Tiểu luận ngôn ngữ và văn hóa

INSTITUTE OF OPEN EDUCATION AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY - HUE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
TOPIC:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPEECH AND
WRITING

Instructor
Student
Class
Student’s ID

: NGUYỄN VĂN TUẤN, M.A
: CAO THỊ HOÀNG YẾN
: NGHỆ AN 6
: 7052900521

Nghe An, August, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS


I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................3
II. CONTENT.............................................................................................................4
1. Features of spoken English:..................................................................................4
1.1.It is informal.......................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Spoken English has more simplicity.................................................................4
1.3. English, when spoken, has rhythm....................................................................4
1.4. Use of slang and colloquialism.........................................................................5

1.5. Narrative form.....................................................................................................5
2. Features of Written English:.................................................................................5
2.1. It Has More Permanence....................................................................................5
2.2. Written English Has More Explicitness...........................................................5
2.3. It Is More Dense..................................................................................................5
2.4. Written English Is More Detached....................................................................6
2.5. It Is More Organised...........................................................................................6
2.6. The slowness of production, speed of reception.............................................6
2.7. It Uses Standard language..................................................................................6
3. Differences between speech and writing.............................................................6
3.1. Pronunciation:.........................................................................................................6
3.2. Knowledge of Grammar:.........................................................................................7
3.3. Proficiency in speaking:.........................................................................................7
3.4. Accentuate on specific words while speaking:.......................................................8
3.5. American Accent or British Accent:.......................................................................8
III: CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................9
REFERENCES............................................................................................................9


I. INTRODUCTION
Writing and talking are two skills under human communication. Writing is a skill
under written communication while talking is under speech or oral communication.
Both skills aid in expressing different types of messages from one person to another.
Both skills also utilize language as a channel.
The method of expressing oneself in writing is by using the alphabet and
forming words on a piece of paper or any type of material. On the other hand, talking
makes use of the human mouth and voice to form words. This results in making
sounds that are received by the other party’s ears. Talking is easier, quicker, and more
convenient. It also has a longer history. Humans have been talking in some form ever
since the prehistoric age. It was the first form of human communication. With this

skill, feedback can be readily made because there is an immediate audience. Most of
the time, talking is repetitive, informal, and in simple sentences.
Talking is a universal skill. It is spontaneous. In using the voice, expressions are
made in dialects and accents. Apart from the voice, body language is also evident in
talking.
A way to discontinue talking is having pauses and voice intonation.
Meanwhile, writing is more difficult and complex in comparison. Writing is a
product of reading and speaking skills. Writing requires knowledge of the alphabet
and involves coherence, detail, and clarity in expression. It also requires a form of
organization, standard, and polish. With writing, there is always a struggle for what
to say and how to say it properly. The struggle affects the delayed feedback or
response time.
Spoken English and Written English are the two forms of the English Language
that differ from each other in many ways. When it comes to ‘Spoken English’ there are
different forms in which the language is spoken; the pronunciation of the British is
different from that of the Americans. As English is the mother tongue of the ‘British’
an opinion prevails that ‘British English’ is the actual form of ‘English’ language be it

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spoken or be it written, though in real life we are acquainted with two distinctly
different form of both ‘Spoken’ and ‘Written’ English.
Almost all or to be precise, a major number of countries in the world are
associated with America for different reasons. As a matter of fact, the ‘American
English’ has become a trend and ‘British English’ has taken a back seat. So our
discussion will be based on taking ‘American English’ as a benchmark for both the
‘American Way of Spoken and Written English.’ There are quite a few noticeable
differences are there. We will discuss the major and most distinct ones.
II. CONTENT

