Spiritual Reading & Casual Register
The Wednesday night group that I lead is a permanent sober housing program where all residents have been homeless. I like to start each session with an opening meditation that is generically spiritual so that the group is inclusive of all faith traditions. One of my favorite sources is Today’s Gift, a daily e-mail I receive from Hazelden, well known for its chemical dependency treatment programs.
I always end up rewriting parts of the reading though. They are from books written by middle and upper class people in recovery. While the participants in the group totally resonate with the ideas, they often will not understand the language.
So, weekly I am reminded about the breakthrough work of Ruby Payne, PhD. in Bridges Out of Poverty. Books are written in what she calls a “formal register of language.” That is the standard sentence syntax and word choice of work and school. It has complete sentences and specific word choice.
Persons in poverty use a “casual register of language.” It is like the language between friends and is characterized by a 400 - 800 word vocabulary. Word choice is general and not specific. Conversation is dependent upon non-verbal assists. Sentence syntax is often incomplete.
I chuckle as I read this. I can’t tell you the number of sessions I have been in where the participants (persons that are poor) are in conversation with each other and I don’t have a clue what they are saying. Their non verbal cues and short hand language can leave me mystified, but they are all laughing at their insider jokes.
Of course I have also come to understand that this is their way of having fun with me. They love the fact that they know what is going on and I don’t. When I point that out to them, they start laughing and using their insider language all over again. I always feel honored by their trust when they begin to translate for me.
What have you learned about dealing with this “register of language” difference?
