Spoken Language Features

Front 1

Accent

Back 1

The ways in which words are pronounced. Accent can vary according to region or social class of a speaker.

Front 2

Adjacency pairs

Back 2

Parallel expressions used across the boundaries of individual speaking turns. They are usually ritualistic and formulaic socially. For example: 'How are you?' / 'fine thanks'

Front 3

Back - channel

Back 3

Words, phrases and non verbal utterances [e.g. 'uhuh, 'oh' 'i see'] used by a listener to give feedback to a speaker that a message is being followed and understood.

Front 4

Contraction

Back 4

A reduced form of a word often marked with an apostrophe e.g. can't = cannot

Front 5

Deixis/ deictics

Back 5

Words such as 'this', 'that', 'here', 'there' which refer backwards or forwards to text. A verbal pointing

Front 6

Dialect

Back 6

The distinctive grammar associated with a particular region or area of social class.

Front 7

Discourse marker

Back 7

Words and phrases which are used to signal the relationship and connections between utterances and to signpost that what is said can be followed by the reader.

Front 8

Elision

Back 8

The slurring of words to shorten them - e.g. 'wannabe' - Want to be.

Front 9

Ellipsis

Back 9

The omission of part of as grammatical structure. for example - in the dialogue: 'You going to the party?' / 'might be'. - The verb 'are' and the pronoun 'i' are missed out. the result a more informal conversation.

Front 10

False start

Back 10

When a speaker begins an utterance and then stops and either repeats or self corrects.

Front 11

Filler

Back 11

words such as: 'urm', 'er', 'ah'.
Also known as voiced pause.

Front 12

Grice's Maxims

Back 12

4 principles:
Quantity - don't write too much
Relevance - keep to the point
Manner - speak clearly and orderly
Quality - be truthful

Front 13

Hedge

Back 13

words or phrases that weaken or soften the force with which something is said. e.g. 'perhaps', 'maybe'.

Front 14

Idiolect

Back 14

An individual distinctive speaking style.