This document discusses styles and registers in language. It defines styles as varieties of language used for specific purposes, often analyzed on a scale of formality. Five levels of formality are described, ranging from oratorical style for public speaking to intimate style between close friends and family with no social inhibitions. Registers are varieties associated with occupational or socioeconomic groups, like legalese or the language of sports commentators. Verbal and nonverbal communication are also discussed, with nonverbal communication including body language, facial expressions, eye contact, space/proximity, artifacts, touch, and olfactory dimensions like smell.

1. STYLES & REGISTERS
Definition
Styles
A style is not a social or regional dialect,
but a variety of language used for a
specific purpose.
Styles are often analyze along a scale of
formality, as in the examples from social
dialect research.

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3. 4. Casual Conversations are between friends or
colleagues or sometimes members of a family; in this
context words need not be guarded and
social barriers are moderately low.
5. An intimate style is one characterized by complete
absence of social inhibitions.
Ex.: Talk with family, love ones, and very close friends,
where the inner self is revealed, is usually in an intimate
style.

4. Register
Registers are commonly identified by certain
phonological variants, vocabulary, idioms and
other expressions that are associated with
different occupational or socioeconomic
groups.
Ex: Journalese, baby-talk, legalese, the language of
auctioneers, race-callers, and sports commentators, the
language of airline pilots, criminals, financiers,
politicians and disc jockeys, the language of the
courtroom and the classroom.

5. The different categories of
communication
1. Verbal Communication : face to face, telephone,
radio or television and other media.
2. Nonverbal Communication : body language,
gestures, how we dress or act – even our scent.

6. NNOONNVVEERRBBAALL CCOOMMMMUUNNIICCAATTIIOONN
11.. BBooddyy MMoovveemmeenntt//KKiinneessiiccss
 Body posture “yes/ no”
 Gestures “come here”
 Flirting or sexual signals
 Lack of interest, “I don’t know”
An aside…

7. 22.. FFaaccee aanndd EEyyeess
ccoonnttaacctt
Over 1000 distinct facial expressions
Eyes can be especially expressive
◦ “Windows to the soul”
Men and women have been found to be
equally expressive
◦ Men show the most emotion in the lower
left quadrant of their face
◦ Women show emotion over their whole
face

8. FFaaccee oorr EEyyeess CCoonnttaacctt

9. 33.. SSppaaccee// PPrrooxxeemmiicc
EEddwwaarrdd HHaallll ((11996666))
Personal Space
Intimate distance
Personal distance
Social distance
Public distance
Barrier behaviors and territory
You
are
here

10. 44.. AArrttiiffaaccttss
Include clothing, jewelry, personal belongings,
accessories, etc.
Communicate economic level, educational level,
trustworthiness, social position, level of
sophistication, economic background, social
background, educational background, level of
success, moral character, masculinity/femininity
Important part of first impressions

11. 44.. TToouucchh // KKiinneesstthheettiicc
Touching is considered essential and
therapeutic
Touching can influence liking and
compliance
Is used to show intimacy or power/control
People with high status touch
others/invade others’ spaces more than
people with lower status

12. 55.. OOllffaaccttoorryy DDiimmeennssiioonnss // SSmmeellll
• The smell of human perspiration is quite
acceptable and even attractive
• Our noses also receive sensory nonverbal
message.
• Smell and Taste very closely related to each other