1. Features of spoken English:
1.1.It is informal
Writing, whether, in newspapers, books or magazines can be far more structured
and complex than conversational English. This is because writing in a formal way has
to include punctuation and proper sentence and paragraph structure. Writing in an
instant messaging format can be more like spoken English. Speaking is more general
and requires a knowledge of intonation, stress, timing, and pitch.
1.2. Spoken English has more simplicity
English was spoken between 2 or more people and covers general English
perhaps in a more general and simpler form than written English. Written English
needs to be formal when used for education and business.
1.3. English, when spoken, has rhythm
In real English, there is more rhythm, the difference in speed of speaking
together with pauses and gestures in body language and is based on mental thought
and interaction with others. In written English, there is more of a defined content.
1.4. Use of slang and colloquialism
There is certain vocabulary that is only used in spoken English for example
slangs like “facetime” and “bae” are rarely used in written English. Shortened forms
like saying 2018 either as twenty eighteen or two thousand and eighteen.
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1.5. Narrative form
Spoken English is face to face and is more in narrative form, event-based, actionbased and story-based. Written English can be expository based, idea-based,
explaining ideas and describing future and past.
2. Features of Written English:
Good and clear pronunciation is required for speaking whereas a good
knowledge of grammar is required for written English. Here are some basic
characteristics of written English:
2.1. It Has More Permanence

Written discourse is fixed and stable so the reading can be done at whatever time,
speed and level of thoroughness the individual reader wishes. Spoken text, in contrast,
is fleeting and moves on in real-time. The listener – though he or she may occasionally
interrupt to request clarification – just in general follow what is said at the speed set by
the speaker.
2.2. Written English Has More Explicitness
The written text is explicit; it has to make clear the context and all references. In
a speech, the real-time situation and knowledge shared between speaker and listener
mean that some information can be assumed and need not be made explicit.
2.3. It Is More Dense
The content is presented much more densely in writing. In the speech, the
information is “diluted” and conveyed through many more words: there are a lot of
repetitions, glosses, “fillers”, producing a text that is noticeably longer and with more
redundant passages.
2.4. Written English Is More Detached
The writing of a text is detached in time and space from its reading; the writer
normally works alone, and may not be acquainted with his or her readers. Speaking
usually takes place in immediate interaction with known listeners, with the availability
of immediate feedback.
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2.5. It Is More Organised
A written text is usually organised and carefully formulated since its composer
has time and opportunity to edit it before making it available for reading. A speaker is
improvising as he or she speaks: ongoing alterations, in the shape of glosses, selfcorrections and so on produce an apparently disorganized ‘stream-of-consciousness’
kind of discourse. Thus a written text conforms more to conventional rules of
grammar, and its vocabulary is more precise and formal.
2.6. The slowness of production, speed of reception
Writing is much slower than speaking. On the other hand, we can usually read a

piece of text and understand it much faster than we can take in the same text if we
listen while someone reads it aloud to us.
2.7. It Uses Standard language
Writing normally uses a generally acceptable standard variety of the language,
whereas speech may sometimes be in a regional or other limited-context dialects. In
some languages (Chinese, for example), the various spoken dialects may even be
mutually incomprehensible, while the written language is universally understood.
3. Differences between speech and writing
3.1. Pronunciation:
This comes first because it is often observed with surprise that a person with a
profound knowledge of the ‘English Language’ does not even know how to pronounce
the word he is using in his writing. Many a person pronounce the word ‘often’ as ‘of
ten’ may it sound stylish, the actual pronunciation is of(t)en. While speaking in
English people have often heard to utter ‘Pro noun ciation’ but the real one is ‘Pro nun
ciation’. These are mistakes committed due to less exposure to persons with ‘Good
English Communication Skill’. Faulty pronunciation gets noticed only when a person
talks to a ‘Native English Speaker’ or a person with good command over ‘English
Communication Skill’. So the difference is visible. However good a person may be in
written English, he may not be a good communicator with right pronunciation, and
that matters a lot.
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3.2. Knowledge of Grammar:
Here the case is a bit too critical. If you are not good in ‘Applied English
Grammar,’ you neither can be a good writer nor be a good speaker. Well, then what’s
the difference? If you are not good enough in English Grammar, you have a shallow
knowledge but you are habituated in speaking English, you can manage to talk to
ordinary persons, (notice it I have written manage to talk) your friends or relative in
casual or informal English. Don’t get shocked with the statement; I am talking about

