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Difficulty: MediumRegister, Tone, and Audience in Instructions

Review the four audio transcript excerpts of spoken Spanish instructions provided below. Which target audience and communicative register correctly corresponds to each instructional excerpt?

  • «Tome este medicamento cada ocho horas después de las comidas y evite consumir bebidas alcohólicas durante el tratamiento.»Prescriptive health guidance addressed to an individual patient using singular formal commands (usted).
  • «Oye, revisa la introducción del informe y añade los gráficos que preparaste ayer antes de enviar el archivo.»Casual, collaborative guidance addressed to a classmate or peer using singular informal commands (tú).
  • «Estimados pasajeros, permanezcan en sus asientos con el cinturón de seguridad abrochado hasta que el avión se detenga por completo.»Authoritative safety announcement addressed to general travelers using plural formal commands (ustedes).
  • «Chicos, buscad vuestras parejas en la pista y preparad las raquetas antes de que empiece el entrenamiento.»Direct athletic coaching instructions addressed to a youth team using plural informal commands (vosotros).

Answer

The medical excerpt matches prescriptive patient guidance using singular formal 'usted' commands; the peer editing excerpt matches casual collaborative guidance using singular informal 'tú' commands; the transit announcement matches public safety instructions using plural formal 'ustedes' commands; and the sports training excerpt matches youth coaching instructions using plural informal 'vosotros' commands.
Each instructional excerpt exhibits specific grammatical and stylistic markers that clearly define its register and audience. The medical advice uses singular formal 'usted' imperatives ('tome', 'evite') appropriate for professional consultation. The project discussion uses informal 'tú' commands ('revisa', 'añade') and casual interjections ('oye') appropriate for peers. The airline announcement uses formal public address formulas ('Estimados pasajeros') and plural formal 'ustedes' verbs ('permanezcan'). The athletic coaching snippet utilizes the plural informal 'vosotros' imperative endings ('buscad', 'preparad') and possessive 'vuestras' to address a group of youth athletes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the grammatical mood, person, and number of the imperative verbs in each excerpt.
Excerpt 1 uses 'tome/evite' (usted); Excerpt 2 uses 'revisa/añade' (tú); Excerpt 3 uses 'permanezcan' (ustedes); Excerpt 4 uses 'buscad/preparad' (vosotros).
Verb conjugation directly reflects the level of formality and social distance between the speaker and the listener.
2
Examine lexical markers, greetings, and contextual domain vocabulary.
Medical terms ('tratamiento') indicate clinical instruction; 'Oye' indicates informal peer interaction; 'Estimados pasajeros' signals formal public transportation protocol; 'Chicos' and 'raquetas' signal sports coaching.
Register is determined by the intersection of grammatical formality and thematic context.
3
Pair each excerpt to its matching audience and register profile.
Each Spanish instruction is uniquely matched to its specific audience profile based on singular vs. plural and formal vs. informal distinctions.
Eliminating mismatched registers ensures precise assessment of listening comprehension and sociolinguistic awareness.

Key Concept

Identifying register, tone, and intended audience in spoken Spanish instructions by analyzing imperative verb morphology, address forms, and situational vocabulary.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Register, Tone, and Audience in Instructions

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