Register (sociolinguistics)

Language levels are variants of a language, which differ by a preferred vocabulary, grammatical constructions and by preferred by modifying the grammar of the main language. In contrast to the dialects of the language levels are not determined by regions, and each speaker of a language understands all language levels of its language (or its dialect ) to a certain extent.

The term register is referred to in linguistics, a characteristic for a given communication range of speech and spelling. In the register of social relationships are represented linguistically. So used an employee talking to his superiors a different way of speaking than among friends.

The term is to be distinguished from jargon, which is characterized by a particular group-and subject-specific vocabulary that is not understandable to outsiders often.

The sound inventory of a language is usually in its language levels equal, unlike in their dialects. In a broader sense the level of language is understood as a synonym for language style.

Function

What level of language used in a particular situation depends on a variety of external circumstances from, for example,

• The relationship between sender and receiver: family, superior, subordinate
• On the recognition of between transmitter and receiver: alien, known friends
• The type of communication: oral, written
• Of the interview situation: professional, among friends
• From the position in society: nobility, workers.

• Linguistic variety
• Sociolinguistics
• Stylistics