PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Different Varieties in Language
In monolingual and multilingual speech community, some
languages together with their variations become parts of language varieties
in the community. Therefore, we can say that varieties of language may
refer to a single language and its varieties such as dialect, register, style,
speech levels, etc.
Geographical Dialect and Sociolect
Language variety can be in the form of dialect that is divided again
into geographical, social, age, gender, belief, ethnic, race dialects.
(Poedjosoedarmo, 1975). Geographical or regional dialects are usually
speech varieties pertaining to a particular local region (Pratt). Wardhaugh
(1986) states: “Geographical or regional variation in the way a language is
spoken is likely to be one of the most noticeable ways in which we
observe variety in language. When we travel throughout a wide
geographical area in which a language is spoken, and particularly if that
language has been spoken in that area for many hundreds of years, we are
almost certain to notice differences in pronunciation, in the choices and
forms of words, and in syntax.
There may even be very distinctive local colorings in the language
that we notice as we move from one location to another. Such distinctive
varieties are usually called regional or geographical dialects of the
language.” These develop as different norms arise in the usage of groups
who are separated by some kind of geographic boundary. This is
commonly in vocabulary (Troike and Blackwell, 82-83); whereas
sociolects are speech varieties that signal social status and educational
background (Pratt). With reference to dialect, Trudgill have a notion that
in Language, there are two dialects: regional (geographical) and social
dialects. The former refers to one which is determined by the area from
which the speakers come from. In Banjarese Language, for example, we
have known the dialects of Banjar Hulu and Banjar Kuala; in Javanese, for
example, we have known the dialects of Javanese language of Surabaya,
Yogyakarta, Banyumas, and the others.
Social dialect refers to the dialect that is formed based on social
levels from which they come from: high, middle, and lower social classes.
36
PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Styles
The term STYLE refers to a language variety that is divided based on
speech or speaking situation into formal and informal styles. We can speak
very formally or very informally; our choice of the styles is governed by
circumstances. Ceremonial occasions almost require very formal speech;
public lectures are somewhat less formal; casual conversation is quite
informal; and conversation between intimates on matters of little importance
may be extremely informal and casual. We may try to relate the level of
formality chosen to a number of factors: (1) the kind of occasion,
(2) the various social, age, and other differences that exist between the
participants, (3) the particular task that is involved, e.g., writing or
speaking, and (4) the emotional involvement of one or more of the
participants (Wardhaugh, 48).
Register
Varieties of language which are more closely associated with
setting or scene in which they are used that with the people who are using
them are usually included in the concept of register, and distinguished
from one another primarily on the dimension of relative formality (Troike
and Blackwell).
The physical setting of an event may call for the use a different
variety of language even when the same general purpose is being served,
and when the same participants are involved. English greeting forms may
differ inside a building versus outside and between participants at differing
distances from one another. This kind of language variety is based on
specialty of language use. REGISTER is one complicating factor in any
study of language varieties. Registers are sets of vocabulary items
associated with discrete occupational or social groups. Surgeons, airline
pilots, bank managers, sales clerk, jazz fans, and pimps use different
vocabularies. One person may control a number of registers.
Speech levels
SPEECH LEVELS (of Javanese language) which are divided into:
honorific speech levels (krama madya and krama inggil) and non-
respective speech levels (ngoko). in this relation, soepomo
poedjosoedarmo explains that speech levels (of javanese language) are
also referred to as codes. the speech levels have special characteristics
according to the speakers’ social background, the relationship to their
listeners, and the speech situation (1975:30). In this relation, Clifford
Geertz discusses in the frame of linguistic etiquette.
37
PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Speech levels are language varieties in which the differences from
one to another are determined by the differences of etiquette existing in a
speaker and his listener. Each speech level has its own vocabulary,
morpho-syntactic rules, and phonology (Poedjosoedarmo, 1979:3-8).
Elaborated Code and Restricted Code
The codes that are used based on the sake of communication can
be divided into elaborated code and restricted code. The elaborated
code contains complete sentences and fulfills grammatical rules. The
speeches are stated clearly; and the change of one sentence to another
seems to be logic. Whereas, the restricted code contents short and
incomplete sentences; they are only understood by the participants is
represented in the short forms.
The elaborated code is generally used in formal situation such as a
formal debate or an academic discussion. While the restricted code is
generally used in an informal situation among close friends, the same
members of the family, (Trudgill, 1974:51-52).
Lingua Franca: Pidgin and Creole
A lingua franca is defined as ‘a language which is used habitually
by people whose mother tongues are different in order to facilitate
communication among them. That is to say that a lingua franca may refer
to a trade language, a contact language, an international language
(Wardhaugh, 55-56). A lingua franca is needed in many areas of the world
populated by people speaking divergent languages. In such areas, where
groups desire social or commercial communication, one language is often
used by common agreement (Fromkin and Rodman, 1978 : 267).
The lingua francas may be spoken in the various ways. They are
not only spoken differently in different places, but individual speakers
vary widely in their ability to use the languages.
English serves today as a lingua franca in many parts of the world:
for some speakers it is a native language, for others a second language,
and for still other a foreign language (Wardhaugh, 56).
38
PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
A pidgin is a language with no native speakers: it is no one’s first language but it is a
CONTACT LANGUAGE. That is, it is the product of a multilingual situation in which those
who wish to communicate must find or improvise a simple code to enable them to do so. A
pidgin is sometimes regarded as a ‘reduced’ variety of a ‘normal’ language, with simplification
of the grammar and vocabulary of that language, considerable phonological variation, and
mixture of local vocabulary to meet the special needs of the contact groups (Wardhaugh, 1986 :
56). Although a pidgin is reduced variety of a normal language, it is not devoid of grammar. The
phonological system is rule-governed. The inventory of phonemes is generally small, and each
phoneme may have many allophonic pronunciations (Fromkin and Rodman, 1978 : 269).
When a pidgin comes to be adopted by a community as its native tongue, and children
learn it as a first language, that language is called a creole. That is to say that the pidgin has been
creolized. Creoles are more fully developed than pidgins, generally having more lexical items
and a broader array of grammatical distinctions. In time, they become an example of this
languages as complete in every way as other languages is the BAHASA MELAYU which had
been regarded as a PIDGIN, namely, a variety of language with no native speakers in Indonesian
archipelago; it was, then, adopted as BAHASA PERSATUAN (unifying language) called
BAHASA INDONESIA.
After being adopted in Indonesian community, it has been learnt by Indonesian people as
native language.
