It is imperative to understand that there are certain differences in the way a person uses language in particular environments. The way people communicate in different types of restaurants can be viewed as one of the best examples.
It needs to be said that the conversations that I have heard are extremely different. The first aspect that should be noted is that an extravagant restaurant is a much more appropriate place for dates and business meetings than a fast food restaurant. It has an enormous impact on the topics that are discussed, and relationships between the people are also often quite different. Close friends are more likely to talk about certain aspects of their lives, and they speak much more openly. Also, it is not hard to notice that a contrast in grammar is often present. People in expensive restaurants use complex sentence structures and unusual words very frequently.
Their language is much more sophisticated most of the time, and this fact cannot be overlooked. People that eat at fast food chains prefer the style that is much simpler. It needs to be said that certain age and social groups are more likely to visit such establishments because of income inequalities. Some of them are not as well educated as the people that have dinner at an expensive restaurant, and it has an influence on the grammar that is used in these settings (Finegan and Rickford 58). Differences in pronunciation should also be considered. The dissimilarities in intonation are especially easy to notice because people in fast food restaurants often talk much louder, and a particular tone of voice may be noted. It should be noted that individuals in expensive restaurants speak much more clearly most of the time because it is seen as an appropriate way for people of high status to communicate. It is paramount to understand it is more appropriate to use formal language in particular settings.
Differences in the use of hand gestures also must be discussed because they are an essential part of the process of communication (Goldin-Meadow 74). People in the fast food chains often communicate very expressively, especially when it comes to ordering food. However, there are always some exceptions because many do not want to follow the rules that have been established. It is also paramount to note that some individuals may replicate the pronunciation that is heard in certain settings because it is viewed as an appropriate way to communicate when one is in a particular type of a restaurant, and it needs to be considered (Agha 191). The biggest differences can be noted in the way that children speak in these environments. They act much more calmly in an expensive restaurant and understand that it is important to avoid certain words and phrases that they could use in other places.
In conclusion, dissimilarity in the way the language is used in different settings is definitely present. It is caused by numerous internal and external factors such as culture, traditions, and etiquette (De Busser and LaPolla 167). Also, it needs to be said that the way people speak in fast food restaurants has dramatically changed over the last years, and most people do not see the need to control the language in such environments. Overall, it is paramount for every individual to understand what language is appropriate in particular settings.
Discussion
The ways in which genders communicate among each other are dramatically different, and some of the main patterns should be discussed. It must be said that females use much more words to express their opinions most of the time, and males prefer rather short sentences. Also, women may switch the topic during the conversations without finishing it, and men are likely to make sure that it is fully discussed before changing the subject. Differences in the words that are used are also quite noticeable.
The fact that males do not try to keep an eye contact with each other most of the time like females is also worth noting. It is imperative to say that such behavior is not that easy to see if one does not focus on these aspects of communication. However, I have observed these patterns quite often in different settings. It is imperative to note that an environment has an enormous influence on the way a person communicates. For example, a school may teach one that it is essential to display particular behavior (Gamble T. and Gamble M. 193).
Tannen lists some of the patterns that can be noticed if one pays close attention to the interactions between people of the same gender, and topics for discussion is one of the most important aspects that needs to be discussed (265). It can be seen that boys and men are more likely to talk about particular day-to-day activities rather than their personal lives, and they do not focus on social aspects as much. However, it must be said that the modern society is always changing, and some of these patterns may stop being relevant in the future.
Works Cited
Agha, Asif. Language and Social Relations. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print.
De Busser, Rik, and Randy J. LaPolla. Language Structure and Environment. Amsterdam, NL: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Print.
Finegan, Edward, and John R. Rickford. Language in the USA. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.
Goldin-Meadow, Susan. Hearing Gesture. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003. Print.
Gamble, Teri, and Michael Gamble. The Gender Communication Connection. 2nd ed. London, UK: Routledge, 2004. Print.
Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don’t Understand. New York, NY: Morrow, 1990. Print.