8.3 Grades of formality

　 Register as a variety of language in use is dependent on context. The main components of a context are the participants and their relation. As closeness or distance in relation between individuals is a relative notion, the formality of the language used is necessarily a gradient. Joos (1962) differentiated five grades of formality in English: frozen, formal, consultative, casual, and intimate. These styles of English are not all widely used. The frozen style is mostly used on ceremonies. The intimate style is used between family members and very close friends. The language may be highly abbreviated or even slangy. As styles are dependent on contexts, not all ideas can be expressed on all these levels of formality. The following sentences all express the same fact, but they vary in formality:

　　(1a) My father has deceased to join the heavenly choir.
　　(1b) My father has passed away.
　　(1c) My father has died.
　　(1d) My dad has died.
　　(1e) My old man just kicked the bucket.

　 As the examples show, the levels of formality are mainly distinguished by the choice of words. The stylistic differences of words are marked in contemporary dictionaries. In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, formal words are marked fml and informal ones as infml. Although only two levels are distinguished, the distinction is useful for learners of English as a foreign language, as the frozen style and the intimate style are hardly needed by speakers of English as a foreign language. Awareness of stylistic differences is absolutely important for all speakers. The use of language is after all a social interaction. The five grades of formality are analogous to the ways we dress ourselves: Frozen - tailcoat; Formal - suit; Consultative - jacket and trousers; Casual - leisure wear; Intimate - pajamas.