Register Features Of Written Style In Spoken Language Of Chinese EFL Learners

Stylistics is a branch of linguistics, which aims at analyzing the features of style. The stylistic features in the stylistics include phonology, lexicology, syntax and rhetoric. This paper began with the lexical perspective, based on Douglas Biber’s MD/MF in 1988, and chose six typical register features to analyze the written language that were used in the spoken language, and thus made a judgment whether participants used inappropriate mixed language in their spoken language.As two different modalities, spoken languages, which opposite to written language, both of them are mutual independence and also mutual complementation. From lexical points speaking, both of languages have their own register features. For example, spoken language has following features: the first and second person, particles, abbreviations, verbs and so forth;whereas, the third person, passive voice, nouns and prepositions are belong to the written language. But if the register features of spoken language used in written language, we call it mixed language, vice verse. If the degree of mixed language is higher, that testifies the spoken or written tendencies are higher in the written or spoken language.This paper adopted the tools of Lancaster University’ CLAWS to investigated 163 pieces of recording, and then calculated the written register features in those spoken corpses by SPSS,and last made a conclusion that whether there were written tendency in their spoken language.180 participants came from junior, senior school and university, and all these students were divided into two groups: one called vertical research, which is the same oral style but different grades; the other group was horizontal research, which is the same grade but different oralstyles.The first study was engaged in the changes of written register features in spoken language. All participants in this stage came from three different grades: junior, senior school and university, but were given the same oral type in a certain time. Then the six features were calculated by CLAWS and analyzed by SPSS. From logical speaking, as learners’ English level improved, their stylistic sensibility should be strengthened and written tendency should decrease in the spoken language. However, the researches’ results showed that:(1) in the chosen six register features, none of them presented the steady decline.(2) The register feature of noun and passive voice showed increasing trends. As a consequence such conclusion can be made that learners’ English speaking ability did not improve as the learning went further. Thus the second research was designed.The second study investigated six register features in the different types. All participants were freshmen and divided into four groups. Each group has their own speaking tasks: oral composition, retelling, dialogue and discussion. Whether the similar ability learners use different rate of register features in various type of spoken language? As a results showed:(1)the same register feature had difference in those four types and Sig reach a significant level.(2) In those four types, type Retelling used the least written register features and thus this type is much similar to the spoken language.(3) Oral composition adopted lots of written register features, its mixed language state were severeCombined the two studies above, the written register features in spoken language did not decrease as learners’ ability improved, some register features even presented strengthening tendency. So it is unwise to expect the problems can be solved according to natural ways. On the other hand, the rate of register features usage showed difference in various types. Thus,the implication of this paper can be made from this point of view: teachers should encourage students to contact the native English, imitate them, and retell them by a great deal. By using this method to decrease the written register features.