Register Studies - Current Issue

Abstract

TV news broadcasts (TVNBs) represent an unusual mix of oral/literate situational characteristics. In addition, TVNBs have shifted historically to become increasingly focused on ‘soft’ human-interest stories. Thus, we have good reason to predict that present-day TVNBs will incorporate a hybrid blend of oral and literate lexico-grammatical characteristics.

The present study explores this possibility through a corpus-based analysis of TVNBs compared to conversation and newspaper writing. In part, the results confirm these prior expectations. Surprisingly, though, a more detailed analysis shows that this mixture of situational characteristics has given rise to a unique grammatical style of discourse rather than a hybrid style. In particular, TVNBs can be analyzed to a large extent as main clauses where the finite verb has been deleted. This discourse style is interesting because it cannot be attributed to challenging production circumstances. Rather, the functional motivation seems related to creating a perception of urgency and excitement.

Abstract

Podcasts, a relatively recent audio medium, have risen in popularity since their initial appearance in the mid-2000s. Yet, little is known about their lexico-grammatical characteristics and their relation to other computer-mediated and traditional registers. Addressing this gap, we apply Biber-style multidimensional analysis (MDA) to a representative sample of Spotify podcast transcripts and selected computer-mediated registers (e.g., informational blog, interview) as well as traditional spoken registers (e.g., broadcast, conversation). We compare their lexico-grammatical characteristics to those of other registers along the emerging dimensions. We find that, while podcasts share some linguistic characteristics with traditional spoken registers such as broadcast discussion and scripted speech, they are unlike any of the analyzed registers. In fact, their most striking characteristic is their considerable internal variability, likely related to their versatility but also due to their mixing of features and very diverse nature. In short, podcasts are an emerging register of computer-mediated communication.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that dividing a broad register into sub-registers may reduce its internal variability. Building on this phenomenon, this study analyzes out-of-office emails, a sub-register of academic emails. We identify the communicative functions of 329 emails from 44 universities. We then describe the intra-register variability of the sub-register and use its situational characteristics along with politeness theory to help explain the observed communicative functions.

We found 10 primary communicative functions, with return dates and expressions of gratitude being the most common. The sub-register appears largely internally consistent in that a majority of the emails relied on the same limited set of communicative functions. The (unknown) relationship among participants seems particularly helpful for understanding the functional strategies employed by the authors of these emails. Through this study, we hope to shed light on this overlooked sub-register and contribute to our understanding of intra-register variability.

This article reviews Corpus-based Approaches to Register Variation

This article reviews Variation in University Student Writing: A Communicative Text Type Approach