The influence of social distance on speech behavior: Formality variation in casual speech

Abstract

An important dimension of linguistic variation is formality. This study investigates the role of social distance between interlocutors. Twenty-five native Dutch speakers retold eight short films to confederates, who acted either formally or informally. Speakers were familiarized with the informal confederates, whereas the formal confederates remained strangers. Results show that the two types of interlocutors elicited different versions of the same stories. Formal interlocutors (i.e. large social distance) elicited lower articulation rates, and more nouns and prepositions, both indicators of explicit information. Speakers addressing the informal interlocutors, to whom social distance was small, however, provided more explicit information with an involved character (i.e. adjectives with subjective meanings). They also used the word and more often as a gap filler or as a way to keep the floor. Furthermore, a small social distance elicited more laughter, interjections, first-person pronouns and direct speech, which are all indicators of involvement, empathy and subjectivity.

The Language of Wisdom Understood Through an Analysis of Wise Quotes

“…The perception of and reaction to the quotes used in this study, like any form of language or communication, may be affected by many factors. For example, the use of profanity has been found to lead to more negative judgments (DeFrank & Kahlbaugh, 2019), and greater formality of language creates a perceived social distance (Koppen, Ernestus, & van Mulken, 2017). People take into account many characteristics when making snap judgments, including judgments of language (Dwyer, 2010).…”

Multimodal register equivalence in student interpreters’ consecutive interpreting assessment

“…Other relevant researches look beyond linguistic characteristics. For example, Koppen et al (2016) turn to (para)linguistic features in formality analysis, incorporating phonological components in the variables of formality. Besides regular consideration of word classes, this research regards articulation rate, pauses, hesitations, and speech errors as the variable of the flow of speech, which is one of the indicators of formality or register.…”

“…Speaking rate and fluency are paralinguistic indicators for registers. Koppen et al (2016) include articulation rate, pauses, hesitations and speech errors, and other paralinguistic features to measure the level of formality. Igras-Cybulska et al (2016) reveal that pausing features can be applied to distinguish different speech contexts.…”

Lengua y discurso en torno a la COVID-19

“…ej., podría decirse que entre tal barrio y tal otro de Madrid existe una "distancia social", en el sentido de 'brecha" económica, cultural, etc.). La distancia social influye marcadamente en el comportamiento lingüístico [26]. Lleva toda la razón, quizá sin saberlo el autor de Figura 2, pues interpreta adecuadamente el sentido primario de "distancia social".…”