Linguistic Varieties and Language Use in Different Contexts
Linguistic Varieties
Linguistic varieties are the different ways of speaking that are taken within the same language. There are several factors:
- Temporal variation: A consequence of the passage of time.
- Situation: The origin of dialectal varieties according to the linguistic features of each zone.
- Social: Social status depends on the speakers or other social characteristics, such as age and sex.
- Situational: Distinguishing between different registers depending on the contextual characteristics of each communicative act.
By the latter, we distinguish the standard range or standard, which is a more common variety in terms of language.
Social Change
To distinguish different levels of language:
- High: From speakers with higher education and a higher idiomatic education.
- Middle: Midway between high and low.
- Low: Employed by people with lower educational backgrounds.
Situational Variation
Comes conditioned by the linguistic context: channel, etc. This variety results in different linguistic registers, such as a more formal register and a more colloquial register.
Specific Terminology
Technolects
The advancement of society brings with it the emergence of new areas of knowledge that demand language resources capable of expressing their concepts. Each of these fields develops specific languages that allow them to communicate effectively, for example, in science and technology. Thus, technolects are born, which are specific lexicons used in certain fields and with a specific meaning.
Scientific and Technological Language
This language is employed by specialists in various scientific fields. Characteristics in relation to the lexicon:
- Semantic extension of a common language word.
- Through mechanisms of derivation using prefixes and suffixes.
- With symbols.
- Through loanwords or Latinisms.
Possessives
Possessives bring the idea of ownership or membership for the grammatical persons.
Uses and Values of the Possessive
- Affection or familiarity.
- Used with numerals, it is equivalent to an approximate expression.
- It can mean something habitual.
- Phrases formed with possessives.
- Masculine forms with the preposition indicate exclusive property.
Possessives present specific forms and their distribution.
Numerals
Expresses the exact amount. They can be:
- Cardinal: Express number.
- Ordinal: Express order.
- Multiplicative: Express product.
- Partitive: Express a fraction of the unit.
- Distributive: Express distribution.
Morphosyntactic Features
Abundant use of present tense forms of the impersonal. Concerning the textual level, expository-argumentative speech is usually employed.
Legal and Administrative Language
The language of legal and administrative assistance is used in law and administration. The following classification can be established:
- Legislation: Laws and administrative decrees.
- Administrative texts: Records, contracts, etc.
- Legal texts: Demands, judgments, etc.
Features
- Lexicon:
- Abundant use of Latinisms.
- Employment of fixed formulas.
- Use of abbreviations and acronyms.
- Use of courtesy and treatment.
- Use of specialized vocabulary.
- Morphosyntactic: Common use of nouns and adjectives formed from verbs.
- Text: Fixed and conventional structure.