Sara always says "please" and "thank you" in front of her grandmother, but not always when she is with her friends. This represents Sara's sensitivity to
A) speech registers.
B) phonology.
C) illocutionary intent.
D) categorical speech perception.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sara's use of different language patterns in different contexts shows her awareness and sensitivity to different speech registers, which are different language styles used in different situations or with different people. This is an important sociolinguistic skill, and it reflects Sara's ability to adjust her language use to match the social expectations of different situations. Phonology refers to the study of the sounds used in language, illocutionary intent refers to the intended meaning behind a person's words or actions, and categorical speech perception refers to the ability to distinguish between different speech sounds. While these are all important aspects of language development, they are not directly relevant to Sara's use of different speech registers.

Sara Always Says "Please" and "Thank You" in Front of Her