The Different Types of English Language

1. Introduction

Nowadays the English language is considered to be one of the most popular means of communication all over the world. It is the official language in a great number of countries and it is also widely spoken as a second language or even as a foreign one. It is not surprising that the usage of English has become so widespread since it is a very convenient tool for communication, being comparatively easy to learn. Nevertheless, the English language itself is quite difficult to define since it has various forms and varieties that are used in different parts of the world. In this essay, I would like to provide a brief overview of the standard and non-standard types of the English language and give some examples to illustrate my point.

2. Standard English

The term «Standard English» (SE) is usually used to refer to the form of the English language that is considered to be correct and proper. It is also often called «educated English» or «literary English». The main characteristic feature of SE is that it has definite grammatical rules that demand using specific structures, tenses, noun and verb phrases, moods, conjunctions, and prepositions in a reliable way. In other words, SE is a set of linguistic norms that should be followed in order to sound educated and properly communicate with other people using this variety of English.

It should be noted that SE does not necessarily imply using long and complicated words or sentence constructions. On the contrary, SE can be quite simple and straightforward if it adheres to the grammar rules. However, there are some cases when SE can be quite complicated due to its sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures. For instance, this can often happen when SE is used in academic or scientific contexts where precise terminology is required.

2. 1. Grammatical rules

As it was mentioned above, one of the main features of SE is that it has definite grammatical rules. These rules are usually based on the usage of proper verb tenses, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. In addition, SE demands using formal language constructions instead of informal ones. For instance, it would be more appropriate to say «He has gone out» instead of «He’s gone out» in SE. The same applies to such phrases as «it’s me» or «let’s go» which are considered to be too colloquial for this variety of English.

2. 2 Language usage

The usage of SE is typically associated with formal situations when people need to communicate with each other in an educated and polite way. Such occasions can include business meetings, conferences, job interviews, etc. It is also worth mentioning that SE is often used in written communication such as business emails or reports. However, there are some cases when SE can be used in spoken communication as well, for instance, if you need to make a presentation or give a speech on some formal occasion.

3. Non-standard varieties of English

In contrast to standard varieties like SE, non-standard varieties do not have strict grammatical rules and their main goal is simply to communicate effectively without following any specific linguistic norms. This type of English is often referred to as «slang» which refers to informal words or phrases that are used in everyday communication between friends or family members. Slang terms are often considered to be too colloquial and inappropriate for formal occasions.

3. 1 Slang

Slang is a type of non-standard English that is typically used in informal spoken communication. It often includes words or phrases that are considered to be too colloquial or even vulgar for standard varieties of English. For instance, such words as «cool», «loser», or «party» can be considered as slang terms. In addition, slang often includes abbreviations such as «lol» or «omg» which are commonly used in text messaging or online communication.

Slang terms are often used by young people in order to communicate with each other in a more informal way. However, it is worth noting that the usage of slang is not limited to any particular age group and it can be often heard in the speech of adults as well.

3. 2 Music lyrics

Another non-standard variety of English that is worth mentioning is music lyrics. This type of English is often characterized by its creative and sometimes even poetic use of language. It should be noted that music lyrics can be written in both standard and non-standard varieties of English depending on the style of the song. For instance, rock or pop songs often use standard English whereas rap or hip-hop songs are more likely to include slang terms and other non-standard features.

One notable example of music lyrics written in non-standard English is the song «Gangsta Luv» by American rapper Snoop Dogg. The lyrics of this song are full of slang terms and colloquial expressions such as «homeboy», «wassup», or «fo’ shizzle». In addition, the song also includes a great deal of profanity which is another typical feature of non-standard English.

4. Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that the English language is a very complex and diverse phenomenon that cannot be easily defined. It has various forms and varieties that are used in different parts of the world depending on the context and purpose of communication. Standard English is typically associated with formal situations when people need to communicate in an educated and polite way. In contrast, non-standard varieties like slang are more often used in informal spoken communication between friends or family members. Music lyrics represent another type of non-standard English that is often characterized by its creative and poetic use of language.

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