Informal words vs Slang

Status
Not open for further replies.

coolpro

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
I have a few questions about formal, informal and slang words.

1. First of all, let's talk about phrasal verbs. Some people say that all phrasal verbs are informal. I have a book from EnglishClub.Com where only a few of them are noted to be informal. The Oxford Dictionary also notes a few phrasal verbs to be informal. So if a phrasal verb in Oxford dicitionary isn't said to be informal, can I use such a verb in formal situations?

2. What is the difference between the informal words and slang words?

3. Could you give me a few situations where formal, informal and slang words should be used?

Thanks
 

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I have a few questions about formal, informal and slang words.

1. First of all, let's talk about phrasal verbs. Some people say that all phrasal verbs are informal. I have a book from EnglishClub.Com where only a few of them are noted to be informal. The Oxford Dictionary also notes a few phrasal verbs to be informal. So if a phrasal verb in Oxford dicitionary isn't said to be informal, can I use such a verb in formal situations?

2. What is the difference between the informal words and slang words?

3. Could you give me a few situations where formal, informal and slang words should be used?

Thanks

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, coolpro.

(1) Here in the United States, so-called phrasal verbs are very commonly used.

(a) For example: I get off the bus.

(i) If I said, "I alight from the bus," everyone would laugh like mad.

Have a nice day!
 

coolpro

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, coolpro.

(1) Here in the United States, so-called phrasal verbs are very commonly used.

(a) For example: I get off the bus.

(i) If I said, "I alight from the bus," everyone would laugh like mad.

Have a nice day!

Thanks for your answer. But if I wrote "I get off the bus" in an essay at school, woudn't it be incorrect?

Thanks.
 

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Thanks for your answer. But if I wrote "I get off the bus" in an essay at school, woudn't it be incorrect?

Thanks.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Great question.

I don't know the answer.

Here in American schools, I don't think any teacher would say it was "wrong."

It will be interesting to see what others say.

Thank you.
 

coolpro

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
Let's wait for someone to answer my questions. : )
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Thanks for your answer. But if I wrote "I get off the bus" in an essay at school, woudn't it be incorrect?

Thanks.
"I get off the bus at..." is perfectly correct. "I alight from the bus at..." is very formal/old fashioned and rarely used.
 

IHIVG

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
I have a few questions about formal, informal and slang words.

1. First of all, let's talk about phrasal verbs. Some people say that all phrasal verbs are informal. I have a book from EnglishClub.Com where only a few of them are noted to be informal. The Oxford Dictionary also notes a few phrasal verbs to be informal. So if a phrasal verb in Oxford dicitionary isn't said to be informal, can I use such a verb in formal situations?

2. What is the difference between the informal words and slang words?

3. Could you give me a few situations where formal, informal and slang words should be used?

Thanks

#2. Basically, I think they are close and sometimes it may be difficult to tell exactly which is which. I'm sure the language experts/linguists could tell the difference for sure and provide a more in-depth explanation.

The difference that I feel is that the slang is more often associated with vulgarity than the informal words and thus requires an even more specific audience for it (probably only the people whom you know very well).

The other difference that I can think of is that there are lots of informal (colloquial) words that are universally undersood; the slang is meant to be more regional (Brittish, American, etc). There is no such thing as 'universal English slang' -- it always pertains to a specific territory or a group of people.

#3. I think it's always up to a speaker to choose what words should be used as the sense of appropriateness is not exactly the same with all the people. Maybe to answer your question you should ask yourself what are the situations in which you would use formal, informal or slang words in Lithuanian. Your answer could apply to any other language.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I have a few questions about formal, informal and slang words.

1. First of all, let's talk about phrasal verbs. Some people say that all phrasal verbs are informal. I have a book from EnglishClub.Com where only a few of them are noted to be informal. The Oxford Dictionary also notes a few phrasal verbs to be informal. So if a phrasal verb in Oxford dicitionary isn't said to be informal, can I use such a verb in formal situations?

2. What is the difference between the informal words and slang words?

3. Could you give me a few situations where formal, informal and slang words should be used?

Thanks

I have never heard of phrasal verbs being considered informal. They are an integral part of the English language. It's true that there is usually another word which means the same thing, which can sometimes be considered "more formal" but that is not to say that the phrasal verb is informal.

I agree with the previous poster who gave "get off" vs "alight" as an example. Yes, they mean the same thing but I have never used "I alighted from the bus" in my life nor have I ever heard anyone use it. I have probably read it but only in books written in, or based in, a more historical time. And when you think about it "alight from" is also a phrasal verb!!!
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
.

There is no such thing as 'universal English slang' -- it always pertains to a specific territory or a group of people.
This is a great point. You can learn informal words, but if you use slang that isn't part of your natural vocabulary you will sound ridiculous. I don't try to talk like my teenage daughter. I don't try to talk like an urban young man. I don't try to talk like someone from the East End of London. However, all of us probably use many the same informal words without overlapping in our slang.


I have never heard of phrasal verbs being considered informal. They are an integral part of the English language.

I completely agree! "I consulted a dictionary to ascertain the definition of the word" vs "I looked up the word in the dictionary." The first sounds absurd. The second doesn't sound informal.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Phrasal verbs occur less frequently in some formal writing, but I think it's wrong to try to turn this into a rule.
 

coolpro

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
Phrasal verbs occur less frequently in some formal writing, but I think it's wrong to try to turn this into a rule.

Because of the lack of knowledge many teachers turn that into a rule. My English teacher allows using phrasal verbs only when talking. If we write something, we are not allowed to use them.
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
That's amazing. So you don't "turn in" your assignments or "look up" words in the dictionary? I'm willing to bet if you sent us some of your teacher's writing, we'd be able to find phrasal verbs.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
That's amazing. So you don't "turn in" your assignments or "look up" words in the dictionary? I'm willing to bet if you sent us some of your teacher's writing, we'd be able to find phrasal verbs.

I'm equally amazed. Can you, for example, tell us what your teacher would expect you to write instead of:

1) I fell off the boat.
2) I put on my coat.
3) I turned off the TV.
 

Fillet

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
Tagalog
Home Country
Philippines
Current Location
Philippines
I'm equally amazed. Can you, for example, tell us what your teacher would expect you to write instead of:

1) I fell off the boat.
2) I put on my coat.
3) I turned off the TV.

Probably:

1. I left the boat.
2. I wear my coat.
3. I killed the TV.


lol
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Probably:

1. I left the boat.
2. I wear my coat.
3. I killed the TV.


lol

I think it would have to be:

I left the boat with the assistance of gravity (though of all three, that's the one that seems less phrasal, and simply a normal preposition)

I take the necessary action so that I transition from a state of not wearing my coat to wearing my coat.

I interrupted the use of my television by pressing the button to make that happen.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top