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Differences Between Written and Spoken Language

Written language differs from spoken language in several key ways: - Written language is usually permanent whereas spoken language is transient unless recorded. Writers cannot easily change what they have written while speakers can correct themselves. - Written text can communicate across time and space as long as the language is understood, while speech is for immediate interactions. - Written language tends to be more complex with longer sentences while spoken language has repetitions, incomplete sentences, and interruptions. However, some writing like instant messages is closer to speech. - Writers receive no feedback from readers so must explain things clearly, while context and shared knowledge allow speakers to imply things without saying them directly.

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87 views2 pages

Differences Between Written and Spoken Language

Written language differs from spoken language in several key ways: - Written language is usually permanent whereas spoken language is transient unless recorded. Writers cannot easily change what they have written while speakers can correct themselves. - Written text can communicate across time and space as long as the language is understood, while speech is for immediate interactions. - Written language tends to be more complex with longer sentences while spoken language has repetitions, incomplete sentences, and interruptions. However, some writing like instant messages is closer to speech. - Writers receive no feedback from readers so must explain things clearly, while context and shared knowledge allow speakers to imply things without saying them directly.

Uploaded by

Monica Echague
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Written and Spoken language

Differences between writing and speech


Written and spoken language differ in many ways. However some forms of writing are
closer to speech than others, and vice versa. Below are some of the ways in which
these two forms of language differ:

 Writing is usually permanent and written texts cannot usually be changed once
they have been printed/written out.

Speech is usually transient, unless recorded, and speakers can correct


themselves and change their utterances as they go along.

 A written text can communicate across time and space for as long as the
particular language and writing system is still understood.

Speech is usually used for immediate interactions.

 Written language tends to be more complex and intricate than speech with longer
sentences and many subordinate clauses. The punctuation and layout of written
texts also have no spoken equivalent. However some forms of written language,
such as instant messages and email, are closer to spoken language.

Spoken language tends to be full of repetitions, incomplete sentences,


corrections and interruptions, with the exception of formal speeches and other
scripted forms of speech, such as news reports and scripts for plays and films.

 Writers receive no immediate feedback from their readers, except in computer-


based communication. Therefore they cannot rely on context to clarify things so
there is more need to explain things clearly and unambiguously than in speech,
except in written correspondence between people who know one another well.

Speech is usually a dynamic interaction between two or more people. Context


and shared knowledge play a major role, so it is possible to leave much unsaid or
indirectly implied.

 Writers can make use of punctuation, headings, layout, colours and other
graphical effects in their written texts. Such things are not available in speech
Speech can use timing, tone, volume, and timbre to add emotional context.

 Written material can be read repeatedly and closely analysed, and notes can be
made on the writing surface. Only recorded speech can be used in this way.
 Some grammatical constructions are only used in writing, as are some kinds of
vocabulary, such as some complex chemical and legal terms.
Some types of vocabulary are used only or mainly in speech. These include
slang expressions, and tags like y'know, like, etc.

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