Even though almost everyone in Sweden speaks Swedish, the language can sound very different. Someone might say: When the devil gets old, he becomes religious. Or it sounds like this: Or it contains words like: "Sweet. YOLO." While some talk like this: Maternal crossing, childbirth. It's called linguistic variation, and it can depend on how old you are, where you live, or what your hobbies are. We are constantly working on reading and interpreting these levels. There are so many different levels to this. The reason there are so many levels is because we are so intelligent... that we can read information in so many different ways. It is because of human intelligence and social abilities that we can read all the variations. Let's take a closer look at the differences in Swedish. Why do we actually speak so differently? How much variation can a language accommodate? And what does a language conservator do? Linguistic variation has always existed. The language does not sound exactly the same in all contexts. We've come from different places, been different types of people, worked on different things. All of that affects how we speak and how we use language. There are mainly three categories of linguistic variation: Dialect, sociolect, and chronolect. Dialect has to do with a geographical location. -A Gothenburger might say something like this: -You have to have salted salmon on the Christmas table. -But someone in Umeå might talk like this: -A friend had exactly one like that. Dialect depends on where you grew up and live. Now we shift our focus to sociolect, the social aspect of your language. During the 1960s, research on sociolinguistics became very popular. At that time, the researchers looked primarily at gender and class. Linguistic variation between the sexes is about... -that women and men speak differently. Class is about social dimensions. Depending on how much you earn and where you live, you speak differently. If you're from Stockholm, you might speak differently on Lidingö - -and the slightly more well-off people here- -than you do down in the southern suburbs. So [ __ ] small on that whole [ __ ], you know. We can hear these differences. It reflects social dimensions. Today's research on social studies focuses on more than two things. In addition to gender and class, there can be talk about educational level, job, socioeconomic status or ethnic background. Furthermore, all people have different roles in different situations. A person can have both a professional role and the role of a parent. With all roles come expectations. When you watch a movie or a play, there's an expectation of how a bank manager or a housewife speaks. Farnaz Arbabi is a director and playwright who works with linguistic variation. As a screenwriter, you write different characters who have lines. Then sometimes you need to separate the characters. It can be based on different genders, different backgrounds or different ages. Then we often work with linguistic variation. So the characters speak differently. They vary their language and use different words. Do n't use your cell phone during class! It was to check the information. There are a multitude of things that influence our language. One thing that affects our sociolect is our social context. Part of it is called accommodation. We are greatly influenced by those we talk to. It's called accommodating, adapting. Then you can accommodate in different directions. There are two types of accommodation: convergent and divergent. Convergent accommodation involves a rapprochement. Maybe you talk cute to a baby... or you don't use English words with your grandmother. The second type is divergent accommodation, and it involves distancing yourself from the way someone speaks. If your friend talks very loudly, maybe you should talk softly. Or that you speak more carefully if someone swears a lot. Sometimes we consciously accommodate. Maybe we want someone to speak more quietly. But most often we accommodate without reflecting on what we are doing. This can lead to the development of a jargon or language in a group. If you're a group at school who hangs out a lot, you'll notice after a while, because you use each other's expressions, and you joke in the same way or you use the same swear words. It's calm, soft. Well. Listen. Hello! Social studies is about the small group but also larger contexts. What has come to be called suburban Swedish has its roots in the suburbs of big cities. It is distinguished by a special language rhythm and straight word order. According to traditional grammar, we say: "Now she is eating." First the verb, then the subject. But in suburban Swedish we often say: "Now she eats." First the subject and then the verb. Just like in English. It's not a break, but one of our many sociological lessons. We at the theater want to use it to reflect the society we live in - -where people have different ways of speaking, use different languages- -where one person can have many different linguistic variations within themselves. A large part of people's social lives revolves around work. It also affects language. A doctor may use many Latin words and difficult concepts. Maintaining the Latin terms for a doctor, for example, is also a way of manifesting that they have a different knowledge than we do. They are guarding their medical role. It can be conscious and unconscious. We start with what is in the vagina. A stockbroker might talk like this: I think you can see the trend right away in the morning. If you see a slight upward trend, then wait. With language, we can express status and show that we know what we are doing in our professional role. The sociolect we speak is influenced by, among other things, our job, level of education, and socioeconomic status. Then these parts can be mixed. One example is Christer Pettersson. One of the most famous criminals of the 20th century. He speaks criminal Swedish. No, I'm not [ __ ] taking that! I dispute. It's a fantastic mix of styles. The person in question had gouged Lundström when he was sitting on Hall - -and referred to that principle in the legal code. Pettersson mixes legal terms and criminal slang. We listen to Pettersson. No, I haven't gotten that! I dispute. Slang is not a term used in linguistics because it's so difficult to define. It's hard to define what is slang. Therefore, it is a difficult word to use. What is slang to you may not be slang to me. In addition, there are many words that were once slang words that we don't think of as slang today, such as fun and girl. They were incredibly distinctive as slang words. Very offensive, tough words that were initially used to emphasize their independence. Girl was something other than a girl or a woman or a lady. The