Speech styles and registers in Papuan languages

Papuan languages feature a panoply of speech styles and registers – creative ways in which a language is turned to fit various social situations. Joking, quarrelling, public speaking, conversing with the spirits – among many others – all have distinct linguistic and paralinguistic palettes. This chapter gives an overview of the variety of speech styles and registers used throughout the Papuasphere, whilst emphasising language as embedded in its socio-cultural context. It covers avoidance registers, joking and abuse registers, ‘referent-wrecking registers’, public disputes and fighting, oratory, ‘obscured talk’ in spirit possession, as well as considering some functional transitions such as the change in Awiakay from ‘mountain talk’ (protection from mountain spirits) to ‘hidden talk’ (protection from urban criminals). Video examples of naturalistic usage of several registers complement the text.
Keywords: Speech style, Register, Speech genre, Ways of speaking, Papuan languages