What might be the difference in a conversation between two friends and a conversation between a boss and an employee?

Question

(1 point)

Friends are pretty equal in social status and will use a more informal register with slang and local terms, whereas a boss and employee will tend to use a more formal register with proper grammar, clear pronunciation, and little to no colloquialisms or slang.

Friends will usually discuss personal topics only, whereas a boss and employee will discuss business and career-specific topics, but never familiar or

personal information.

Friends tend to use more fluid NMS and more varied intonation, whereas a boss and employee will speak/sign in a more monotone form with very little facial expression.

Friends, on average, will participate in conversations of at least 7-10 minutes while a boss and employee will have much shorter interactions of about 2-3 minutes.

Answer 1

The first option best captures the differences in conversation styles between friends and a boss-employee dynamic. Friends, being more equal in social status, typically engage in informal discussions using slang and colloquial language, while a boss and employee use a more formal register, emphasizing proper grammar and clarity, often avoiding slang.

The other options contain elements that may not apply universally, such as the idea that friends only discuss personal topics or that boss-employee interactions must strictly avoid personal information. Additionally, while conversations among friends may be more fluid, it doesn’t account for all professional interactions being monotone or lacking facial expressions. Lastly, the duration of conversations can vary widely in both contexts; it isn't strictly defined by the relationships.

Thus, the differences in language register and formality are the clearest distinguishing factors.