Language Variety

When Pulitzer Prize–winning author Junot Díaz spoke to a group of first-year college students in California in 2008, he used colloquial English and Spanish, plus a few four-letter words—and the students loved every minute of it. When he was interviewed a month later on National Public Radio, however, Díaz addressed his nationwide audience in more formal standard English.

Chapter contents:

Quick Help: Using varieties of language effectively

Using varieties of language in academic writing

Using standard varieties of English

Using varieties of English to evoke a place or community

Using varieties of English to build credibility with a community

Using other languages