Transcript A is a clear example of our tendency to lose precision and accuracy when thinking quickly. It also shows our habit of using contractions such as ‘gonna’. This makes it quicker to say and indicates that the register is less formal and is vernacular which suggests a sense of familiarity with the people the man is talking with. In addition to this, there is a constant battle to speak, which suggests that the man, Chris Evans, is the more dominant one, though the others want a chance to talk too. However, in the more formal situations, it becomes clear that the words being used are not created spontaneously, but are carefully structured and are most likely to be scripted. When Moira speaks, we can hear a distinct change in her voice; her accent changes and she suddenly becomes more formal, which seems on the periphery. But the other non-fluency features such as the filler ‘er’ which show thought and propels the conversation, even though nothing is being said wouldn’t be used in more formal conversations. This is because of the fluency and articulation and use of lexis that are used in formal conversations are very similar to Standard English.
As a teenager, I use idiomatic expressions that I hear around me, especially when at school when I’m surrounded by peers or when I’m online and talking to my friends. The sort of expressions I use are vernacular, such as ‘LOL’ (abbreviation for Laughing out loud) and OMG (oh my god). I use such expressions because I also text like this, and also because I am influenced by my peers who generally say similar expressions as I do. Mainly teenagers use fillers such as ‘like’ and other words and phrases are a sign of belonging to a younger generation. Many people from older generations will not understand most of the terms teenagers use, which is why it gives us a feeling of community, something our parents are not a part of.
However, I adapt my idiolect according to the situation I am in, and to who I am talking to. I may use jargon if I am talking to a computer technician and use words such as ‘mouse’. If I am at home with my grandparents, I may use a mixture of English and Hindi, my family’s mother tongue. Here, if I do not know a particular word in Hindi, I will substitute the English word for it and vice versa. However, I am less fluent in Hindi and my accent clearly indicates that I am foreign. When I am talking to someone I respect, such as a particular teacher or one of my parents’ friends, I speak more formally, and use less slang and I seem to converse in a slightly more posh accent. This is to appear more polite and mature.
Also, my idiolect involves me sandwiching two words together to form my own, such as ‘fantabulous’ (fantastic and fabulous) or ‘awetious’ (awesome and righteous) as well as phrases such as ‘Oh my!’ I often quote lines from TV shows and movies too. For example, when I am playfully angry at someone, I sometimes say ‘Avada Kedavra’ (from Harry Potter) or go ‘I will burn you, I will burn the heart out of you’ (from Sherlock). These quotes from shows and movies show my personality and my humorous side. I am also very sarcastic and use a mocking tone to make fun of others. I have a slower pace and a more serious tone, usually for comic effect. However, I am only sarcastic with my peers, as I am more polite to the elders I have some respect for. This makes my idiolect more personal.
by
peaches24 (student)
