Introduction

Relevance of the Theme

Understanding and properly using formal and informal languages are essential skills in any language, and Portuguese is no exception. The ability to differentiate and correctly use these languages is a central aspect of communicative competence, which is crucial for success in everyday and professional life. By studying this theme, you will be enhancing your linguistic adaptation skills, a valuable skill in social and academic situations.

Contextualization

Language, besides playing a fundamental role in communication, reflects the identity, culture, and social context of a community. The distinction between formal and informal language is a reflection of this, as the choice between one or the other depends on the purpose, setting, and relationship between the interlocutors. In the scope of the Portuguese discipline, the study of formal and informal languages is directly associated with communicative competence and, more specifically, with the mastery of discursive genres. This is a topic that intertwines with other contents, such as grammar, semantics, and pragmatics. Therefore, a proper understanding of formal and informal languages is an essential step for an in-depth study of the Portuguese language.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Formal Language: It is a linguistic variety found in more rigid contexts, such as academic, legal, and official written language. It is characterized by the use of more complex words, elaborate syntactic structures, technical vocabulary, and no slang. It requires a higher level of attention and cognitive effort for comprehension by the receiver.
• Informal Language: It is a more relaxed language variant, used in everyday communication situations, such as informal chats among friends and family. It is marked by the use of slang, idiomatic expressions, contractions, short sentences, and colloquial intonation.
• Lexical and Syntactic Differences: The distinctions between formal and informal language are evident both at the lexical level (words used) and at the syntactic level (word order in the sentence). The vocabulary and structure used in formal language tend to be more elaborate and complex than in informal language.
• Functions and Contexts: Each language has specific functions and contexts. Formal language is more common in formal situations, such as academic and legal texts, while informal language is predominant in everyday communication.

Key Terms

• Linguistic Variety: Different uses of language according to social, regional, historical, professional contexts, among others. Involves notions of formal and informal language, among others.
• Cultivated Norm: The linguistic standard of a language that is recognized as the most correct and is generally taught in schools. It usually aligns with formal language.
• Registers: Different language systems that vary according to the formality degree of the situation. Formal and informal language are examples of different registers.

Examples and Cases

• Formal Text: An example is an academic article. In it, you will find technical terms, long sentences with the use of subordinate clauses, and specific vocabulary from the study area.
• Informal Text: A WhatsApp conversation among friends can be an example. In it, you can see the use of slang, shorter sentences, and a more relaxed language, which are characteristics of informal language.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• Linguistic Variety: Language is composed of a multitude of forms and styles, varying according to the situation, place, intention, and relationship between the interlocutors.
• Formal Language: It is a language variant that is appropriate in more rigid contexts, such as academic, legal, and official writings. It is characterized by more complex structures, technical vocabulary, and the absence of slang.
• Informal Language: It is a more relaxed language variant, commonly used in everyday communication. It is characterized by the use of slang, colloquial expressions, short sentences, and more accessible vocabulary.
• Lexical and Syntactic Differences: The differences between the two variants are evident at the lexical and syntactic levels. Formal language uses more elaborate words and structures, while informal language is more direct and colloquial.
• Context and Function: The choice between formal and informal language depends on the context and function of communication. Formal language is used in more serious and official situations, while informal language is preferred in social and everyday interactions.

Conclusions

• Linguistic Competence: Mastery of formal and informal language demonstrates a broader and more flexible linguistic competence, as it allows the speaker to adapt to different communication situations appropriately.
• Textual Understanding: The ability to identify and interpret texts that use different language variants contributes to a more effective reading and a deeper understanding of the content.
• Communicative Adaptation: The ability to switch between formal and informal language is an important aspect of communicative adaptation, which is the ability to adjust language according to the context and interlocutors.

Suggested Exercises

1. Variant Recognition: Given a text excerpt, identify if the language used is formal or informal and justify the answer, pointing out characteristics of the text that denote the selected variant.
2. Register Transformation: Given a text in formal language, create a version in informal language and vice versa, maintaining coherence and the sense of the original text.
3. Critical Reading: Read a text in formal language and another in informal language, discuss how the use of each variant influences the understanding and interpretation of the text.