UIC Tutorium in Intensive English

Conversation and Vocabulary Skills

Day 2 July 19, 2014

IDIOMS and MORE FORMAL LANGUAGE:

Register Matters!
A. Definitions
Whats an Idiom?
An idiom is a phrase in which the words together have a meaning that is different from
the dictionary definitions of the individual words. It has a figurative meaning that is often
unrelated to the literal meaning of the phrase and is used in common speech. Native
speakers often use idioms without thinking about the meaning of individual words, which
can make their use of idioms in both speech and writing difficult for a non-native
speaker to understand. However, learning idioms can help increase comprehension -and it can also help to make an ESL-learner's speech sound more natural to others. In
addition, idioms can be fun to learn!

What does Register mean?

Register is the type of language that is used when speaking to others in specific
situations. Native English speakers (like speakers of other languages) adapt their
speech to their audience and their context. The degree of formality or informality of
words and patterns of speech is adjusted to differences in context.

More Formal
Frozen -

Language that does not change: prayers and pledges, "set" speech, which is
often scripted.

Formal -

Complete sentences and specific word usage. Formal English is often used to
show respect used in places such as work, school and public offices.

Consultative -

Formal register used in conversation with colleagues, peers, etc.

Casual -

Language used in conversation with friends -- idiomatic or slang

used to signal belonging to a given group.

Intimate -

Language between parents and children, lovers, twins "private" language full of
code words only known to the two.

Less Formal

BUT while idiomatic expressions are used quite often in the

casual or informal registers, they can also be used in more formal
registers, depending on the situation and the speaker.

Directions: Match the greeting or the words of encouragement with the

appropriate register. An example is provided.

Frozen

Greetings
Formal Informal
Formal Consultative Casual

Intimate

How's my little snuggy wuggy?

Hey, Jack. What's up?
Welcome to the Hugh Brothers Industrial Center, where
tomorrow's world meets today's. Please remember that no flash
photography is allowed during this tour.
Hello, Mr. Smith. How are you this morning?
Good morning. May I speak to the director, please?

Frozen

Encouragement
Formal Informal
Formal Consultative Casual

Intimate

Intimate

I offer You, O Lord, all my prayers, works, joys and suffering of

this day.
Thanks for following-up on the Jones account. Great job!
Whoa, way to go! Great catch!
Honey-pie, you're better than best!
Thank you for applying for this position. We'll let you know within
a week if you have been chosen for an interview.

Frozen

More Formal
Frozen
Formal

ACADEMIC/WORK
VOCABULARY

Consultative
IDIOMS

Casual
Intimate

Less Formal

Adapted from: http://esl.about.com/od/advancedspeakingskills/a/v_register.htm