Types of Speech

　　Standard usage includes those words and expressions understood, used, and accepted by a majority of the speakers of alanguage in any situation regardless of the level of formality. As such, thesewords and expressions are well defined and listed in standarddictionaries. Colloquialisms, on the other hand, are familiar words and idiomsthat are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used ininformal speech or writing, but not considered appropriate for more formalsituations. Almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language. Slang,however, refers to words and expressions understood by a large number ofspeakers but not accepted as good, formal usage by the majority. Colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries butwill be so identified. Both colloquial usage and slangare more common in speech than in writing.

　　Colloquialspeech often passes into standard speech. Some slang alsopasses into standard speech, but other slang expressions enjoy momentarypopularity followed by obscurity. In some cases, the majority neveraccepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retainsthem in their collective memories. Every generation seems to require itsown set of words to describe familiar objects and events.

　　It has beenpointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions arenecessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions. First, theintroduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society; second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups;third, association among the subgroups and the majority population

　　Finally, it is worth noting that the terms standardcolloquial and slang exist only as abstractlabels for scholars who study language. Only a tiny number of the speakersof any language will be aware that they are using colloquial or slangexpressions. Most speakers of English will, during appropriatesituations, select and use all three types of expressions.

　　全文翻譯：

　　語言的類型 標準用法包括那些為使用這種語言的大多數人在任何場合下理解、使用和 接受的詞和短語，而不論該場合是否正式。

　　這些詞和短語的意義已很確定并被列入了標準 詞典中。相反，俗語是指那些幾乎所有講這種語言的人都理解并在非正式的口頭或書面中 使用，卻不適用于更正規的一些場合的詞和短語。 幾乎所有的習慣用語都屬于俗語，而俚 語指的是為很多講這種語言的人理解但大多數人不把它們列入好的、正式用法之內的詞和短 語;俗語甚至俚語都可能在標準字典中查到，但是字典中會標明它們的性質。

　　俗語和俚語 詞匯的應用都是口頭較多、筆頭較少。俗語用法經常地被接受為標準用法。 一些俚語也變 成了標準用法，但另外一些俚語只經歷了短暫的流行，而后就被棄之不用了。 有時候，多 數人從來不接受某些俚語，但是他們把這些俚語保存到集中記憶中。

　　每一代人似乎都需要 獨有的一套詞匯來描述熟知的物體和事件。 很多語言學家指出，大量俚語的形成需要三個文化條件：第一，對社會中新事物的引入和接受;第二，一個由大量子群構成的多樣化人口; 第三，各子群與多數人口之間的聯系。最后需要提到的是，標準語、俗語和俚語這些 術語只是對研究語言的專家才有用的抽象標簽。

　　不論何種語言，只會有很小一部分使用者能夠意識到他們是在使用俗語或俚語。 講英語的多數人能夠在適當的場合中選擇使用所有 這三種語言類型。

　　Types of Speech

　　Standard usage includes those words and expressions understood, used, and accepted by a majority of the speakers of alanguage in any situation regardless of the level of formality. As such, thesewords and expressions are well defined and listed in standarddictionaries. Colloquialisms, on the other hand, are familiar words and idiomsthat are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used ininformal speech or writing, but not considered appropriate for more formalsituations. Almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language. Slang,however, refers to words and expressions understood by a large number ofspeakers but not accepted as good, formal usage by the majority. Colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries butwill be so identified. Both colloquial usage and slangare more common in speech than in writing.

　　Colloquialspeech often passes into standard speech. Some slang alsopasses into standard speech, but other slang expressions enjoy momentarypopularity followed by obscurity. In some cases, the majority neveraccepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retainsthem in their collective memories. Every generation seems to require itsown set of words to describe familiar objects and events.

　　It has beenpointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions arenecessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions. First, theintroduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society; second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups;third, association among the subgroups and the majority population

　　Finally, it is worth noting that the terms standardcolloquial and slang exist only as abstractlabels for scholars who study language. Only a tiny number of the speakersof any language will be aware that they are using colloquial or slangexpressions. Most speakers of English will, during appropriatesituations, select and use all three types of expressions.

　　全文翻譯：

　　語言的類型 標準用法包括那些為使用這種語言的大多數人在任何場合下理解、使用和 接受的詞和短語，而不論該場合是否正式。

　　這些詞和短語的意義已很確定并被列入了標準 詞典中。相反，俗語是指那些幾乎所有講這種語言的人都理解并在非正式的口頭或書面中 使用，卻不適用于更正規的一些場合的詞和短語。 幾乎所有的習慣用語都屬于俗語，而俚 語指的是為很多講這種語言的人理解但大多數人不把它們列入好的、正式用法之內的詞和短 語;俗語甚至俚語都可能在標準字典中查到，但是字典中會標明它們的性質。

　　俗語和俚語 詞匯的應用都是口頭較多、筆頭較少。俗語用法經常地被接受為標準用法。 一些俚語也變 成了標準用法，但另外一些俚語只經歷了短暫的流行，而后就被棄之不用了。 有時候，多 數人從來不接受某些俚語，但是他們把這些俚語保存到集中記憶中。

　　每一代人似乎都需要 獨有的一套詞匯來描述熟知的物體和事件。 很多語言學家指出，大量俚語的形成需要三個文化條件：第一，對社會中新事物的引入和接受;第二，一個由大量子群構成的多樣化人口; 第三，各子群與多數人口之間的聯系。最后需要提到的是，標準語、俗語和俚語這些 術語只是對研究語言的專家才有用的抽象標簽。

　　不論何種語言，只會有很小一部分使用者能夠意識到他們是在使用俗語或俚語。 講英語的多數人能夠在適當的場合中選擇使用所有 這三種語言類型。