When speaking not much thought is put into it as in most general conversations speech is spontaneous, which follows onto the use of less formal words in English language. These words are known as slang words as they are not officially words in the English language however they are words which English people use. These words also known as dialect tend to change from different regions in the country just like accents do. However, when writing the language used becomes contradictory to speech as it is very much formal in most situations and it leaves less opportunity for regional differences. This leaves the piece of writing with a higher status than speech as it is thought to have more value as of the language used.
Spoken language can be directed to a number of people whereas written language can be directed to many but is still very personal and confidential. It can be read at a reader’s individual pace so he/she does not have to keep up with the writer. This is different to when speech is used it is often directed to a group of people and even if it is a one to one conversation the speech is usually transient which means it is directly responded to but however it is then forgotten. This does clash with written language as we understand it to be permanent which has been used in many circumstances as proof of something as it cannot be changed. Also when speaking to an audience the speech can be amended almost instantly whereas in written language it takes time and thought to configure exactly what needs to be written.
Often when talking, a tone of voice is used, a pitch of voice and the stress put into words. These are all called prosodic features which convey emotion within speech. This emotion cannot be reflected in written language it can only be shown during speech. Paragraphs also help writing to flow whereas in speech the conversations usually have digressions which help it flow adequately. Words can be repeated plenty of times as it can help to prove a point however during written language repetition does not look of good quality as it reflects that the writer does not know how to write confidently which may or may not be the case.
From a young age, a mother tongue is developed and for the majority of children in this country, this language is English language. It is acquired naturally by children learning it from their parents and family and also regular people around them. However, writing is a much harder task than it seems, it has to be learnt by being taught in school by teachers it is not an easy thing to gain knowledge of from a very young age. The tools needed to write are a pen and paper however in medieval times writings were usually written upon stones. No tools are required for speaking; only the ability to speak and a voice are needed.
Many people use body language when their talking to reflect exactly what they mean, they also use facial expressions to show emotion. This shows that without actually being able to speak there are still ways to communicate. An example of this is when deaf people use sign language, it is not straightforward but it shows that it can be done if it is needed.
There are many more features to spoken language compared to written language. Nevertheless, this does not mean that one is more important than another as they both co-ordinate together to create the universal language of English.
