Hey everybody!
In this post I would like to introduce you some
information about register. You can’t just divide it in high or low register,
there is a wide range of different register. There are a couple of words which
are too formal to use in every-day life, but on the contrary there are also
many words which are too informal to use in a formal letter or e-mail.
First of all, it is always
important to consider which register to choose before you start writing a text.
It is necessary to think about the person or people you are writing to, I mean,
if they are your friends of if it is an authority. You wouldn’t, for example,
write in a very low register if you’re writing to your teacher, using words and
phrases like “what’s up” or “yo sister”; but on the other hand wouldn’t use too
high register like “highly adored Mr....”.
If you’ve chosen which register
you use, you have to keep the same register throughout the whole text. That
means that you can’t have a very formal introduction and a very informal ending
at the same time.
E.g.: Dear Mr. XY,
I am writing in reference to your
latest article posted in the magazine.
....
Alright bro, see u soon.
The phrases used in the text in
bold are absolutely wrong. If you are writing to someone you don’t know very
well or who is your boss, the beginning would be perfectly right but the ending
would be more than rude. You could then use something like “kindest regards”.
If you are writing to a friend it is the other way round. The beginning would
be way too formal, whereas the ending is absolutely suitable.
Sometimes it is really hard to
find the right register, especially for foreigners. That is why it is
particularly important for students and pupils to study different greetings,
introducing phrases, ending phrases, linking words etc. properly.
Talking/Writing in the right
register is very important indeed, as it gives the other person an impression
about you, shows your character and your social skills.
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