Formal vs. Informal English

Formal and informal language affects us every day. To some people, the differences are very subtle, and the need to use a more formal style or vocabulary is non-existent. As a society, the type of language that is used, whether it is formal or informal, is directly dependant on the culture and customs that are the most prevalent. In the age of television and the Internet, the need to communicate to the audience at its level has degraded the level of formality needed in order to speak effectively. Although the amount of informal language that is used has increased and greatly impacted society’s standard language, it has left the professional world virtually unaffected. The art of speaking formally is fading fast. However, it is important to remember that even though it is society’s goal to communicate to the masses as easily as possible, there is still a need to hold onto some formality within society’s language skills.
When learning a foreign language, one of the first thi...