INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
English has evolved into a global language, serving as a vital tool for communication and understanding among people worldwide However, non-native speakers often struggle to communicate effectively with native speakers, resulting in interactions that can feel unnatural or overly formal In informal settings, such as conversations between friends or classmates, EFL speakers may resort to formal expressions like "Sir" or "May I," which can hinder genuine communication.
Non-native speakers often face challenges with language register, which can lead to discomfort among native speakers due to overly formal expressions While native speakers may overlook these errors, inappropriate language use in specific contexts can be perceived as significant social missteps.
Research indicates that native speakers predominantly use colloquial language in everyday conversations, highlighting that "real people don’t talk like books" (Engkent, 1986: 225) This informal speech, characterized by non-standard expressions, is a distinctive feature of daily English (Suksriroj, 2009: 12) Despite having a solid grasp of English grammar and the ability to understand simplified speech, many students, including English majors at the Foreign Language Faculty (FLF), struggle to comprehend conversations intended for native speakers This gap underscores the challenges they face in effective communication within real-life contexts.
This prompted the researcher to investigate the use of colloquial language among English major students at their institution, leading to a study focused on colloquial English within speaking classes.
Aims of the study
This study evaluates the frequency and proficiency of FLF English major students in using colloquial English during speaking classes It also explores the factors that influence the use of colloquial language in the classroom, providing teachers with insights to enhance students' accessibility to this style Additionally, the research aims to assist non-native speakers in reducing register errors, enabling them to communicate in English more naturally, akin to native speakers.
Research questions
This study will seek the answers to the above mentioned issue through three research questions as follows:
1 How frequently do English major students in Foreign Language Faculty (FLF) use colloquial English in their speaking classes?
2 How does the frequency reflect the students‟ competence of speaking colloquial English in their classroom?
3 What factors influence the students‟ acquisition of colloquial English in their speaking classes?
Significance of the study
Using colloquial language in the right context is essential for effective communication Research on colloquial English in non-native speaking classes can enhance learners' communicative competence with native speakers in real-life situations Additionally, understanding colloquialisms can improve students' listening and reading comprehension, as these expressions are commonly found in native speech and texts As a result, students will build self-confidence when interacting with native speakers.
This study aims to enhance the accessibility of communicative language teaching methods for students By conducting this research, educators and textbook authors may gain fresh insights into the importance of English speaking instruction in the classroom, leading to increased focus on addressing register errors in students' English usage.
Scope of the study
This study examines the conversational register, specifically focusing on colloquial speech defined as informal, everyday conversation It aims to analyze the main features of colloquial English and assess the frequency of informal language used by fourth-year English major students in their speaking classes at the Foreign Language Faculty of Thai Nguyen University.
Advanced students are chosen for their foundational knowledge and speaking techniques in English At this level, it is essential to highlight areas for improvement and demonstrate clear progress This can be achieved by focusing on style and the nuances of appropriacy, connotation, and inference, rather than solely on grammatical accuracy By doing so, we help students use the language with greater subtlety and sophistication.
Method of the study
This study employed survey research methods, utilizing questionnaires, interview transcripts, and field notes to investigate the use of colloquial English among fourth-year students in speaking classes The primary goal was to assess students' competence in colloquial language and identify factors influencing their proficiency To achieve this, closed-ended questionnaires and Likert-type scales were administered to gather data on the frequency of colloquial English usage in their speaking activities.
The researcher utilized semi-structured interviews, supported by audio recordings and field notes, to investigate the factors influencing the use of colloquial English in students' conversational classes, involving both native and non-native teachers.
Design of the study
The study includes three main parts as following:
The first part – Introduction – provides the motivation for the research, identifies the aims, research questions, significance, scope, methods and design of the study
The second part – Development – consists of three chapters
Chapter 1- Theoretical background - provides an overview of theories for the study Chapter 2 – Contents of the study – investigates the issue of using colloquial English in the classroom with the help of questionnaires and interviews through data analysis, and discussion
Chapter 3 – Findings and implications – summarizes the main results and provides suggestions to the teaching and learning of colloquial English speech in the classroom
The last part - the Conclusion – focuses on the study summary, limitations and recommendations for further research.
