Which term describes a language that has two forms, a higher and a lower form, used in formal and informal contexts?

• A. Diglossia
• B. Discourse Management
• C. De-contextualised Language
• D. Discourse

Answer: (A)

Diglossia describes a language that exists in two distinct forms: a higher variety used in formal, prestigious, or official contexts, and a lower variety used in everyday, informal talk. The two forms are usually mutually intelligible but functionally separated—people switch to the high form in schools, newspapers, broadcasts, and official settings, and to the low form in home and casual conversation. This pattern appears in Arabic, where Modern Standard Arabic is used in writing and formal media while regional dialects are used in daily speech, and in communities where a standard written form accompanies local spoken varieties. The other terms refer to aspects of discourse or language use that don’t capture this two-tier setup of separate forms for different social contexts.