Colloquialism ~ The Wife's Story @ unfinished spring 2025

Diction and Colloquialism
~ The Wife's Story

Mrs. McCombs

What is a Colloquialism?

​"Slang-y" language, usually associated with a region, cultural group, or education level.
AKA ~ Slang
~ Informal Diction
~ Idioms (idiomatic languge)

Colloquial language can indicate

​Lack of Seriousness of topic

The more formal the language being used, the more likely a reader / listener is to think that the topic is a serious one. This is reflected in the way we are exposed to information through the news, the law, and scientific / academic findings.

Colloquial language might indicate

​The Education level / Experience of the speaker

People who use colloquial language exclusively are generally viewed as people who have not had exposure to higher levels of language training: they speak what they have been exposed to rather than the deliberate structure of a language. It can also, sometimes, indicate a lack of exposure to the wider world.
This does NOT mean someone with colloquial language is unintelligent. It DOES mean that they may not have received formal training on how to determine fact vs opinion, folklore vs science, morality vs lawfulness. etc. . .

Colloquial language might indicate

​Trustworthiness of content

Similar to a general understanding of the seriousness of a topic, people can consider colloquial language to be from less "reliable" sources: ones that may not have the training, education, or experience to accurately recount what they have observed or to clearly convey what they think.
Again, Colloquialism use does NOT indicate intelligence, but people who speak / write excessively in colloquial terms tend to be considered less reliable sources.

Multiple Choice

How serious would you consider this topic:

"They aren't gonna sit with that.

• Very serious, very important

• Serious, but not really important

• Not serious, not important

Multiple Choice

How serious would you consider this topic:

"The persons in question will oppose that decision"

• Very serious, very important

• Serious, but not really important

• Not serious, not important

Multiple Choice

How serious would you consider this topic:

"Naaawww"

• Very serious, very important

• Serious, but not really important

• Not serious, not important

Multiple Choice

What "grade" would you think someone who said this was in?

• College / trade school

• High school

• Elementary