DEVELOPMENT
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1 Stylistic varieties of the English language
Handbooks on stylistics for German, English, and Russian propose a similar classification system that divides styles into two main categories: literary and colloquial, along with their various subtypes Typically, these classifications encompass three to five functional styles (FS), which are distinct subsystems of language characterized by unique vocabulary, syntax, and phonetic features This study will focus specifically on three prevalent perspectives regarding English language style classifications.
In 1960, M D Kuznetz and Y M Skrebnev published "Stylistics of the English Language," which provided a concise overview of stylistic categorization The authors identified various styles and their distinct varieties, laying the groundwork for further exploration in the field of stylistics.
1 Literary/ Bookish Style: a publicist style; b scientific (technological) style; c official documents
2 Free/ Colloquial Style a literary colloquial style; b familiar colloquial style
In their book, Kuznetz and Skrebnev define bookish and colloquial styles, highlighting that the bookish style is characterized by its polished nature and adherence to the norms of the national literary language This refined style is applicable in both written and oral communication, including official discourse.
Colloquial style refers to a type of speech that permits deviations from the strict norms of literary language, making it suitable for both private conversations and correspondence This style applies to both written and spoken forms, and the terms "colloquial" and "bookish" do not perfectly align with oral and written speech Maltsev (1973) introduces the concepts of "formal" and "informal" to better describe these variations in communication.
"informal" and states that colloquial style is the part of informal variety of English which is used orally in conversation
I V Arnold's influential work, "Stylistics of Modern English," published in 1973 and revised in 1981, introduces the concept of neutral style as a foundational element in functional styles, lacking distinctive features and serving as a backdrop for other styles Arnold categorizes styles into two main groups: colloquial styles, which encompass various forms of spontaneous, everyday communication, and literary bookish styles, associated with formal public speech While neutral style is applicable in any communication context, colloquial style is tailored for casual interactions, whereas bookish style is reserved for more formal situations.
1 Colloquial Style: a literary colloquial; b familiar colloquial; c common colloquial
2 Literary Bookish Styles: a scientific; b official documents; c publicist (newspaper); d oratorical; e poetic
This system effectively outlines various social and extralinguistic factors that impact language selection for specific communicative purposes However, the inclusion of a neutral style in this classification appears unusual, as it is not utilized individually and may be more appropriately linked to the language's structural aspects.
One of the relatively recent books on stylistics is the handbook by A N Morokhovsky and his co-authors O P Vorobyova „Stylistics of the English language‟ published in Kiev in
In the concluding chapter of "Stylistic Differentiation of Modern English," a comprehensive review of the factors influencing the study of functional styles is provided The book categorizes various style classes, offering valuable insights into the nuances of modern English.
According to Morokhovsky, each style encompasses a unique combination of distinctive features, characterized by oppositions such as "artistic vs non-artistic," "presence of personality vs absence of personality," "formal vs informal situation," "equal vs unequal social status," and "written form vs oral form." He highlights that these five categories of "speech activity" are abstractions rather than absolute realities, as they rarely exist in their pure forms, making the mixing of styles a common practice.
1.2.1 Key terms: Colloquial/ informal/ casual/ conversational English
The Concise Oxford Dictionary (Fowler and Fowler, 1995) defines „colloquial‟ as
Colloquial language is characterized by its informal style, commonly used in everyday conversations rather than in formal or literary contexts This familiar approach to speaking and writing emphasizes a relaxed exchange of ideas and opinions, allowing for a more personal connection Colloquialisms, which are informal expressions, further exemplify this style by not adhering to the strict conventions of formal speech or writing.
(http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/colloquial.html)
In "The Five Clocks" (1967), Martin Joos defines colloquial language as encompassing both consultative and casual styles, where the casual style is characterized by its use among friends and acquaintances, featuring frequent ellipsis and slang Thus, the terms "colloquial," "informal," and "casual" are closely related in meaning.
The terms "conversational," "colloquial," "informal," and "casual" are often used interchangeably, as they all describe a speech style that is not formal.
Colloquial language is an informal style of communication that is not considered rude but is unsuitable for formal settings It is commonly used in private conversations and personal letters, making it the first language form that native-speaking children learn Due to its ease of understanding compared to formal English, colloquial language is frequently employed in popular public communications, such as advertisements and mainstream newspapers (Leech and Svartvik, 1975).
