Ministry of Education of

the Republic of
Moldova

Moldova University of European

Studies
Department of Foreign Languages

Theme:

Submitted by: Popa Dorina,group 222

Research adviser: Corcodel Svetlana
Senior lecturer MA in European Studies

Chisinau 2013
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Content
1.Introduction3
2.Definition...4
3. Peculiarities...4
4. General
Characteristics...5
5.Exmples of
colloquialisms7
6. Bibliography..8

Introduction

A colloquialism is a word, phrase or

paralanguage that is employed in conversational
or informal language but not in formal speech or
formal writing.[1] Dictionaries often display
colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation
colloq. as an identifier. Colloquialisms are
sometimes referred to collectively as "colloquial
language".A colloquial name is a word or term
used for identification that is employed in
conversational or informal language but not in
formal speech or formal writing.

2.Definiton
Colloquial (Conversational) Style. The characteristic style of writing that seeks the
effect of informal spoken language as distinct from formal or literary English. Noun:
colloquialism.The main function of this style is communicative. We use this style in everyday
life. There are some extra-linguistic features characteristic of this style: e.g. informality,
spontaneous character of speech, interpersonal contact. When we use the colloquial style we
attract gestures, different facial expression, body movements. Stylistic features of this style
include: familiarity, ellipsis, concrete character of speech, interruption and logical inconsistency
of the speech, emotiveness, efficacy. Secondary stylistic features may include: idiomatic and
patterned character, personal type of speech presentation. There are oral and written varieties
of this style. In it we distinguish between two forms of speech: dialogue (simple dialogue, when
2 people participate in the conversation and polylogue) and monologue. Colloquial style has
substyles and genres: literary conversational style (talks, conversations, interviews), familiarconversational style (communication between family members mummy, daddy, granny,
friends hey, chap!, children's talk-mummy, granny, doggy), low colloquial (quarrels,
scandal). We use non-bookish means of the language and colloquial elements on all language
levels.

3. Peculiarities

There are several language means peculiar colloquial style:

graphic means. Here we find graphic signals of the change of communicative
roles;
phonetic means, such as intensive modification of sounds in fluent speech,
positional phonemic interchange (in a word - at the beginning, in the middle or at
the end of the word, stressed or unstressed position, and so on). Positional changes:
reduction or weakening of vowels in unstressed syllables and partial devoicing of
consonants at the end of the word before a pause. Complete reduction: apokopa
(the drop of the final consonant or final part of the word), synkopa (there is a drop of
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a vowel or several sounds in other positions, e.g. I`m I`ve it isn`t, and so on).
Vocabulary means: conversational or everyday life vocabulary, wide use of nonliterary vocabulary, expressive-emotional vocabulary, means of verbal imagery,
wide use of stylistic devices, including pun (There isn`t a single man in the hotel);
grammatical means: in morphology there are a lot of pronouns and particles, wide
use of variety of aspect and tense forms of the verb (Present Continuos, Present
Indefinite, Present Perfect), in syntax: variety in the use of communicative types
of the sentence, priority of short sentences, wide use of expressive constructions
(e.g. in familiar-conversational style we can use how, when, where with the word
ever or with the hell the devil and so on. E.g. Why the hell do you ask?);
compositional peculiarities: different types of dialogue (question - answer,
exclamation - reply, an so on).

4.General Characteristics
Forms
- primarily spoken
- informal, familiar, conversational
- paralinguistic context, non-verbal communication
Phonetic Features
- careless pronunciation /feller for fellow; dunno for dont know; attaboy for thats a
boy/
- reduction, elision
- faster speech pace
- various noises (cough, rasp, chuck)
Morphological Features
- contractions /also wanna; dunno; cuppa/
Syntactical Features
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- specific structures
- active rather than passive structures
- frequent conjunction and
- ellipsis, dropping of pronominal subject /Wanna tea?/
Lexical Features
- specific vocabulary
- short and simple words
- words of Germanic origin rather than of Latin origin
- word with emotional meaning: familiar forms of address, vulgarisms, evaluating adjectives
- discourse markers = fillers /kind of, sort of, like, actually, you know, well/
- parenthetical elements /indeed; sure; no doubt; obviously; perhaps; maybe/
- idiosyncratic expressions characteristic of a particular speaker
- onomatopoeic words /drip drop; bow wow; splash/
- nonce words = colloquial coinages: spontaneous attributing of new meanings to already
existing words; elusive and readily disappearing from the language again
- interjections /oh my, gee, yeah/
- phraseology, idioms
Special Nomenclature
- fashion terminology: a streetwise head-turner; fleeting flashbulb moments; a red-carpet goddess
- idioms: an armchair critic; a back-seat driver; an empty nester; too many chiefs and not enough
Indians; keep a dog and bark yourself; give someone the hairy eyeball; chalk and talk; fit to be
tied
Functions
- provides information
- communicates
Substyles
- slang; dialect; jargon
- professionalisms; vulgarisms
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5.Exmples of colloquialisms

The style of informal, friendly oral communication is called colloquial. The vocabulary of
colloquial style is usually lower than that of the formal or neutral styles, it is often emotionally
coloured and characterised by connotations (consider the endearing connotations in the words
daddy, kid or the evaluating components in trash).
Colloquial speech is characterised by the frequent use of words with a broad meaning
(something close to polysemy): speakers tend to use a small group of words in quite different
meanings, whereas in a formal style (official, business, scientific) every word is to be used in a
specific and clear meaning. Compare the different uses of the verb get which frequently replaces
in oral speech its more specific synonyms:
I got (= received) a letter today; Where did you get (= buy) those jeans?; They didnt get (=
there wasnt) much snow last winter; I got (= caught) the flu last month; Where has my pen got
to (= disappeared)?; I got (= forced) him to help me with the work; I didnt get
(= hear) you / what ou said.
There are phrases and constructions typical of colloquial style: Whats up? (= What has
happened?); so-so (= not especially good); Sorry? Pardon? (= Please, repeat it, I didnt hear
you); See you (= Good-bye); Me too / neither (= So / neither do I), etc.
In grammar there may be: (a) the use of shortened variants of word-forms, e.g. isnt; cant; Id
say, hedve done (= would have done); Yaa (= Yes); (b) the use of elliptical (incomplete)
sentences; (Wheres he?) At home; Like it? (= Do you / Did you like it?) Not too much (= I
dont like it too much); (Shall I open it?) Dont!; May I? (= May I do this?)
The syntax of colloquial speech is also characterised by the preferable use of simple sentences or
by asyndetic connection (absence of conjunctions) between the parts of composite sentences;
complex constructions with non-finite forms are rarely used.
Besides the standard, literary-colloquial speech, there is also a non-standard, or
substandard, speech style, mostly represented by a special vocabulary. Such is the
familiar-colloquial style used in very free, friendly, informal situations of
communication between close friends, members of one family, etc. Here we find
emotionally coloured words, low-colloquial vocabulary and slang words. This style
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admits also of the use of rude and vulgar vocabulary, including expletives (obscene
words / four-letter words / swear words): rot / trash / stuff (= smth. bad); the cats
pyjamas (= just the right / suitable thing); bread-basket (= stomach); tipsy / under
the influence / under the table / has had a drop (= drunk); cute /great! (Am.) (=
very good); wet blanket (= uninteresting person); hot stuff! (= smth. extremely
good); Youre damn right (= quite right).

6.Bibliography
http://eng.1september.ru/article.php?ID=200700110
http://anglistika.webnode.cz/products/colloquial-style/