Be able to identify my own use of language in a variety of situations with different people. My idiolect is English, Mirpuri and Urdu. I speak English the most when I am in public, because the community around me also speak English as it is their mother tongue. I have been taught this well-known language by members of my previous and current school. English is a general and an everyday idiolect. I don’t have any difficulty in reading, writing, or speaking this language as I have known it since I was a young child.
I have an accent which is popularly known as a ‘ Brummie’ accent. When I hear another race speak (such as scottish), I notice their accent. Their accent is very much different to my accent, by changing the form of their wording. My mother tongue however, is Mirpuri. I have not learnt the language as it runs in my blood and has been passed on from generation to generation. Complicated words may be quite difficult for me to pronounce as they are quite difficult to say. But I eventually learn the rare words which I could not pronounce before.
I am referred as an Asian due to my skin colour and my personality. My idiolect tells me how I communicate to specific people. I can speak a variety of languages, including, English, Mirpuri, Urdu and some aspects of French and Arabic. I am currently learning French at school and can understand. I have been learning this language for a total time of 3/4 years. On the other hand, I have a different technique of learning Arabic. I receive special Arabic lessons from abroad. The country being Syria. As well as being multi-lingual, I can also speak a variety of different accents.
These may be English, Scottish, American and Royal. I have learnt to speak different accents by the help of media and television. But I have not learnt to speak English and Mirpuri. It may be surprising to many people as I learn Urdu, because many people say that Urdu is close to my mother-tongue (Mirpuri). But from my point of view, I find it difficult to read and write this language. I speak a variety of languages towards different people. These people consist of: Friends, family members, teachers and the public around me.
When I speak to my friends, I tend to use a lot of slang and informal language. Reason being that we are friends and we can speak which ever way we want. On the other hand, when I speak to teachers, I talk very formally and never use slang as it is inappropriate towards their type of character. If I do, then I will most likely receive a sanction. When I use formal language towards teachers, it is appropriate as they physically understand everything I say. However, when I speak to my parents and my grandmother, I never use slang. But I partially speak formal.
I never speak towards strangers as I have a vocal problem, and they start asking unnecessary questions such as, “ What is wrong with your voice? “. If it is a person that I know I will speak to in the future again, I will formally speak towards them. For example: When I greet my friends, I usually say, “ Hey! “. But when I greet my teachers, I say, “ Good morning Miss… “. I am always speaking English towards my friends, teachers and some strangers. But I use a variety of different languages towards my family members. When I address my mum and my siblings, I always use English as it is a language which they will understand.
But, when I address my dad and my grandmother, I tend to use Mirpuri towards them as they have been brought up in the villages of Pakistan. My idiolect relationship is complicated with my dad as I use both Mirpuri and English whilst I communicate with him. When he migrated to the UK in 1998, he never knew English. But these 14 years have had a large influence on his idiolect as the community surrounding him use this common language, and now so does he. It is easier for me as well because if he does not understand any of the language which I speak to him, then I can switch and use the opposite language!
