Colin Phan - Week #10: Talking Smart vs. Talking Real
Language is like a superpower—one minute, you’re using Dear Sir to sound more professional, and the next, you’re texting “ayo u wht u tryna eat” to your friend. The difference between using formal and informal language is more than just word choice. It can signify power, perception, and also knowing to respond with “I am truly astounded” vs. “bruh.”
Formal language creates authority. An example of this is legal documents. Half the time they sound like they were written by someone trying to confuse you on purpose, using superior language than your everyday Joe. That’s why customer complaints get taken a lot more seriously when they start with “I am deeply dissatisfied” instead of “bro what is this.” This is also another reason why students can have a totally different personality when writing an essay by adding words that they would never say out loud to sound more sophisticated. An example of this is how you would never randomly drop a “juxtaposition” into a conversation, but slap it in a paper, and everything’s normal. I think the beauty of formal language is that it gives the speaker credibility and makes them sound more objective, even if they don’t really know what they’re talking about.
On the other hand, informal language makes people feel comfortable, relatable, and part of a group. I think that’s why some brands trying to push out on a younger audience on social media have recently stopped saying really formal things like “we apologize for the inconvenience” and now say stuff like “our bad, that’s on us fr.” Informal language seems more natural and holds its own power. Like if you walk into a room and say “hello, esteemed colleagues,” they might see you as someone really formal yet not someone they can be completely comfortable around. If you walk in and say “yo gang hear me out,” it could perk up their attention a lot quicker.
The best communicators know how to switch between both. At the end of the day, language isn’t all about sounding smart, but also used in a way to make people listen. So maybe read the room before you reply “bet” to a teacher’s email. That is power.
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog post was quite interesting yet comedic at the same time. I found it funny how you mentioned how often we essentially code switch in our lives since at one point we may be using formal language when interacting with our parents and teachers and then next we might be talking in slang and colloquial language with our friends. I can definitely notice this happening in my life a lot as well, since I can relate to the idea of using slang with my friends and then quickly switching it up when I have to talk to my parents or teachers. I also agree with you that sometimes legal documentation and other formal writing can sometimes be “too formal,” to the extent that it gets very boring and frustrating to read, and repetitive in a certain sense. However, I think it’s still important for there to be formal writing in these scenarios because it allows for straightforward communication that doesn’t leave anything up to the reader’s interpretation. It makes sure that it is understandable and clear to all possible audiences, and won’t have any issues in that regard.
- Ritwik
Hey Colin, I find discussions about etymology to be really fun because it’s interesting to see how the way we express ourselves has evolved over the years. I definitely agree that both formal and informal language have their own separate but equal places in today’s society. The former holds its own authority by insinuating that a person may have a high level of formal education, while the latter allows a speaker to connect to people on a more personal level. Both of these methods establish ethos based on the context, and I absolutely agree that it’s important to “read the room.” Many people look down especially on informal language, even though colloquial terms are usually how we go about our day. This connects a bit to Eunchan’s last blog, which mentioned New Disabled South, which makes legal language more accessible to people–something I think is important for anyone and everyone to be exposed to in order to not feel powerless when facing this level of formal language. This also reminds me of an article I read recently on how disconnected science and academia is from the general public because of the high level of jargon that the average person does not know. It is important to bridge this gap in order to keep people informed, as people need to listen–not necessarily be impressed, as you portrayed so well in your conclusion. Although, I have to say that I unironically have started using the word “juxtaposition” in my day-to-day speech–though it’s mostly because it’s a much more fun word to say instead of comparison. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Colin, I really liked how your blog was especially funny and relatable at the same time—your choice to include such contrasting phrases right next to each other makes it especially comedic. I can definitely relate to the "bro what" and the "we apologize for the inconvenience" in my life as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your claim that formal language creates credibility. When I first attended a research expo, I saw everyone dressed in suits, with formal body language and especially formal language. I immediately felt much less knowledgeable compared to everyone there, and I took everything that was presented as truth. I had no doubt that these people were trustworthy and worth listening to, despite the fact that they were all high schoolers and I hadn't met any of them before.
Your observation of the many brands on social media that appeal to the younger audience made me immediately think of Kamala Harris's campaign and the Duolingo bird on TikTok. These creators always take advantage of the social media trends that the younger generation is engaged in, often making it more funny and more relatable, which I would assume is very beneficial for the way they are viewed by the public; I personally find these videos pretty entertaining to watch.
I really enjoyed reading your blog! Thank you for sharing!