Topic 3: Mode of Communication and Language Use

Topic 3: Mode of Communication and Language Use

Mode of Communication Affects Language Use

People communicate in different modes, or ways. There are two main modes: spoken and written. How does the mode affect the way people use language?

Spoken communication

People speak to each other in different ways. Sometimes they are face-to-face and in the same place. Sometimes they can see each other but are in different places (video chats or conferencing). Speakers may also talk to each other but not see each other, for example, on the telephone. For a long time, spoken communication has often been less formal than written communication. For example, short forms like contractions, such as  "don't" for "do not," and reductions, such as "wanna" for "want to," or "gonna" for "going to," are more acceptable in spoken communication.