In the literature of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there are notable references to colloquial language, which is often contrasted with formal, literary, or bookish language, as well as with vulgar expressions.
1.2.2 General characteristics of colloquial English speech
According to Václav Řeřicha (2000), colloquial English speech contains the following characteristics: informal, familiar, conversational, paralinguistic context, nonverbal communication, and constantly changing
Colloquial English is characterized by hearer-oriented, interactional speech, which is prevalent across cultures and age groups According to Gillian Brown (1981), this type of speech contrasts with message-oriented, transactional speech, as it tends to be less clearly articulated and often includes vagueness and modality.
Conversational exchanges, particularly small talk, exemplify hearer-oriented and interactional speech Native speakers often initiate discussions with a conventional speech pattern before transitioning to their main message.
1.2.3 Main features of colloquial English speech
Václav Řeřicha (2000) points out some phonetic and phonological features of colloquial English as follows:
- careless pronunciation /„feller‟ for „fellow‟; „dunno‟ for „don‟t know‟, „attaboy‟ for
- loosely organized syntax and less specific vocabulary
- marking out done by pausing, rhythm, and intonation
- complex syntax and precise vocabulary
- marking out done by lexical phrases (e.g firstly, moreover, to sum up)
- reduction, elision: „An elision is the omission of a sound for phonological reasons, e.g
THE STUDY
A study involving 146 students (107 females and 39 males) majoring in English at the Foreign Language Faculty of Thai Nguyen University was conducted among fourth-year students from cohort 31 during the 2010-2011 academic year The participants demonstrated advanced English proficiency, a requirement for their fourth-year studies, which necessitates achieving oral and written skills at an advanced level (EOA/EWA) This proficiency assessment is supported by their extensive experience, as most students have studied English as a foreign language for over a decade The questionnaire results revealed that 15.8% of the students attended Specialized High School, while 84.2% came from General High School backgrounds.
Table 1: Participants’ personal information Total number
Gender School Experience of learning English
G: General high school; S: Specialized high school
The study included a sample of two Vietnamese teachers and three American teachers, all of whom were native English speakers The Vietnamese teachers utilized English as a foreign language and were actively teaching spoken English in the EOA classes at the Foreign Language Faculty of Thai Nguyen University The participants were selected for semi-structured interviews, with 80% holding a Master's degree and possessing teaching experience ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of sixteen years in Vietnam Crucially, these teachers served as both consultants and evaluators, ensuring that all definitions used in the research were validated by native speakers.
In this study, questionnaires were utilized to collect data from students regarding their language backgrounds, perceptions of colloquial English in the classroom, attitudes towards this speech style, and their proficiency in speaking colloquial English.
The questionnaire was composed of four parts with 30 questions and statements
Part I (items 1-8) asked for students‟ personal information (items 1-2) and their language background (items 3-8)
Part II (items 9-18) raised statements pertaining to students‟ perceptions of colloquial English speech In more details, this part aimed to specify students‟ scales of agreement and disagreement with the given statements that focused on students‟ perceptions of the context where colloquial English was used (items 9-10), of its significance (items 11-12) and its features (items 13-18) These statements consisted of both correct and incorrect concepts of colloquial English speech All of them were recognized by the chosen consultant group Part III (items 19-25) consisted of some statements to explore students‟ attitudes toward colloquial English usage in their speaking classes Similarly, this part asked students to specify their agreement or disagreement on the given statements bounded in their likes and dislikes of using this style in the classroom as in the previous part
Part IV (items 26 – 30) was an assessment scale on students‟ frequency of using colloquial English speech in the classroom This part consisted of 5 items Items 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 respectively assessed the frequency of the phonetic, morphological, syntactic and lexical features used in students‟ conversations in the light of exploring colloquial English speech competence of the fourth-year students
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with FLF students and both native and non-native teachers to gather insights on their perceptions of colloquial English speech The study aimed to assess students' current competence in using colloquial language and identify potential factors influencing their ability to engage with colloquial speech in the classroom, supported by detailed field notes.
