Metalanguage for Informality: VCE English Language Unit 3

In VCE English Language, metalanguage refers to the specialized vocabulary used to describe and analyse language. When discussing informal language, metalanguage allows us to move beyond saying a text is “casual” and instead identify specific linguistic features and their social purposes.

1. Lexicology and Morphology in Informal Contexts

Informal texts are characterized by a departure from Standard English lexical norms. The following metalanguage is essential for identifying these choices:

• Slang: Highly informal words or phrases that are typically restricted to a particular context or group (e.g., “no cap,” “yeet”). It is often ephemeral and serves to establish in-group membership.
• Colloquialisms/Colloquial Language: Informal language that is permanent and widely understood within a culture, rather than being restricted to a specific subculture (e.g., “reckon,” “g’day,” “mate”).
• Shortenings: The process of dropping syllables to create a shorter form of a word (e.g., “refrigirator” $\rightarrow$ “fridge”).
• Contractions: Joining two words into one using an apostrophe to represent omitted sounds (e.g., “cannot” $\rightarrow$ “can’t”).
• Diminutives (Hypocoristics): Often used in Australian English to create a sense of familiarity or playfulness, usually by adding a suffix like -o or -ie/-y (e.g., “barbie” for barbecue, “muso” for musician).
• Expletives (Profanity/Swearing): Used in informal contexts to express strong emotion, emphasize a point, or signal intimacy and social equality (e.g., “bloody,” “shit”).
• Neologisms: Newly coined words or expressions (e.g., “to google,” “vibe check”).

Comparison of Lexical Formality

KEY TAKEAWAY: Informal lexical choices often prioritize economy of expression (brevity) and the building of rapport between interlocutors.

2. Phonological Features of Informality

In spoken informal discourse, or written discourse that mimics speech, phonological patterns change to reflect a lower register.

• Elision: The omission of a sound or syllable when speaking (e.g., “fish ‘n’ chips,” “gonna”).
• Assimilation: When a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound (e.g., “handbag” sounding like [hambag]).
• Vowel Reduction: When unstressed vowels are reduced to a schwa /ə/ (e.g., “to” sounding like /tə/).
• Flapping: The “d” sound replacing a “t” sound in the middle of words (e.g., “butter” $\rightarrow$ “budder”).
• Non-Standard Orthography (Graphetic Choices): In electronic communication, spelling may be altered to reflect prosody or pronunciation (e.g., “yessssss,” “wot,” “cya”).

EXAM TIP: When analyzing a transcript, don’t just identify elision; explain why it is used. Usually, it is to increase the tempo of the speech and reflect the spontaneity of the interaction.

3. Syntax and Morphology in Informal Texts

Informal syntax is often less rigid than the rules of Standard English.

• Ellipsis: The omission of words from a sentence that are understood from context (e.g., “[Are] You coming?”). This reduces social distance by assuming shared knowledge.
• Interrogative Tags: Short clauses added to the end of a statement to turn it into a question (e.g., “It’s cold, isn’t it?”). They are used to check for agreement and maintain rapport.
• Sentence Fragments: Phrases that function as sentences but lack a subject or verb (e.g., “Not really.”).
• Non-Standard Syntax: Using grammar that deviates from prescriptive norms (e.g., “I done that already”).

COMMON MISTAKE: Students often confuse ellipsis with shortenings. Remember: Ellipsis is the omission of whole words in a sentence; shortening is the omission of parts of a word.

4. Discourse Features and Strategies

Informal spoken interactions are governed by social norms that manage the flow of conversation.

• Non-fluency Features:
  • Fillers/Voiced Hesitations: “Um,” “ah,” “er.”
  • Pauses: Indicated by (.) for micro-pauses or (2.0) for timed pauses in transcripts.
  • False Starts: Starting an utterance and then restarting (e.g., “I went— we went to the shop”).
  • Repairs: Correcting oneself mid-utterance.
• Backchanneling (Minimal Responses): Sounds or words used by the listener to show they are paying attention without taking the floor (e.g., “mmm,” “yeah,” “right,” nodding).
• Adjacency Pairs: Adjacent turns in spoken interaction that have a predictable relationship (e.g., Question/Answer, Greeting/Greeting).
• Openings and Closings: Informal ways to begin or end a conversation (e.g., “Yo,” “Catch ya later”).

VCAA FOCUS: VCAA frequently asks how backchanneling supports the function of a text. It is a vital strategy for cooperation and encouraging the speaker to continue, thereby building solidarity.

5. Social Purposes of Informal Language

The use of informal metalanguage must always be linked to the Social Purpose (the underlying goals of the language use).

1. Encouraging Inclusivity and Solidarity: Using “we” or in-group slang to make others feel included.
2. Establishing Intimacy and Rapport: Reducing social distance through nicknames or personal disclosures.
3. Promoting Linguistic Innovation: Using neologisms or creative wordplay to demonstrate wit or modern identity.
4. Maintaining Positive Face: Using informal politeness strategies (like jokes or compliments) to make the audience feel liked and appreciated.
5. Softening Social Distance: Moving away from formal titles (e.g., using “Dave” instead of “Mr. Smith”) to emphasize equality.

Politeness Theory in Informality

• Positive Politeness: Strategies that aim to make the listener feel good about themselves (e.g., using slang to show “we are the same”).
• Negative Politeness: Strategies that avoid imposing on the listener (though more common in formal language, in informal contexts, this might involve hedging: “I was just wondering if…”).

STUDY HINT: Create a “Social Purpose” bank. For every informal feature you learn, write down exactly which social purpose it serves. For example: Diminutives $\rightarrow$ Australian Identity/Solidarity.

6. Metalanguage for Electronic Communication (e-communication)

Informal written language in the digital age uses specific “chat” features:

• Initialisms: Words formed from the first letter of a series of words, pronounced as individual letters (e.g., “LOL,” “OMG,” “BRB”).
• Acronyms: Initialisms pronounced as a single word (e.g., “NASA,” but in informal terms, “FOMO”).
• Logograms: Using symbols to represent words (e.g., “@” for at, “x” for a kiss).
• Emojis and Emoticons: Used to compensate for the lack of prosodic cues (tone, pitch, volume) and paralinguistic features (gestures, facial expressions) in written text.

APPLICATION: In a Short Answer Question (SAQ) about a text message exchange, you might argue that the use of an emoji acts as a paralinguistic cue that provides contextual clarification, preventing a potential face-threatening act.