Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Vocabulary
3. Phonology
4. Lexicon and Morphology
5. Conclusion
Bibliography
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Vocabulary
3. Phonology
4. Lexicon and Morphology
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This research project aims to analyze the stylistic differences between a transcribed spoken conversation regarding holiday planning and a formal written report on the housing situation in Amsterdam, focusing on how the medium influences language composition.
- Comparison of lexical choices in spoken versus written English
- Analysis of phonological features and grammatical structures
- Investigation of nominalization and verb usage patterns
- Examination of syntactic differences and sentence complexity
- Evaluation of formality, objectivity, and context-dependency
Excerpt from the Book
2. Vocabulary
One main difference between the two texts is in their different choice of vocabulary.
The spoken text uses words that would be inappropriate in a written text as the following examples show. The expression ruckie (l.5) is an informal expression for rucksack, as wells as the word hassle (l.19) meaning problem, nuisance or difficulty. Other examples of informal vocabulary are quid (l.30) for the British pound, loads (l.34) for a lot of/many, jaunt (l.89) meaning excursion or a day out etc. These words are perfectly natural in a conversation but they would stand out in a written text. The words used in the conversation are very simple; the speakers do not have much time in a conversation to choose their vocabulary carefully.
In contrast, certain words used in the written text would seem very odd if they appeared in a conversation. Particularly hard words such as exodus (l.17), influx (l.17) or priority (l.22) would be out of place in a conversation. This text has a lexical variety and specificity. The writer has more time to chose his vocabulary and uses words appropriate for his special purpose.
There are also more nouns and longer words used in the written text than in the spoken text. Words that do occur in both texts are very simple and the most frequent words in the English language: the, and, a, to, that etc.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study, describing the two specific texts analyzed: a transcribed conversation about a family holiday and a written report on housing in Amsterdam.
2. Vocabulary: Compares the lexical characteristics of both texts, highlighting the informal nature of spoken vocabulary versus the specific, varied terminology found in written reports.
3. Phonology: Examines how spoken language utilizes abbreviations, contractions, and ellipses for time-efficiency, contrasting these with the full, formal phrasing required in written documents.
4. Lexicon and Morphology: Explores the contrast between the verbal, pronoun-heavy nature of conversation and the nominalized, prepositional-phrase-dense structure typical of formal writing.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the overarching stylistic differences, attributing the variations in structure and complexity to the constraints of the communication medium and the purpose of the text.
Keywords
Linguistic Stylistics, Spoken Language, Written Language, Vocabulary, Phonology, Morphology, Nominalization, Ellipsis, Formality, Informal Expression, Syntactic Complexity, Contrastive Analysis, Discourse, Lexical Variety, Medium Influence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The paper performs a contrastive linguistic analysis between a spontaneous spoken conversation and a structured written report to identify how their specific mediums shape their linguistic features.
Which specific texts are compared in this study?
The study compares a transcript of a conversation among friends planning a holiday with the first page of a formal report titled "Living in Amsterdam".
What is the main goal of the research?
The goal is to demonstrate how differences in preparation time, intended audience, and communicative purpose dictate the choice of vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical structures in language.
What scientific methods are used to analyze the texts?
The author uses stylistic analysis, focusing on phonological features (abbreviations, ellipsis), lexical choice, and morphological construction to contrast the texts.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body chapters cover differences in vocabulary usage, phonological patterns, the prevalence of nominalization versus verbal structures, and the use of conjunctions and sentence length.
What are the primary linguistic characteristics of the analyzed texts?
The spoken text is characterized by informality, ellipsis, and private verbs, while the written text is characterized by formality, nominalization, and objective, informational content.
How do the authors differentiate between spoken and written vocabulary?
The author notes that spoken language relies on informal markers and simplified verbs to facilitate quick interaction, whereas written text utilizes more complex, Latinate vocabulary to convey specific information.
Why does the written text contain more passive constructions?
The author explains that passive constructions are used in the written report to establish a more formal, objective, and serious tone by shifting the focus from the agent to the fact being presented.
- Quote paper
- Sylvia Hadjetian (Author), 2002, Comparison between a spoken and a (non-literary) written text, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/43129
