Module |
Speech Styles: Formal and Frozen |
At the end of this module, I can:
Formal and frozen speech styles are related to each other in terms of the contexts in which they are used and the degree of formality in language. The frozen or static style, as the term connotes, is rather fixed unlike formal speeches that can still be altered.
Formal speeches, such as the president’s SONA, are prepared in advance and follow strict rules in word choice and content. It is a leader’s report to his or her constituents delivered in Congress and in front of an audience dressed in formal attire. Even if a president uses humor in some parts of his or her speech, such humor is well chosen and fits the stature of the presidency and the occasion.
Here is an excerpt from former President Benigno S. Aquino III’s 2014 SONA (translated), which is an example of a formal speech style:
This was our situation in the past: To dream was an absurdity. We had a senseless bureaucracy; padded contracts had become the norm; and corruption was endemic to the system. We were known as the “Sick Man of Asia.” The economy was weak; industry was sparse. We failed to gain the confidence of investors. The result: very few jobs were created. We found a people deprived of hope. Many of us had already given up, and were forced to take their chances in other countries. With heads bowed, we had come to accept that we would never be able to rely on our government or our society.
The Philippines sank deep into despair because of dirty politics. Our trust in each other disappeared; the confidence of the world in the Philippines ebbed, and worst of all: we lost faith in ourselves.
It was at this juncture that we began our journey on the straight and righteous path.
Source: http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/sona2014/sona2014-english_jul28.htm
Big Idea
The consultative and formal speech styles differ in the language used. A consultative speech style has less formal language and communication structure than the formal speech style.
On the other hand, the frozen speech style follows much stricter rules in wording, content, and format. The words used for this speech style cannot be changed as they are permanently inscribed in a document such as the preamble of the Philippine Constitution or a dedication on a commemorative marker for a historical site or a plaque of appreciation. Therefore, speakers of frozen speech merely read from a source. Further, they can employ an oratorical style of delivery to lend more formality to the speech.
Look at how the preamble of the 1987 Philippine Constitution is worded.
PREAMBLE
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society, and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity, the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
Here is another example for the frozen speech style. The style was used for the text inscribed in the plaque of Jose Rizal’s monument given the historical importance of the text.
Big Idea
Formal and frozen speech styles require the use of sophisticated yet comprehensible language yet for the audience.
Reflect Upon
What do you think will happen if someone reading a text with frozen speech style changes the original language?
What Have I Learned So Far?
Identify the speech style used by each speaker. Write consultative, formal, or frozen on the blank.
Register
In speech, register refers to “a variety of a language or a level of usage, as determined by degree of formality and choice of vocabulary, pronunciation, and syntax, according to the communicative purpose, social context, and standing of the user.”
The various speech styles discussed in the previous modules have corresponding registers because each of them requires a certain variety of language, such as the choice of words, delivery, and even the nonverbal cues that aid in the exchange of messages. At the same time, registers are usually classified based on the group of people sharing common profession or interest, thus sharing the same variety of language.
Some references would tell you that speech style and register are the same. This is because both terms refer to the formality or informality of language. In sociolinguistics, register is the more technical term for the level of formality used in a communication situation; while a speech style is more about the manner of expression.
Identifying the appropriate register depends on the audience or recipients of the message, the speaker’s relationship with them, the message, the purpose of the communication process, and the environment where the communication process takes place.
Controlling the language register used for a certain speech style helps achieve a successful communication situation. Furthermore, shifting from one register to another requires that you, as the communicator, establish a rapport with your listeners and communicate effectively so that they will not take offense in your shift of register.
Big Idea
Treat your audience with respect no matter what the speech style or language register you use.
Reflect Upon
Based on your daily communication experiences, what do you think are the common speech styles or language registers in the Philippine language and culture? Give specific examples.
Beyond Walls 9.1 Go Online
Visit the following websites and read the texts involving different communication situations. Identify the speech style and language register used in each one. Explain your answers by citing examples from the given texts.
Reflect Upon
Various types of songs also have different registers. Think of genres or specific song titles that fall under the five speech styles.
What Have I Learned So Far?
What Have I Learned So Far?
Go back to the copy of the preamble of the 1987 Philippine Constitution on page 78. Help different groups of people understand what the preamble contains by rewriting it using different language registers. Then deliver it before the indicated audience using the appropriate speech style.
1. Local government leaders |
2. Your teacher |
3. Your classmates |
4. Your younger sibling (or cousin) |
Beyond Walls 9.2 Go Online
Watch the following interviews and identify the language register used in each video. Afterward, explain why you think the said language register was used in the interview.
Extend Your Knowledge
Read the articles on the following websites to know more about language registers:
Essential Learning
Language register or speech style tells you the degree of formality or informality in the language used and the relationship between the speaker and audience. Aside from the intimate, casual, and consultative speech styles, the two other types of speech style are the frozen and formal. Frozen or static registers are fixed because they remain the same throughout the years. Important or legal documents and pronouncements, such as the laws of a country, are among the best examples of frozen register. Formal speeches given by speakers, such as heads of state or church leaders, are common examples of formal register.