What Do You Mean By Colloquial Language?
Language is a huge part of what makes us human. It is what makes us unique. We speak language to express things about ourselves and everything around us.
This is what you do every day, every time you speak. Colloquial English can be tricky if you’re not used to it. It’s also quite different from formal English.
In fact, there are a lot of words and exactness of expression that are only used in informal conversation. But colloquial language is an essential part of everyday speech and can add a huge amount of humour and personality to your writing.
Colloquial language is the jargon that ordinary people use in everyday situations. It may be used in different situations to vulgar expressions in different meanings.
A colloquialism is a word of less than formal standard spoken English. A colloquialism, or “colloquialism,” is a word of less than formal standard spoken English.
It is a term used to refer to a set of words that are a part of a specific language of a people a minority group of speakers of a national language, known as a minority language.
They are a part of a minority language’s lexicon. Many of us are not aware of the various meanings of the various words in colloquial language.
If you want people to read and enjoy your content, then you need to get into colloquial language.
How to use Colloquial Language?
There are many ways to write using colloquial language:
1) Using popular slang terms instead of proper names
This adds colour to your text while keeping its original meaning intact. For example, I would never say “John Smith” when referring to someone who does not exist.
Instead, I might call him John Doe. We should avoid calling our friends by their first name unless they ask for this.
The same goes for the other person’s name. If you call them by their full name, it will convey the wrong message. So, don’t start with ‘Hi, my friend! How was school today?’ but ‘Hey man!’ ‘
I’m gonna go now.’ etc. Use common words like these because they have more impact on readers.
They make sentences easier to understand. They keep the reader engaged throughout the article/post.
2) Speaking in short bursts, without stopping
When speaking, pause after each thought before moving onto the next topic. Pause between thoughts so your listeners can absorb all of your ideas.
3) Shortening long phrases
There are some very interesting uses of phrasing based on colloquialisms that allow you to shorten lengthy phrases losing no meaning.
4) Making up new words
Some colloquialisms aren’t even real words; they just sound right.
Here are some examples:
- Don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of myself.
- She got her butt kicked at work.
- He had his heart broken.
- That’s one dead dog walking.
- What’s happening here?
- Tell the truth.
Tips and tricks
So, here are some tips and tricks on how to write using colloquial language effectively.
1. Use slang terms when talking about subjects like sports, music, technology, politics, etc. This will make them more interesting for readers.
Using colloquial language gives your work a fresh feel, which adds interest and appeal to your written material.
2. Use colloquial expression where they fit naturally within your work. For example: “I don’t know” instead of “I have no idea.”
3. Avoid clichés by avoiding common phrases with little variation such as ‘always’ and ‘never.’ These words sound trite after a while. Try substituting these with something new, but still familiar.
4. Be creative! Don’t worry too much about whether the phrase sounds funny. If you think it does, try saying it out loud. That way, you’ll find out quickly if it works. If it doesn’t, just keep trying until you come up with one that does.
5. Keep sentences short so that the reader has enough time to absorb all the information. Longer sentences seem boring because we lose focus before getting to the end.
6. When dealing with numbers, use abbreviations rather than full spellings. Remember, though, this applies only to telephone numbers.
7. The most important thing to remember when using colloquial language is to avoid overusing certain phrases. Some phrases are very commonly used and sometimes take away from your message.
Instead, use them sparingly. In addition, some phrases are considered taboo and shouldn’t be said at all. You should never say ‘what the heck,’ unless you really mean it.
8. Choose carefully between non-standard spelling and grammar. While many people consider proper nouns to be spelled correctly, others believe that their spellings aren’t correct. So, decide for yourself.
Conclusion
colloquial language is the informal language that is used in everyday communication. It is characterised by relaxed usage conventions and is used by friends and familiars.
Colloquial language also includes slang, which is the use of words that are not considered part of the standard vocabulary.
Using colloquial language is not limited to speech. It is commonly found in writing as well.
A Wife, a mum and a Tutor! I am the Lead Editor at TheTutor.Link & also the Head Tutor there. I love teaching seeing young minds flourish. I also love blogging and sharing my experience on the world wide web.