SOCIAL DIALECTS

SOCIAL DIALECTS

Social dialects (diastratic variants): they are the variants that derive from a desire for the perfect use of the language (cult), from a more elementary (colloquial) use, from the low culture of the speaker (vulgar), from belonging to a profession or to a certain social group (jergal). 

We call social dialects at the different levels of the language, that is to say, the different ways of using the language by speakers, insofar as they belong to a certain social class. Although it is not only the class in itself the determinant of the linguistic varieties, but the cultural level that is associated with it. But neither should we identify high class with high cultural level or low class with low culture; much less today that schooling has been extended to the most disadvantaged classes, and official bodies, especially municipalities, create Culture Houses and Libraries everywhere. The media, mainly television, have also helped to equal, in certain aspects, the culture of citizens.

When we speak of social dialects, we refer to the varieties of the language, associated with groups (students, family, clubs, circle of friends, professions), which determine the specific use of a linguistic level. A person can use several levels in their normal life: a doctor who analyzes with his team the operation of a patient (jergal level), informs the relatives of the same (colloquial level), comments with some friends the news of a newspaper ( cult level) and may even have a hot discussion about a traffic problem (vulgar level).

We will analyze the varieties offered by these social dialects in their different language levels:

• Colloquial language: 

It is the one used by speakers in their daily lives to communicate with friends and family. We can say that it is the most used variety of the language. In oral language is characterized, in general, by being spontaneous, relaxed and expressive. Although he respects the norm, he commits some mistakes. In the written variety is preferred by the media because it is correct and understandable to most speakers.

Features:

Simple and familiar lexicon
Use of wild words ("thing", "subject"), phrases ("do you understand?", "Then") and phrases made ("at the level of", "based on").
Use of augmentative ("big"), diminutive (handyman "), rhetorical questioning (" Did you come? "), Exclamations (" Oh my God! ")
Inaccurate and limited vocabulary
Omission of final phonemes, apócopes ("attent")
Short sentences, simple and, sometimes, unfinished ("if you knew ...")

• Cultured language: 

Linguistic modality that perfectly uses the morphosyntax and the lexicon of a language. Used by people who have a high knowledge of the language and use all their resources. It manifests itself more clearly in writing and is found, above all, in literary and scientific-technical texts. It is the best to express complex thoughts and transmit knowledge. It works as a correction model for the other levels and guarantees the unity of the language.

Features:

Accuracy and rigor in the use of phonetic, syntactic and grammatical rules.
Fluid and continuous speech.
Lexical wealth to use the precise term in each communicative situation.
Clarity and rigor in the presentation of ideas.
Avoid vulgarisms.

• Vulgar language:

linguistic modality used by ordinary people in their ordinary relationships, with frequent transgressions to the norm and use of vulgarisms.It is determined by the deficient linguistic formation of the speakers, who feel incapable to change their language register and, therefore, have less possibilities of communication, which supposes an individual and social disadvantage.Ignorance of the norm causes several inaccuracies, called vulgarisms, that affect all the planes of the language.