Different social contexts require the use of different styles of speech.
For instance, a public speech is delivered in formal and serious
language, while close friends use relaxed and casual language in their
private talks. Based on Martin Joo's five styles of English (i.e.frozen,
formal, consultative, casual, and intimate), the present study proposes
four styles of speech (i.e.frozen, formal, consultative, and casual) in
its lexical and phonological survey of Mandarin Chinese.
Chapter One is an interoduction to the author's writing motivation, the
framework of this study, and collection of real linguistic data.
Chapter Two discusses the frozen style, which is confined to symbolic,
significant ceremonies such as the ceremony in honor of the common
ancestors of the Chinese people, funeral, etc. Its lignuistic features
include classical language, parallelism, slow and clear pronuciation, on
verbal participation, etc.
Chapter Three is about the formal style. It is applied to important and
serious occasions, for example, a public speech or a conference. It has
such linguistic features as classical language combined with
non-classical literary language, symmetry, no verbal particiption, formal
forms of address, slow and clear pronunciation, etc.
Chapter Four deals with the consultative style, which is mostly for the
conduction of everyday business, or for use by people who intend to keep
some distance and show some degree of pespect toward each other.
Colloquial language, redundancy, slips of the tongue, pauses, verbal and
non-verbal participation, fast and slurred pronunciation, etc., are the
linguistic features of this style.
Chapter Five is about the casual style, which is used among close friends,
colleagues, family members, lovers, etc., when they caht with each other.
Its linguistic features are ellipsis, slang, intemate forms address,
taboo expressions, etc.
In concluding remarks we point out the importance of communicative
competence and the pedagogical application of stylistic variation of
Mandarin Chinese.