language is sometimes used to mark distance. There may be a point in not everyone understanding. Sometimes it is especially important that the language is correct. There are people who work with tips and advice about the language. They are called language guardians. There are two people working at Swedish Radio. They answer questions and opinions about Swedish on TV and radio. A pretty big challenge is convincing the audience that Swedish can actually sound in many different ways. We will reflect all of Sweden, both on radio and television. This also includes how Swedish actually sounds. We try to do that and sometimes have to defend it. Listeners and viewers react to many linguistic variations. Some may object to our saying " girl" instead of "flika" - which is hardly a slang word, but just a bit colloquial. It's not just everyday language that viewers and listeners are hearing about. It can involve inarticulate, sloppy, slurred speech. It could be that the hosts and reporters mix in a lot of English. We got a shoutout, Babs! Shoutout to everyone at P3 News. You are kings! Swedish has many loanwords from English - -and English words that are not translated. It influences our speech, both everyday speech, your speech and mine - - in schools, in workplaces, everywhere and on radio and television. People talk about "wake-up calls", "shoutouts" and "trigger happy". It's just everywhere. For those of us who enjoy languages, it's a lot of fun. In addition, English can affect the meaning of Swedish words. In the past, "spiritual" primarily meant that someone had a lively intellect. But now that meaning has changed. For most young people, I think "spiritual" means spiritual. When it's used in this somewhat newer way, some older listeners react. We cannot have a language where words have any number of meanings. Thanks for that input. This brings us to chronolects, which are about the difference between generations. Language sounds different depending on how old we are. Sometimes we want characters who are young on stage. Then adult actors will portray young people. Then you can use language as an age marker. They throw in English words. They Swedishify English words. You "connect" with someone, for example. The words we use can vary between generations. -When does an "epic fail" happen? -Yes, that youth language. The language of older and younger people can differ. The most obvious things are often swear words and words of reinforcement. -Shit pig! -Yes, damn it, that's right! When we talk about chronolects, we tend to generalize. Not all old people talk the same way, just like not all young people talk the same way. The idea of a youth language is nothing new. Welcome to Tala ballt, teenage Swedish for adults. There are differences between generations. A survey was conducted in Enköping. They had compared a group of elderly people with kindergarten children and listed 72 peculiarities in the Enköping dialect among the elderly. They couldn't find a single one among the kindergarten children. Not even this Enköping train, this strange grave accent. The Enköping train arrives, then it leaves. It's going so fast in the grass. One difference between generations is that dialects are leveled out. One reason is our constant connectivity. We can easily reach others several miles away. People close in age can more easily develop a common language - even if they live in different parts of the country. Sometimes this is noticeable, for example, in chat language - -where perhaps younger generations see more nuances. If I send a message and put a period after it, it does n't mean I'm angry. But it can do that for many. Chronology is not something that changes. There is no age where you suddenly talk like this. If you're putting on the play, at least put them on properly. It has to do with the fact that the young people who spoke like that later got older. As they got older, younger people spoke differently. -Sure damn it's fuzzy, huh? -That's vague. Their youth language differed from their parents- -and grandparents who had a completely different lingo and said: "Furthermore, the candidate is permitted"- -"not to question the following judgments." The language you learn around the time you graduate from school, around your twenties, sticks best. Then you are to some extent well-educated and know a bit about life and know the language. So what is your language today may be old-fashioned in 70 years. [ __ ] this, then! [ __ ] everything! I was the best! Through literature and drama, we can glimpse a time when old-fashioned language was new. There are certain pieces that can be more difficult to work with. For example, Shakespeare or ancient Greek dramas are written in verse. Then it's important to be able to say it naturally... ...so that it doesn't just come out like this... ...but flows with the character. So the healthy complexion of determination turns into the sickly pallor of reflection. Our way of speaking is influenced by our sociolect, chronolect, and dialect. Then we are all different individuals. We like different music and food and have different interests. This also affects our language. It's called idiolect and is your personal linguistic variation. Language is also an identity marker. You create your identity and show it through language - how you speak, what words you use. Many people living in exile can talk about how when you're not allowed to use your first language, you feel shorn as a person. Language is a big part of our identity, just like clothes, profession, and interests. Our idiolect may be something we create to express our identity. Just like actors use costumes or mannerisms to play their character. Language is important for character building, which the actors use when they are looking for a person. How do I best portray it? You should think that you have different registers within yourself. We don't just have one way to talk in all contexts - - but it can be good to have access to different ways of talking. Our alignment or register is important for a sense of community - with friends, family and at work. Language is also greatly influenced by our own times and how the world looks. If there is security and confidence in the future, the language tends to develop and modernize. Then we dare to be a little bolder and vice versa. Imagine a situation where Sweden experiences many political crises. Just as fashion is becoming more conservative, so is language. No matter how language changes, one thing is certain: We will continue to speak a little differently. Language is influenced by who you are, but it's also influenced by who you want to be and where you're going. Maternal crossing, childbirth. Subtitles: Christopher Fröderberg Iyuno for UR