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Yolanda holds a CELTA Cambridge, a Juris Doctorate, and a Master of Public Administration. She is a published author of fiction in Spanish.
Diego is an English learner from Mexico. Very often, Diego chooses to say things like, ''He don't know'' or ''I didn't do nothing!''. When Diego's English language learning teacher corrects these mistakes, Diego says he knows what he is saying is wrong. However, Diego says that is how his friends speak. This example illustrates the definition of language variation. This is the choice of language a speaker or writer makes in order to express ideas. Language variation happens mostly because there is not a single way to say things in a language. However, the way in which a speaker or writer expresses ideas has to do with specific factors. Let's explore them.
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The factors that influence a speaker's or writer's choice of language vary, and they include the context that surrounds the speaker or writer, the age, gender, culture, etc. Very often, the choice of language is conscious, and the speaker can switch the language choice depending on such factors. Let's look at them through some examples.
The context in which a speaker or writer expresses ideas has an influence on the language variation or choice of words and expressions. Thus, it's no surprise that English learners choose different language variations depending on where they are or who they speak or write for.
When Diego is with his friends who speak English in the neighborhood, he uses words like ''cool, awesome, and buddy''. However, when Diego speaks to his teachers in school, he consciously makes an effort to use words that sound appropriate to his teachers such as ''nice, sir, and madam''. Something similar happens when Diego has to write. If he writes a text message to a friend, he knows he can use abbreviations like ''lol''. Conversely, if Diego writes an email to a teacher, he knows that ''lol'' is not right for the context of the relationship.
Age can determine how English learners express themselves and you, as a teacher, can easily see the difference in language variation if you teach a class of children as opposed to a class of adult learners.
As Diego leaves behind his teenage years and becomes an adult, he slowly leaves behind the old ways of expression he used to have for both oral and written discourse. For example, as Diego joins college, he gets used to more formal ways of expressions with people. When he greets people, he no longer feels comfortable saying ''Hey... what's up?'' Instead, he prefers ''Hi, good morning.'' This is not just because Diego is in college. This is also because Diego is now more mature, and he spontaneously feels more comfortable using more formal language.
Gender also influences the expressions, word choice, intonation, and tone in the language. As a guy, Diego feels comfortable using certain words with his male buddies. However, when he speaks to girls, Diego chooses words he would not use with his male friends. Partly, Diego does this because his behavior around the opposite sex is different than among his friends of the same sex. Also, partly Diego does this because he unconsciously knows that females themselves use different language than males.
Culture can influence not only spoken language, but also written language. For instance, people who come from very formal cultures tend to write more formally in the second language as well. Diego has a Mexican background, and while he speaks English fluently, there is influence of Spanish in the way he speaks English. For example, sometimes he mispronounces the ''s'' at the beginning of words and, instead of saying ''stop'', the word sounds more like ''estop''. Also, when Diego pronounces words like ''enchiladas, tacos, tequila'', these words sound exactly like they are said in Spanish and not with a hint of English accent. All of this happens because of the cultural background Diego has.
The level of education a person possesses definitely adds to the vocabulary, grammar, and style when speaking or writing. Since Diego is in college, he is now able to speak and write in ways that reflect his academic preparation at college. He often uses words he learns in school, and thus, both his spoken and written language are more sophisticated than the language that someone who has not gone to college uses.
Social class definitely has an influence on language. Within the social class Diego identifies with, there are certain words and expressions people commonly use. The same words and expressions would not be the same in a different social circle. For instance, the language Diego socially recognizes as part of his life is not the same as the language in the social circles of Diego's professors.
A person knows specific terms to the vocation or career path they choose, so the language they use both in conversation and in writing is usually a reflection of such vocation or career path. Diego is studying business management in college. He begins to use words that are related to his future profession, such as ''assets, skills, revenue, and indicators''.
Language variation is the choice of language a speaker or writer makes in order to express ideas. Language variation happens mostly because there is not a single way to say things in a language. However, the way in which a speaker or writer expresses ideas has to do with several factors that include the context or setting of the discourse, the speaker's age, gender, culture, level of education, social class, and vocation.
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CTEL 1 - Language & Language Development (031): Practice & Study Guide9 chapters | 72 lessons | 5 flashcard sets
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