We communicate in many different contexts. Sometimes we wish to convince and persuade individuals (a boss, a supplier or a customer) or groups (colleagues or clients). Other times we just want to relax and communicate to our family and friends. Of course the level of communication depends on our purpose.

If we want to impress, we pay attention to our pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. If we just want to communicate in a relaxed manner, we will not pay as much attention to these areas. Of course, both are appropriate under the correct circumstances.

When learning another language, it is important to understand nuances of meaning. Certain expressions, while appropriate informally are not appropriate formally. You could think of there being different levels of formality, from the extremely careful and elegant to the extremely rude and impolite.

Exaltation is considered to be very high class. It is used for historic occasions, poetry and prayer. Formal English is high class and is used for contracts, with strangers and groups. Informal is in the middle and is used for e-mail, with peers, friends and family. Slang is considered to be low class, to be used in very comfortable situations. And of course, vulgarity is very low class, used in obscenities.

The Collins-Robert French-English Dictionary® uses an asterisk (*) system to denote class and possible problems. Having no asterisks means having no problems.

Examples

There is no end to examples of differences between these levels, all depending on one's opinion of bosses, politicians, lawyers, priests, bodily functions, sex and so on. Nuances abound.

You could think of formal as the equivalent of the French vouvoiement, informal as the tutoiement and slang as joual.

Don't confuse politeness with formality. It is possible to be very polite informally and also to be vulgar formally.

Remember that just because you may hear something doesn't mean that you should repeat it. Adjust your level of speech to the impression you wish to create.

Formality and Informality

Before you begin to communicate, it is a good idea to determine which level of class you wish to use. In the majority of cases, it will be informal, but sometimes you will be more formal and in more comfortable situations you will use slang.

To make this decision, first consider your audience. To whom are you writing or speaking? What impression do you wish to create? Will this be repeated to others? This is especially important in writing, which leaves a permanent impression. Many have had their e-mails forwarded to others and have even lost their jobs as a result.

What is the difference between formal and informal speech?

Formal speech and writing generally tend to resemble French. They are more serious and use longer words and sentences, as well as single-word verbs almost exclusively. They are very important in fields where a good impression is important, such as the worlds of science, medicine, diplomacy, cuisine, design and law.

British English tends to be more poetic, sophisticated and formal than American English (think of Shakespeare, James Bond and the Queen). It can also sound snobbish.

Informal speech and writing are closer to old English (Celtic-German based). Here, words and sentences are shorter, they use compression, abbreviations, contractions, and phrasal verbs. They are suitable for the worlds of general administration, technology, and popular culture.

Which one do you need the most? It is important to understand the nuances of language and use them accordingly. There is not one “right” way to speak or write. It all depends on the circumstances.

You have a lot of control in choosing peoples' reaction to your communication. There is a time to be formal and a time to be informal. Just make sure that you know the difference.

Exaltation

What is the difference between formal and exalted speech?

Exaltation is excessively formal and often very poetic. It is very long and sophisticated, uses literary allusions and metaphors. It usually resembles French and sometimes Latin. It avoids phrasal verbs.