Language in use

You will find important information about the language uses in the society.

1. Language in use

2. Content Introduction Styles Slang Jargon and Argot Taboo or not taboo ? Euphemisms Language and Sexism Secret and Language Games Reference

3. Introduction We have many ways to speak, but almost every time we do not know in which group belongs the words we use. So, this presentation discusses some of the many ways in which the use of language varies in the society. Somehow, our manner of expression is different when we are talking with our friends, when we are in a meeting, when we talk with members of the family, when we are going to do an interview, and so on. It depends on the place we are.

4. STYLES A style is a set of linguistic variants with specific social meanings. Most speakers of a language speak one way with friends, another on a job interview or presenting a report in class, another talking to small children, another with their parents, and so on. These “situation dialects” are called styles, or registers.  We have: Formal Styles Informal Styles

5. THE USE OF STYLE The use of styles is often a means of identification with a particular group (e.g., family, gang, church, team), or a means of excluding groups believed to be hostile or undesirable (cops, teachers, parents). Many cultures have rules of social behavior that govern style. Some Indo-European languages distinguish between you (familiar) and you (polite).

6. These are examples of the two ways we use language

7. SLANG Slang, unconventional words or phrases that express either something new or something old in a new way. It is an informal style. Is something that nearly everyone uses and recognizes. Slang, then, includes not just words but words used in a special way in a certain social context.  Recombines old words into new meanings.

8. THE USE OF SLANG These are some examples of slang. The use of slang has introduced many new words into the language by recombining old words into new meanings. Spaced out, right on, hang-up have all gained a degree of acceptance. it expresses a certain emotional attitudes.

9. JARGON Jargon refers to special words or expressions that belong to a specific profession or activity. Also, can be used in both written and spoken context. Jargon is not informal and can be used in a professional context . Special words that belong a specific profession.

10. THE USE OF JARGON Jargon is used to provide more efficient communication between members of a certain group, though at times it can also be used to exclude others who are not part of the group or to show one’s own belonging to the group. Some jargon that is used enough in a group can become more widely understood and adopted into common usage, such as technological terms.

11. Example of a jargon.

12. TABOO OR NOT TABOO Taboo is something that is forbidden for religious or social reasons.  However, the word taboo is less specific and often used to describe something that is considered socially unacceptable or controversial. All societies have their taboo words. Taboo is something that is socially unacceptable.

13. EXAMPLES OF TABOO: Firstly there are the religious words. Another religious taboo is the issue of homosexuality in the Christian religion . Another example is words relating to sex, sex organs, and natural bodily functions make up a large part of the set of taboo words of many cultures.  Anglo-Saxon Taboo Words                Latinate Acceptable Words cunt                                                         vagina cock                                                         penis prick                                                        penis tits                                                          mammaries shit                                                            feces , defecate

14. EUPHEMISMS   An euphemism is a word or phrase that replaces a taboo word or serves to avoid frightening or unpleasant subjects . In other words, euphemism is a polite word or phrase that is use to avoid saying something embarrassing or offensive.

15. THE USE OF EUPHEMISMS The use of euphemisms is not new. It is reported that the Greek historian Plutarch in the first century CE wrote that “the ancient Athenians, used to cover up the ugliness of things with auspicious and kindly terms, giving them polite and endearing names.

16. Example of euphemism . EXAMPLES OF EUPHEMISMS: Passed away instead of died. Pregnancy termination instead of abortion. On the streets instead of homeless. Adult entertainment instead of pornography. Sleep together instead of have sex.

17. SECRET LANGUAGES AND LANGUAGES GAMES Throughout the world and throughout history, people have invented secret languages and language games. They have used these special languages as a means of identifying with their group and/or to prevent outsiders from knowing what is being said . Some examples of  Secret Languages are: Nushu Language: Is originated in the third century as a means for women to communicate with one another in the sexually repressive societies of imperial China.

18. Example of Nushu language Hijra Farsi Language .  Spoken and privately used by hijras (hijra is a marginalized community that lives in sequestered groups in many cities of India and Pakistan).  Was created to serve as a survival mechanism for Hijras during the British Raj.

19. OTHER SECRET LANGUAGE Cryptography: is the study of enciphering and encoding (on the sending end), and deciphering and decoding (on the receiving end.  Code: is when you substitute one word for another word or sentence, like using a foreign language dictionary. For example Qwerty Code Cipher- when you mix up or substitute existing letter.

20. LANGUAGE GAMES Such as Pig Latin and Ubbi Dubbi are used for amusement by children and adults. They exist in all the world’s languages and take a wide variety of forms. Examples of languages games: Walbiri Natives of central Australia, play a language game in which the meanings of words are distorted. In this play language, all nouns, verbs, pronouns, and adjectives are replaced by semantically contrastive word.

21. Pig Latin. Is a common language game of English; but even Pig Latin has dialects, forms of the “language game” with different rule.