2.2 Formal or informal Flashcards
What is the T-V distinction and where does this name come from 6 points
1-refers to the practice, in sociolinguistics, where the symbols ‘T’ and ‘V’ (from the Latin ‘tu’ and ‘vos’) are used as generic designators for a familiar and a polite pronoun in any language (Brown and Gilman, 1960)
2- it’s one of the main ways of expressing formality or informality by choosing the right personal pronoun
3-in french the formal form would be ‘vous’ (plural ‘you’) and the informal pronoun would be ‘tu’ (singular ‘you).
4-other examples would be ‘sie’ and ‘du’ in German, or in Spanish, ‘usted’ y ‘tú’.
5-this choice to express formality gets it’s name after the initial letters of the second person pronouns ‘tu’ and ‘vos’ in latin. these originally signified ‘you’ in the singular and plural respectively, but increaisngly the latter was used to address the emperor (of which there was more than one) and other powerful figures
6-Brown and Guilman 1960 referred to these as ‘the pronouns of power and solidarity’ as the use of plural has been traditionally associated with the wielding of power, as the third person (‘Her Majesty the Queen’), while use of the second person singular has often served as a market of solidarity (e.g. the use of ‘tu’ by membes of the French communist party)
As languages develop overtime you will see that…3points
1The distinction between the formal and informal can be quite tricky
2and is still undergoing changes
3in the Modern English the pronoun ‘you’ is the same for both formal and informal address, however, in Old and Middle English ‘thou’ was used for the second person singular, just like ‘tu’ in French and Italian (and ‘tú’ in Spanish)
Register meaning 6points
1a specific form of language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting (in other words, the different ways of talking that people adopt depending on the situation)
2in sociolinguistics the term ‘register’ refers to the language choices (e.g. words, sentence structures, etc.) that people make when they speak or write, depending on the situational context, their target audience or interlocutors, and the purpose of the written or spoken message.
3formal, informal, technical, literary, busines, legal and urban are examples of possible registers
4depending on the range of situations they have experienced, native speakers are normally are able to use several registers in their own language
5non native speakers can also develop this ability through study and exposure to the language in different situations
6however no single person will be equally competent or comfortable in all possible registers, and in certain situations it may also be difficult to decide which register is the most appropriate.
power 3 points
1-is associated with nonreciprocal forms of address: a speaker addresses another by title-last-name but is addressed by first name
2-‘power governs asymmetrical relationships where one is subordinate to another’ (Tannen, 1990)
3-in sociolinguistics the terms is often used as part of the expression ‘power and solidarity’ (Brown and Gilman 1960)
solidarity 3 points
1-solidarity is associated with reciprocal forms of address: both speakers address each other by title-last-name or first name
2-‘solidarity governs symmetrical relationships characterised by social equality and similarity’ (Tannen, 1990)
3-in sociolinguistics the term is often used as part of the expression ‘power and solidarity’ (Brown and Gilman, 1960)
According to the blogger, whats the advice on the distinction between the formal and the informal
Whats the problem with that advise 2 points
1-traditionally the textbooks advise that the T pronoun (e.g. tu, tu con tilde or du) is for friends, family, children and intimate situations. The V pronoun (e.g. vous, usted and Sie) is used to address older people, to show respect, for strangers and work.
2this advise is too simplistic because languages, cultural practices are far more complex. Different social groups, individuals and generations differ in their use of the formal and informal forms
can you give an example of solidarity and another example of power 2 points
-fellow conference-goers, in the same professional community they see each other as equals
-the way the hotel staff addresses their customers reflects a power relationship involving two very different roles: those who provide a service and those who pay for it
What are the pros and the cons of cultural guides on ‘how to behave’ 4 points
1-Social conventions are extremely complex
2-it’s almost impossible to write a cultural guide without overgeneralising
3-nevertheless, some behaviours and conventions are important to knonw
4-guides will give you an initial handle on avoiding embarrassment and making assumptions about behaviours based on your own cultural bias or experience
bowing in Japan 6points
1-people greet each other by bowing
2-a bow ranges from a small nod of the head to a long, 90-degree bend at the waist. If the meeting takes place on a tatami flor, people get on their knees in order to bow
3-when bowing to someone of higher status, a deeper, longer bow indicates respect, conversely a small head nod is casual and informal.
4-Most Japanese people do not expect foreigners to know proper bowing rules and so a nod of the head is usually suficient
5-It is also common to bow to express thanks, to apologise, to make a request or to ask someone a favor.
6-shaking hands is uncommon in Japanese but exemptions are made for foreigners.
which words when you greet someone in Japanese 2 points
-You have to use a fixed set of phrases
-like in many other languages, there is a distinction between the formal and the informal
Apart from the use of different pronouns can you give more examples of types of rules (sometimes unspoken) of behaviour? 4 points
1-the use or not use of particular kinds of expression
2-clarity of articulation
3-pausing between utterances
4- not interrupting other speakers
Can you give examples where, generally, it would be possible to anticipate the level of formality 5 points
1-official events
2-business meetings
3-interviews
4 hearings
5 ceremonies
will require a high degree of formality (in behaviour and speech)
What are some examples of clues that can be discerned to figure out the level of formality required in some situations like formal social events 9 points
1-dress (clothing, shoes)
2-facial expressions (solemn, smiling)
3 posture and demeanour (body language, eye contact)
4 interpersonal distance (space between participants)
5 spatial organisation (seating arrangement)
6 focus of attention (is one prestigious individual presiding over the event?
7 symbols (flower arrangements, a mace of office)
8 atmosphere (e.g. absence of background noise, etc)
9 when you find yourself in an unfamiliar culture you need to become a ‘people watcher’ and read all possible clues in order to work out the degree of formality that is appropriate to each situation