At the beginning of the term, a survey questionnaire was administered to students, having first been piloted with a native consultant group to ensure clarity in colloquial English concepts The researcher opted for a modified four-point Likert-type scale—strongly disagree, disagree, agree, and strongly agree—rather than the traditional five-point scale to minimize the tendency for responses to gravitate towards the neutral midpoint This approach allowed for a clearer descriptive analysis of participants' positive and negative responses Additionally, the assessment included a frequency scale to further evaluate responses.
Due to the absence of standard criteria for evaluating the competence in colloquial speech, the researcher sought additional assistance from teachers, leveraging their close observations and extensive experience in teaching spoken language.
Participants received instructions in Vietnamese and a brief overview of the questionnaire and study They were encouraged to ask the researcher for clarification on any terms or concepts they did not understand Each participant completed the questionnaire, which took an average of 20 minutes to finish.
Following the assessment results, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with both native and non-native teachers to explore factors influencing students' proficiency in colloquial English within the classroom These interviews took place after speaking lessons or during breaks and were subsequently transcribed for analysis.
Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were exploited to analyze the data
2.2.1 Analysis of the questionnaire for students
The initial section of the study gathered and categorized students' personal information and language backgrounds, which were then quantified into percentages This analysis enabled the researcher to gain insights into the students' demographics and language experiences, facilitating an assessment of the potential connection between their language backgrounds and attitudes toward colloquial English speech.
In the second and third parts of the study, students' perceptions and attitudes were quantified using a scale ranging from strong disagreement (1) to strong agreement (4) The responses from the collected questionnaires were tallied and converted into percentages, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percentile This data was then analyzed to gain insights into students' perceptions and attitudes toward colloquial English.
In the fourth section, the researcher quantified the ticks recorded in each frequency category—almost always, often, sometimes, seldom, and never—and subsequently converted these figures into percentages Additionally, further discussions were conducted with both teachers and students to gain clarity on the results.
Interest plays a crucial role in motivation, which significantly impacts students' learning (Bloom, 1976) This motivation drives effective and successful learning experiences Chart 1 illustrates how students' motivation is influenced by their level of interest.
Chart 1: The distribution of students’ high interest in four language skills
A recent survey reveals that reading skills are the most favored among students, with 34.2% expressing interest, followed by speaking skills at 28.8% Writing skills attract 19.9% of student interest, while listening skills garner the least attention at just 17.1% This indicates that while most English major students are motivated to improve their speaking abilities, the low interest in listening could hinder their proficiency in colloquial English Listening is crucial for providing authentic input, and neglecting this skill may lead to challenges in effective spoken communication.
FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS
This section summarizes the survey findings regarding three key research questions about classroom colloquial English usage among FLF English major students: (1) the frequency of colloquial English usage, (2) the students' proficiency in colloquial English, and (3) the factors affecting their proficiency.
3.1.1 The frequency of FLF English major students’ colloquial English use
The research findings indicate that FLF English major students infrequently use colloquial English in their speaking classes, with most responses indicating "seldom" or "never." The frequency of "almost always" and "often" was notably low, and many students left these options blank, reflecting their lack of experience with colloquial features While students demonstrated a tendency to use syntactic features of colloquial speech, this does not equate to the natural fluency of native speakers, as many students prepared their speeches in advance and relied on simple sentence structures due to limited grammar skills Lexical features, particularly idioms, slang, and phrasal verbs, posed significant challenges, with most students reporting infrequent usage and difficulty in comprehension Additionally, the lack of classroom practice and the need for sociolinguistic and cultural knowledge further hindered their ability to use these features effectively in appropriate social contexts.
3.1.2 Assessment of students’ competence of using colloquial English in the classroom
The assessment of both students and teachers reveals that colloquial English poses significant challenges for most FLF students, with many rating their competence as "poor" or "very poor." Only a few high-achieving students considered themselves "fair" speakers of colloquial English, despite their strong grasp of grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary However, these students lacked sufficient sociolinguistic knowledge, with some encountering the term "colloquial English" for the first time This gap in understanding indicates a need for more comprehensive instruction on colloquial language features to help students navigate real-life situations and deepen their comprehension of native English.
