The language continuum is a way that we can place text elements on a scale to judge their register. It consists of three basic elements:
Field – the text type
Tenor – the relationship between the two people communicating
Mode – the formality of the text.
The table below illustrates this:
FIELD
Everyday, global ————————————————————- Technical, local
TENOR
Informal, Personal ———————————————————– Formal, impersonal
MODE
Mostly spoken, ————————————————————— Mostly written,
informal formal
Using this continuum, we can plot the text type, relationship and formality of the writing process; however, this may not be clear enough to use as a tool. Therefore, below we expand the continuum, rework the terms and produce a flow chart.
Instead of the term TENOR, we will use:
ROLE (who is giving the message – written or spoken)
AUDIENCE (who receives the message)
PURPOSE (what is the reason for the message)
RELATIONSHIP (the tenor – what is the relationship between the two)
Instead of the term FIELD, we will use:
TEXT TYPE (what is the medium used, ie. email, formal letter, etc)
Instead of the term MODE, we will use:
REGISTER (what is the formality of the message).
Therefore:
ROLE
AUDIENCE
PURPOSE
+ RELATIONSHIP
________________
= TEXT TYPE and REGISTER
This visual tells us that the identities of the giver and receiver of the message, the purpose of the message and the relationship between the giver and receiver determine the text type used and the register.
Example: A student needs to ask her EE supervisor for a meeting. She decides to send a friendly, semi-formal email to request a meeting.
This, more complex model, can also be used just as TENOR, FIELD, and MODE, if a simpler mapping plan of a text is necessary.