Many slang terms vary from region to region, but they’re much more common in spoken language than in written language as they suggest a degree of informality.

Today, I’d like to continue in my vain of writing systems and talk about the differences between written and spoken language. Which came first? It’s spoken language. We may be using one of the most ...

This unit explores a number of questions about language norms, including where grammar rules come from, who decides what a word means, the differences between spoken and written English, and the ...

In a famous formulation of this view, “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy”. Speakers of mere “dialects” often refer to their speech as “slang”, “patois” or the like.

This unit explores issues surrounding language norms, including the distinction between prescriptive and descriptive norms, the differences between norms for spoken English and those for written ...