3.1.3 The factors influencing students’ competence of using colloquial English in the classroom
These factors came from both the teachers and learners and even the teaching curriculum
1- Students‟ lack of necessary language condition: From the interest distribution of four language skills, listening skill received the least attention from the students This may cause many difficulties to students when they are exposed to authentic language used by the native English speaker Listening is considered the most crucial condition toward students‟ use of colloquial English because it provides them with authentic input materials Therefore, this may be regarded as the issue worth considering
2- Students‟ little exposure to colloquial English in non-native setting: The evidence showed that only 7.5% of the surveyed students had heard of the term “colloquial” before and most of them had never been taught how to speak colloquial English with the efficient use of its main features
3- Students‟ misleading perceptions of colloquial English speech: In the questionnaires delivered to students, most of the collected results reflected the students‟ misleading perceptions of the roles, contexts, and specific features of colloquial English
4- Students‟ attitudes towards colloquial English use: Although many students showed their desire to learn colloquial English speech, their desire was often attached to another condition that it must help them better cope with real life situations or it must help them become a good English speaker Thus, this condition will become an obstacle to demotivate students‟ learning if the condition is not satisfied immediately because it requires time and other conditions for them to become good colloquial speakers Some of them said that they would not use colloquial English even after being taught how to use it This fact showed that some of them were quite reluctant and passive in learning Noticeably, many of them were not satisfied with the teaching in the classroom because of its non-authenticity Therefore, the issue of authenticity must be further considered in the current teaching and learning
5- Students‟ age: Most of the FLF students‟ age ranges from 21 – 23, so the age may prevent students much from getting the new style due to their “fossilization”
The following factors were drawn from the interview with the researcher
1- Lack of exposure to authentic language: Because of living in a non-native setting with English considered as a foreign language, so many teachers have limited exposure to how colloquial English features really work in the reality
2- Misconceptions or unawareness about colloquial English speech: Some teachers, especially Vietnamese teachers, have not captured the main features of English colloquial English speech They could hardly give an exact definition of the term because of their misconceptions or their unawareness of this issue They even thought that colloquial English was not so important to English learning
3- Deficiency in sociolinguistic competence: Because of the traditional teaching method (grammar-translation), academic English with the main focus on grammar, so the teacher lacks much sociolinguistic knowledge This is the main limitations in the teaching of idioms and slang
4- Little time and lack of expertise in material development: Most of FLF teachers are young and have limited experience in materials development, so it requires time and further compiling work to design the syllabus
5- No room for teaching colloquial English in the speaking class: This is the main issue of the American teachers because they were afraid that teaching idioms, or phrasal verbs would be regarded as “out of the teaching goals.”
3.2.1 Informing the notion of appropriateness
In the context of English communication, the concept of "appropriateness" should replace "correctness," as native speakers effectively use informal English without it being labeled as "incorrect." Errors in register are often more noticeable than grammatical mistakes, yet students frequently lack opportunities to learn informal speech styles Therefore, it is essential to teach both formal and informal English, emphasizing when each register is suitable While academic writing classes should concentrate on formal English, conversation classes must focus on informal language Students should be equipped with conversational phrases for various situations, such as greetings, farewells, requests for information, and expressions of gratitude Recommended resources include "Say it Naturally" by Allie Patricia Wall and "Ways of Expression in English" by Nguyen Quang.
To effectively teach students colloquial language competence, both native and non-native teachers should incorporate authentic spoken materials such as "Clear Speech" by J.B Gilbert for pronunciation, "Natural English Intermediate" by Ruth Gairns and Stuart Redman for syntactic and lexical improvement, and listening recordings from Elllo.org Emphasizing listening skills, teachers can engage students with peer conversations and films in the classroom, exposing them to authentic language used by native speakers Topics should align with the official curriculum to enhance relevance Throughout the semester, instructors must underscore the importance of colloquial English and clearly communicate the learning objectives, ensuring students understand their goals by the end of the term.
To effectively teach conversational language, it's essential to incorporate social parameters, including when and what to discuss, as well as cultural norms The subtle sociolinguistic aspects of language can be challenging to convey, as they are rarely outlined in conversation rule books Therefore, informal English features should be taught through dialogues, with Brown and Yule (1983) advocating for the use of actual conversation transcripts rather than scripted ones While tape recordings are valuable for exposing students to real speech, reading dialogues aloud is also important However, these textbook dialogues should not be memorized; instead, they should serve as a foundation for role plays and discussions.
3.2.4 Some suggested teaching and learning activities