more experiences thus, we ought to
listen to them. In the field of language, older one has been exposed to formal
language and even different language such as Spanish due to colonization in the
Philippines. They were taught the value of using the language appropriately. Before,
knowing how to speak English is a pride to a person. It means, they are in a higher
class where theycan affordto learn English but as timegoes by, During the American
colonization, English language was a widespread in the Philippines. The way of
learning was directly followed by proper grammar like the ones used in American
schools. Filipino themselves taught English to one another. Between 1920 – 1941,
Around 209 Filipino scholars were sent to get a college degree in various fields like
Medicine, Law and Animal Science. The Philippine English has evolved from the
native speakers of the language who served as models in schools and other social
organizations during colonization. Dialects that characterize Filipino cultures
remained as a dominant influencing factor in dealing with linguistic mechanics. But,
this time, there are many ways to learn English due to modernization of the world.
We have adopted the inventions from other countries and used it to live easily such
as using cellphones for communication or using videos to learn English. Kids have
greater chance on learning fast that adults when exposing the language since they
have the capacity to mimic the language and store it, unlike adults who tends to
have short-term memory loss.

5. c. “Age was considered as a ‘contributory’ factor” in the variations of internet language. This
means that age is just one of the things that influence netspeak features. What could be
the other factors influencing this linguistic variation? Explain briefly.
Answer:Genderand societycould also be factors influencing the linguistic variation.
If before, people on higher class have more chances on learning new language, this
time, just by having gadgets and internet could lead them to affect the linguistic
variation. Age is really a factor since teenagers are more exposed to using gadgets
and websites that could let them learn something. It has been easier for them to
apply it than adults who are busy with their careers. That is why many younger
generations involves in works that uses internet because that is where they are more
exposed on. Adults and older people are not so good on adopting the useof internet
and gadgets. They needed the guidance of the younger ones.
Gender is a big factor in linguistic variation since, girls and other gender excluding
boys are more on emotional relationship and leading to a creation of new words.
Girls are also more expose to reading than boys who most likely are expose to
playing video games.
The present society can also contribute to it. People can look classy even without
money by using the internet. The ability to be able to use internet and social media
site will give to the warm welcome to the society. The Internet has transformed our
economies and societies in many ways in the ten years since the World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS). People use it to gain access to information that
protects them againstthreats to their healthand livelihoods, gain new skills and take
advantage of new opportunities.They use it to share informationand work together
to improvetheir lives. Governments andotherdevelopmentstakeholders have taken
advantage of new ways of interacting with citizens, providing services and
supporting community development.
4. Review the article “Language and Gender: A Study Case” by Foliviera that I shared (last Oct.
10) to illustrate how to critique a research article and answer the following questions: (25 pts)
a. Based on the findings of the study, how do men and women differ in their
communication styles in terms of:
 Talking time- Women talk more than men. However, the utterances between
men and women varies to their relationship with each other and familiarity to

6. the conversation topic. The atmosphere as well will vary. Having a friendly
atmosphere will lead to more conversation among men and women.
 Turn taking- Women break the rules of turn taking less than men. There are
turn taking systems found in all society.
 Use of standard forms- Standard form are use on formal setting where women
more use it that men, especially when meeting unfamiliar people and people
without emotional connection unlike men who often stays quiet or talks short
sentences.
 Directnessand assertiveness? - Directnessis being very frank anddirectin their
dealings with others while, being assertive shows that you respect yourself
becauseyou're willingto stand up for your interests and express your thoughts
and feelings.Italsodemonstratesthat you're awareof others' rights andwilling
to work on resolving conflicts. Women are more assertive and tends to turn
around the bush while talking and using flowering words unlike boys who are
very direct in their opinion.
b. Based on your experience and observation, do you find the findings agreeable? Why?
Why not?
Answer: Yes, I agree that women talk more than men in any setting. Women were
considered to learn words faster than men. This simply implies than women have a
lot to talk with or without thought. Women tend to turn around the bush and use
flowering words whenretelling stories thanmen. Women's brains have higher levels
of a “language protein” called FOXP2,according to a studyconducted by researchers
at the University of Maryland School of Medicine making it one of the first avenues
with which we can start to explore why women tend to be more verbal than men.
These women who speak more have also something to say in mind. However, social
relationship also affects the talking time and turn taking of people. People who are
most close with each other have more to say than those who they just met.