Language Use Essay free essay sample

Language Use Essay Language can be considered as a work of art. The way one speaks imprints one’s personality and knowledge. However, language does not exist in a vacuum. It develops over the course of time according to a society’s and an individual’s needs. There are a number of ways to express identical thoughts. Educated people would most likely distinguish between the use of language in formal and informal situations. Specifically, one would use informal language with familiar people such as friends and family. For example, people often use, â€Å"What’s up? † to greet with members they generously know better with. Also slang words are usually applied to ordinary conversations. Such as the phrase: â€Å"My bad. † Is frequently employed if a teen has made a mistake. It literarily means what it appears to mean: â€Å"I was bad! † In casual discussions, such as chatting with younger people, or talking with parents, it is unnecessary to follow the rules of grammar as carefully as one would in a formal address or a business letter. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Use Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If a person utilizes excessive formal rules of grammar in an informal situation, he may come across as being stuffy and unnatural. It is as wearing a coattail to an ordinary business meeting. Another great example would be instant messaging. Modern technology allows people to text; this advancement promoted people’s laziness. People often use abbreviations instead of typing out the entire word. For instance, in informal text, the word â€Å"you† evolves into a single letter â€Å"u†, and the word â€Å"love† changes into â€Å"luv†. Linguistic forms will change over a period of time based on individual’s needs. Contrarily, one would use another form of language in formal situations such as a job interview and professional conversations. Unlike informal English, formal English adheres rules of grammar very strictly; sentences tend to be longer, more complex and well thought out. For instance, formal set of writing does not contain contractions. Instead of writing: â€Å" He’s†, it is more appropriate to write:â€Å" He is. † In general, formal language often applies with people who hold higher authority, people who are older and people who are not familiar with. For example, one often use: â€Å"How are you? to begin a formal conversation. By using this polite linguistic form when talking to a person with more knowledge and is more experienced delineates respect for that person’s position and acknowledgment. In addition, formal way of speaking utilizes higher level of vocabulary. Such as the phrase: â€Å"Please refrain from smoking. † Illustrates a more f ormal alternative by selecting the verb â€Å"refrain† instead of â€Å"stop†. Finally, from the aforementioned idea, one can see that it is evident that people often use distinct forms of language in informal and formal situations. When having an informal discussion among a group of friends, one usually applies slang and abbreviation of words and words that are commonly used and understandable. On the other hand, formal English contains more restrictions and is more complicated in details. When having a formal situation as a job interview, one would use more appropriate and polite form of language to depict one’s respect and awe for that person who generously holds higher position. Both forms of language are utilized in daily life. Having the ability to differentiate between these two distinct linguistic forms represents a person’s intellect.