register
formal to informal level of speech
TRANSLATION
register = Register, Sprachebene, Stilebene, Sprachvarietät, Sprachstil (note: German linguists adopted the international terminology, making it a true cognate that functions identically in both languages)
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
“We assess the pervasiveness of REGISTER phenomena across different time periods, languages, modalities, and cultures.”
Valentina N Pescuma, et al. - Frontiers in Psychology (4th January 2023)
—
“(Through REGISTER), human speakers make statements that are inefficient, imprecise, or even contrary to their own beliefs, all in the service of being polite.”
Erica J. Yoon, et al. - CogNet (1st November 2020)
Did you
know?
register
noun
- the style of language, grammar, and words used for particular situations
- a variety of language typically used in a specific type of communicative setting
- all the notes that a musical instrument or a person's voice can produce, from the highest to the lowest
- an official list or record of people or things
Cambridge Dictionary, Collins DIctionary, Dictionary Com
—
WORD ORIGIN
The linguistic meaning of "register" has a fascinating etymological journey that connects physical recording to abstract language categorization.
The word traces back to Latin registrum, meaning "a list, catalog, or record." This derives from the verb regere, meaning "to rule, direct, or keep straight".
Through Medieval Latin registrum, it entered Old French as registre, then Middle English as register. In the 14th-15th centuries, register meant “a physical book or document for recording official information, transactions, or lists". In the 16th-17th centuries, the meaning extended to include "any systematic record or catalog, including musical and vocal ranges".
In the 20th century, the socio-linguistic concept emerged as linguists borrowed the "recording/cataloging" metaphor to describe how language systematically varies according to social situations.
—
TRANSATLANTIC DIPLOMACY
5 examples of American v. British Phrasing
1. US = Jack is angry! UK = Our chairman is less than happy about the decision.
2. US = Do it now! UK = We‘d recommend a fairly fast response.
3. US = I disagree! UK = I‘m afraid, I entertain a slightly different opinion.
4. US = Fire him! UK = How about letting him find alternative employment?
5. US = No! UK = That may well be possible at a later time.
Notice that for negative messaging, US wording is short and direct (close in feeling to the German “Du”),… whereas UK wording is long, indirect, and uses understatement (close in feeling to the German “Sie”).
Helga & Paul Smith
—
SMUGGLE
OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:
“Considering the culture, personality, and current mood of your counterpart, take care to use an appropriate REGISTER.”
—
P L E A S E S U P P O R T O W A D
On evenings and weekends, I research and write your daily OWAD newsletter together with Helga—my lovely wife and coaching partner—and our eagle-eyed daughter, Jennifer.
It remains FREE, AD-FREE, and ALIVE thanks to voluntary donations from appreciative readers.
If you aren’t already, please consider supporting us — even a small donation, equivalent to just 1-cup-of-coffee a month, would help us in covering expenses for mailing, site-hosting, maintenance, and service.
Just head over to DonorBox:
Please help keep OWAD alive
or
Bank transfer:
Paul Smith
IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40
Important: please state as ’Verwendungszweck’: “OWAD donation” and the email address used to subscribe to OWAD.
Thanks so much,
Paul, Helga, & Jenny Smith
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Feedback, questions, new word suggestions to: paul@smith.de
- OWAD homepage, word archive, FAQs, publications, events, and more: www.owad.de
---
- To unsubscribe from OWAD, CLICK HERE
