Differences Between Written And Spoken Language

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DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE: Manner of production: Spoken text is transient unless it is recorded. Therefore, it is imperfect and it is always possible to do on-line editing and negotiate meaning. Written texts are relatively permanent and this enables them to be surveyed and consulted. These texts are the products of copious drafts, which involve extensive checking and editing. The relative permanence of written texts also allow them to be portable. Contextual features: The interlocutors share the same spatiotemporal context. Communication thus shows an ‘on-line’ monitoring, which benefits from the addressee’s immediate feedback and the abundance of contextual cues (visual clues such as body language and gestures; auditory clues like variation in tone of voice, hesitations, pauses, etc). Written texts are decontextualised or autonomous as they cannot depend on the addressee’s contributions or on other contextual clues. There is no common situation, as in face-to- face interaction. The situation has to be inferred from the text. Also, the words need to convey all shades of meaning, which in spoken text are relayed by paralinguistic cues. Linguistic features: The syntax in spoken language is typically less structured than that of written language; for example, spoken language contains incomplete sentences, fragments of speech, and little subordination. In written language the sentences are complete, and better structured with embedded clauses. Similarities: The main similarity between written and spoken language is that they are both used to transfer information from one party to another, either formal, or informal. Word Count = 248 Reference = Dr. David Nunan 1993, (Discourse

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