Language Varieties and Registers Quiz

Language Varieties

• Creole is a language developed from a pidgin, gaining the status of the mother tongue of a community.
• Pidgin is a simplified language used as a means of communication between people who do not share a common language.
• Minority Dialect is a language spoken by a specific minority group, potentially dominant in one location and a minority language in another.
• Indigenized Varieties are languages spoken mainly as second languages in former colonies often with multilingual populations. They emerge due to interactions between a dominant language and a local language.

Language Registers

• Language Register is a style of speaking or writing specific to a situation.
• Formal is a register used in professional, academic, or legal domains, less rigid than frozen.
• Informal style of speech and writing used in personal conversations with friends and family.
• Consultative is used in professional settings between individuals with specialized knowledge.
• Casual is employed in social interactions with friends, family, and colleagues.
• Intimate is reserved for close relationships and is often private.

Frozen Register

• Static register
• Remains unchanged over time.
• Examples:
  • The Lord's Prayer
  • The Pledge of Allegiance

Types of Context Awareness

• Audience Awareness
  • Tailoring communication based on the audience's understanding and purpose.
• Setting Awareness
  • Adapting communication to suit the environment, considering the occasion.
• Low-tech Communication Aids
  • Picture boards
  • Communication books
  • Gestures
• High-tech Communication Aids
  • Speech-generating devices
  • Tablets with specialized software
  • Eye gaze technology

Multimodal Engagement

• Engaging an audience through multiple communication channels and sensory experiences.
• Incorporating various mediums:
  • Visuals
  • Audio
  • Kinesthetic elements
  • Text

Socio-Cultural Aspects of Communication

• Cultural Identity: It refers to the shared norms, traditions, and values of a cultural group.
• Gender Role: Expected attitudes and behaviors based on sex.
• Age Identity: How people feel about themselves based on age.
• Social Class: Assigned rank by society based on status or livelihood.
• Religious Identity: Membership in a spiritual and religious organization.

Strategies in Communicating Across Cultures

• Directness:
  • United States: Prioritizes directness, individualism, and assertiveness.
  • Asian and Latin American Cultures: Emphasize indirectness, group harmony, and subtle speech.
• Context:
  • United States: Low context, meaning primarily from words.
  • Eastern Cultures: High context, meaning conveyed through nonverbal cues and the situation.

Global Non-Verbal Communication

• Eye Contact:
  • Western Cultures: Acts of confidence and attentiveness.
  • Eastern Cultures: May be seen as intrusiveness, unapproachability, or anger.
• Interpersonal Touching:
  • Western: Common gesture.
  • Eastern: Uncommon and may be considered inappropriate.
• Smile:
  • Western: Associated with happiness.
  • Eastern: May mask anger or sadness.
• Pointing:
  • Western: To indicate location.
  • Eastern: May be disrespectful or rude.
• Tone of Voice:
  • Western: Direct and confident tone is respectful.
  • Eastern: Often prefers indirect and mild tones.

Other Social Cues

• Bowing (Korea)
• “One” (Germany)
• Head-Shaking (India)
• The “Pinecone” (Italy)
• “So-so” (France)

Global Verbal Communication

• Understanding preferences and identities of diverse cultures is essential for effective communication in a multicultural setting.

Local Non-Verbal Communication

• Pagmamano: Touching the elder’s hand to their forehead as a sign of respect.
• Beso-beso: A cheek-to-cheek greeting with a kiss in the air.
• Lip Pointing: A gesture to show direction, often seen as impolite.
• Hands On The Hips: Sign of dominance.
• Nodding and Raising Eyebrows with a Smile: Shows agreement and understanding.
• Drawing a Rectangular or Square Shape in the Air Using the Hands: Often used to reinforce a point.
• Silent Looks: Communicating meaning without words.

Filipino Local Expressions

• “Po” or “Opo” For hierarchy and respect.
• Ate, Kuya, Tito, Tita: Used to address elders as a sign of respect.
• Chibog, Chika, Lodi, Charot, Marites, Ngek, Awit, Naur: Common Filipino expressions and slang.
• Bekimon or Gaylingo: A unique language used within the LGBTQ+ community.
• Idioms (e.g. May gatas pa sa labi): Expressions with metaphorical meanings.
• Different Language or Dialects of the Different Regions (Bisaya, Cebuano, Tagalog, Waray, Ilonggo): Variations in language within the Philippines.

Gender-Fair Language Strategies

• 1. Neutralization: Employing gender-neutral language to reduce bias.
• 2. Feminization: Using feminine forms to highlight female referents and promote inclusivity.

Effects of Gender-Fair Language

• Positive:
  • Promotes inclusivity.
  • Challenges traditional gender stereotypes.
  • Encourages diverse representation.
  • Fosters a respectful communication environment.
• Negative:
  • Can create new biases or disrupt gender roles.

Test your knowledge on various language varieties such as Creole, Pidgin, and minority dialects, as well as different language registers including formal and informal styles. This quiz covers fundamental concepts related to linguistic diversity and communication styles. Perfect for linguistics enthusiasts looking to deepen their understanding of these topics.