‘Informal Way’ of speaking. Why I have said ‘you can manage’ to talk? Because in
the day to day conversations people often (not of ten) speak in a casual way, using
incomplete sentences, avoiding usage of punctuations, indirect narrations and even
avoid using a note of interrogation. e.g. “so you’re really going to home” instead of
asking “So, are you really going to home?”. People also speak in a casual way
ignoring proper usage of Tenses. Here comes the difference, when one needs to write,
say an application letter or an essay in college or a business letter his ‘Knowledge on
English Grammar’ is put to test. Hardly one gets a chance to write something in casual
English.
3.3. Proficiency in speaking:
As we have discussed that ‘You can manage to talk’ without proper depth of
English language and English Grammar, contrary to that you cannot ‘manage to talk’
when it comes to serious conversation with designated person or ‘delivering a speech’
or ‘participating in a debate’, here depth of your English knowledge needs to be
sharper than even a writer. You get no chance to think and compose, no chance of
speaking then rectifying (damaging for your image), no usage of incomplete sentences.
You have to have the sharp skill of ‘English Communication’ so as to be an eloquent
speaker with a profound depth of both English language and English grammar. Your
vocabulary has to be strong, your knowledge of ‘English Idioms and Phrases’ has to be
well enough for application where it suits. This is also a difference between spoken
and written English, for being an ‘Eloquent Speaker’ your depth of knowledge has to
sharper and stronger.
3.4. Accentuate on specific words while speaking:
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Accentuating matters a lot while speaking or delivering a speech as it provides
clarity on your speech, by putting stress on words you make your point clear to the
listener or the audience. Needless to be mentioned accentuating is not needed at all
while you are writing in English. Its’ the reader’s job to see through the words and get

the meaning accurately, your duty is to write properly and if needed you can underline
or make a word or words written in bold, indicating that you are emphasizing on that
or them. While speaking your audience will not be able to get a clear message unless
you accentuate or put stress on required words. So it makes another big difference.
3.5. American Accent or British Accent:
When you are writing in English some spellings and styles do differ from
American to British English, no matter which style you are following you have to
chose either one of the two writing styles and stick to it with a minor swaying, its’ easy
to adapt. But while you are delivering a speech before a respectable audience i.e. in a
seminar or conference you have to follow rigidly one style of accent. If you are an
American/habituated in speaking in American English, or if you are a
British/habituated in speaking in British English stick to it, no swaying from one to
another. Being habituated in British English if you try to please the audience by
speaking in American accent you will become a laughingstock and vice versa. The
difference here between ‘Spoken’ and ‘Written’ English is visibly distinct. You can
change your writing style according to the need of the situation, but you have no
chance to adjust your speaking style accordingly, you have to be the real ‘You’
whoever be the audience.
Might be dozens of other examples can be presented, but the distinct differences
are discussed here keeping with a view to making people aware that, don’t take it to be
granted that if you are a good writer you are a good speaker as well and the other way
around. Writing good English and Speaking great English are two different arts to be
acquired by means of practice. Most importantly, emphasis and tone of voice both are
important in conversational English, while impeccable knowledge of English grammar
is a must for both the forms. While expressing different expressions like fear, sorrow,
disappointment your emphasize on words and tone of your voice are more important
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than your facial expressions. For being a good communicator or a good writer your

skill has to be adequate and you need to know the art spoken English with all its’
difference from written form.
III: CONCLUSION
Spoken English and Written English are the two forms of the English
Language that differ from each other in many ways. For being a good
communicator or a good writer your skill has to be adequate and you need to
know the art spoken English with all its’ difference from the written form.

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REFERENCES
1. Indulekha Prabha: Spoken English vs Written English. December 5, 2019
2. Print me , 5 Differences between ‘Spoken English’ and ‘Written
English.October 24, 2021,
3. Coulmas, Florian. The writings systems of the world. Oxford: Blackwell.1989
4. Daniels, Peter T., and William Bright (eds.).

The world's writing

systems. New York: Oxford University Press.1996.
5. Sampson, Geoffrey. Writing systems. Stanford: Stanford University Press.1985
6. Hasa, Difference Between Spoken and Written Language, July 2016
7. Roy C. O'Donnell; Syntactic Differences between Speech and Writing. American
Speech.1974
8. Biber, D. (1986). Spoken and written textual dimensions in English: Resolving
the contradictory findings. Los Angeles: University of Southern California.
9. Townend, J. & Walker, J. (2006). Structure of language: Spoken and written
English. London: Whurr Publishers.

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