reallanguage

Reallanguage is a term encountered in linguistic and media discourse to describe the actual language as used by speakers in everyday communication, as opposed to prescriptive norms, idealized models, or engineered representations. It is not a single standardized term and has no formal definition in mainstream linguistics.

Its usage varies by context. In sociolinguistics, it may refer to naturally occurring speech patterns, including dialectal variation, slang, and pronunciation features. In media studies and online communities, reallanguage sometimes signals authenticity and spontaneity of participants, contrasting with carefully edited or stylized language.

In technology, some writers discuss reallanguage in the context of natural language processing and corpus design, arguing that datasets should reflect real-world language use rather than curated exemplars. However, because language is highly heterogeneous, the label can obscure the diversity of registers and communities.

Criticisms: The term risks essentialism by implying a single "real" language. Language varies across social groups, contexts, and over time; what counts as "real" is not fixed. Critics advise precise framing, such as "naturalistic speech," "authentic discourse," or "everyday language use." Additionally, not all sources recognize the term.

See also: real language vs constructed language; natural language; sociolinguistics; computational linguistics.