Colloquialism (also calledcolloquial language,colloquial speech,everyday language, orgeneral parlance) is the linguistic style used for casual and informal communication. It is the most common form of speech inconversation among persons infriendship,familial,intimate, and other informalcontexts.[1] Colloquialism is characterized by the usage offigurative language,contractions,filler words,interjections, and other informalities such asslang.
In contrast toformal andprofessional communications, colloquial speech does not adhere togrammar andsyntax rules and thus may be considered inappropriate and impolite in situations and settings whereetiquette is expected or required. It has a rapidly changinglexicon and can also be distinguished by its usage of formulations with incomplete logical andsyntactic ordering.[2][3][4][5]
Colloquialism or general parlance is distinct fromformal speech orformal writing.[6] It is the form of language that speakers typically use when they are relaxed and not especially self-conscious.[7] An expression is labeledcolloq. for "colloquial" in dictionaries when a different expression is preferred in formal usage, but this does not mean that the colloquial expression is necessarilyslang ornon-standard.
Some colloquial language contains a great deal of slang, but some contains no slang at all. Slang is often used in colloquial speech, but this particular register is restricted to particular in-groups, and it is not a necessary element of colloquialism.[7] Other examples of colloquial usage in English includecontractions orprofanity.[7]
"Colloquial" should also be distinguished from "non-standard".[8] The difference between standard and non-standard is not necessarily connected to the difference between formal and colloquial.[9] Formal, colloquial, and vulgar language are more a matter ofstylistic variation anddiction, rather than of the standard and non-standard dichotomy.[10][8] The term "colloquial" is also equated with "non-standard" at times, in certain contexts and terminological conventions.[11][12]
Acolloquial name orfamiliar name is a name or term commonly used to identify a person or thing in non-specialist language, in place of another usually more formal or technical name.[13]
In thephilosophy of language, "colloquial language" is ordinarynatural language, as distinct from specialized forms used inlogic or other areas of philosophy.[14] In the field oflogical atomism, meaning is evaluated in a different way than with more formalpropositions.
Colloquialisms are distinct from slang orjargon. Slang refers to words used only by specific social groups, such as demographics based on region, age, or socio-economic identity.[15] In contrast, jargon is most commonly used within specific occupations, industries, activities, or areas of interest. Colloquial language includes slang, along with abbreviations, contractions, idioms, turns-of-phrase, and other informal words and phrases known to most native speakers of a language or dialect.[15]
Jargon is terminology that is explicitly defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. The term refers to the language used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest. Similar to slang, it is shorthand used to express ideas, people, and things that are frequently discussed between members of a group. Unlike slang, it is often developed deliberately.[16] While a standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage amongst practitioners of relevant disciplines, it is often reported that jargon is a barrier to communication for those people unfamiliar with the respective field.[17]
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