The 3 Levels of Language (and their characteristics)

Language has different styles and ways of communicating specific content.

Language is one of the most important capabilities of human beings, since we are social animals that need to be able to communicate with each other in order to coordinate and survive.

Language implies the creation of a series of symbols shared among the members of a group that allows the transmission of ideas, intentions, emotions and needs among the different individuals. and needs between different individuals. And one of the most relevant types of language is oral language.

But there are a great variety of languages and languages with great differences between them, and even within the same language we will find different variants and ways of expression. In this last sense it should be noted that we can find different levels of the language or languageWe are going to talk about them in this article.

What are the levels of language?

Language levels are the set of styles or ways of communicating through the language.. This name can refer to different ways of classifying linguistic ability or its use, such as the level of learning and knowledge of a language (B1, B2, C1, C2...) or, in this case, the different registers used by the users of the same language in relation to their contextual and cultural situation.

In this regard, it should be borne in mind that there are many factors that determine the type of register used. The socio-educational level is a very relevant one, since, for example, illiterate people or those with little education will find it much more difficult to be able to use more sophisticated registers.

However, it is not the only one: the historical moment, the adaptation to specific contexts and situations or even the speaker's personality can influence the type of register used.

The three main levels

Although, as we have said, we could classify the use of language into different levels according to a wide variety of criteria, if we stick to the level of correctness and the cultural background of the speakers and the type of language we use in different contexts, we can consider a total of three main levels of language. Specifically, the following.

Sub-standard level

The substandard level is considered to be the level of language that is the least sophisticated and requires the least formal knowledge. and the one that requires the least formal knowledge to be used. The use of this level incurs multiple incorrectnesses and idioms, usually using abbreviated forms of words and set phrases.

They generally include the use of jargon and regional variants (not dialects), as well as lexical and syntactic errors. It is usually used among people from close circles or with low educational levels. Within this level we can find two main sub-levels

1.1. Vulgar language

This type of language is characterized by its great simplicity and lack of ornamentation.. Many of its terms do not form part of the dictionary, and often include limited lexicons, short and partial phrases and a large number of vulgarisms and errors that do not seek to be corrected.

Although understandable, a speaker from another region may have difficulty understanding the entirety of the messages. It is also common to use crutches and that there are serious word order problems, as well as accentual or syllable displacements or use of erroneous graphemes and phonemes (vowels and consonants are used that are not the ones that make up the word itself).

It is often a speech with little adaptation to the environment and context: the way of speaking is almost always the same and does not adjust depending on the situation.

1.2. Popular language

Also known as the language of the people, it is part of the substandard level (although it integrates various elements of the language of the people). (although it integrates various elements of the standard language), and in this case we observe a much more correct usage accepted by the majority of speakers, although informal and not very elaborated. Although limited in lexicon, it also presents great generativity when speaking about the different constructs.

It tends to use many adjectives and proverbs, to economize on constructions and sentences (phrases are reduced as much as possible) and to abuse appeals to the listener.

It is often a type of language used by people with a slight educational level, in the elderly or in young people, having a fairly widespread informal use.

Standard level

Standard level is understood as that which is recognized as correct by the majority of the population.It follows the lexical, syntactic and morphological norms of the language in question and serves as a basis and example of what a specific language is like. It requires a certain level of training in order to learn the use of the language and its rules.

Within the standard level we can find two sub-levels or subtypes of language.

2.1. Colloquial language

This is the type of register used by the majority of the population in their daily lives and in a spontaneous manner.. The language is correct and follows the main orthographic, syntactic and grammatical rules, although there may be small errors.

It uses interjections and is quite lexically rich, although it tends to be used informally and tends not to be flowery or ornate. Highly practical and expressive, it tends to have elements of subjectivity and emotionality.

2.2. Cultured language

The cultured language is a sub-level of the standard level that implies a high level of correctness in all its aspects.. It usually implies a relatively high level of knowledge and mastery of the rules of language. It has a fairly rich lexicon and elements of abstraction and ornamentation can be observed, and is a type of formal communication.

Cultured language, although generally considered standard, possesses characteristics that bring it closer to the super-standard level and sometimes place it at these language levels.

3. Super-standard level

The most advanced and sophisticated language level is the super-standard level.. This level is characterized by the use of a very correct and ornamented language, as well as by being used in a restricted way in certain areas or contexts. Its use is not common in everyday life and is restricted to certain situations, in addition to which it requires a high level of education in order to be understood.

The vocabulary is broad and cultisms are often used. It often seeks the expression of beauty through words. Among the different sub-levels that we can find, it is possible to highlight the following.

Poetic language

Poetic language is the one whose main function is the expression of emotions and feelings through not so much the content of the word but its form.. Although what is said may have relevance, it is much more relevant the way in which it is expressed, pursuing to generate beauty with the use of language.

3.2. Scientific-technical language.

A subtype of super-standard language in which the transmission of objective information is a priority.This subtype is characterized by a clear and orderly presentation of information and by the use of terminology specific to a field of knowledge. Understanding the messages emitted at this level of language implies having very specialized knowledge in a specific field, or at least notions of very specific fields.

Bibliographical references:

• Areiza Londoño, R and Tabares Idárraga, L.E. (2003). Social variables and their relationship with language use. Revista de Ciencias Humanas, 9 (32).

• Caballero Muñoz, D. (1993). Some psychosocial considerations on correct language and vulgar language. Aula Abierta, 62: 157-168. University of Oviedo.