24 Questions
What is the main focus of Variationist Sociolinguistics?
Explaining language variation through linguistic and social context
What is a 'variable' in sociolinguistics?
An abstract representation of the source of variation
What is an example of a sociolinguistic variable in Norwich?
The use of glottal stops instead of /t/
According to Peter Trudgill's study, what is the status of T-glottalling in Norwich?
A stable variation
What is the relationship between language variation and social class?
Social class influences language variation, particularly in pronunciation
What is the difference between a variable and a variant in sociolinguistics?
A variable is an abstract representation, while a variant is an actual realization
What is the significance of the example 'Heartbreak make me a dancer' vs. 'Are we human or are we dancer'?
It demonstrates a variable with two variants: [ɑ:] and [æ]
What is the main research focus of sociolinguists studying variation?
Uncovering correlations between variants and social constraints
What is a characteristic of 'indicators' in sociolinguistics?
They show social stratification and people are less aware of them.
What percentage of the population of England has a regionless accent, also known as Received Pronunciation (RP)?
3 to 5 %
What is the name of the variable studied by Bill Labov on Martha's Vineyard?
PRICE variable
What is a characteristic of 'markers' in sociolinguistics?
They are linguistic variables that show social stratification and people are somewhat aware of them.
What is true about Traditional dialects in England?
They tend to be spoken in rural areas.
What percentage of the population of England are native speakers of Standard English?
12 to 15 %
What is the name of the study that developed many sociolinguistic concepts, conducted by Bill Labov?
The Martha's Vineyard Study
What is characteristic of 'stereotypes' in sociolinguistics?
They are linguistic variables that show social stratification and people are more aware of them, with overt evaluative comments.
What is the main characteristic of the vowel in words such as gate and face in modern dialects?
It has changed to a diphthong of type [eɪ] or [æɪ] in some areas
What is the term for the range of contexts in which a variable occurs?
Envelope of variation
According to Trudgill's dialect division, how many dialect areas are created with only 7 distinctive features?
16
What is the characteristic of the BATH vowel in the south of England?
/ɑː/ is used in the south
What is the term for the fact that variation is not random and follows certain rules?
No free variation
What is the characteristic of the pronunciation of R in ARM in non-rhotic areas?
R is pronounced as [ahm]
What is the term for the systematic correlations between the distribution of variants and independent factors?
Sociolinguistic constraint
What is the characteristic of the vowel in BUT in some areas of England?
It is pronounced as [ʊ]
Study Notes
Variationist Sociolinguistics
- Explains language variation through linguistic and social context
- Inherent variability in language
- Variation is not absolute, but often a matter of frequency
- Often depends on linguistic context (e.g. rhoticity)
- Language influenced by various components (e.g. group membership influences the way we talk)
Variables and Variants
- Variable: an abstract representation of the source of variation, realized by two or more variants
- Variant: the actual realization of a variable, somewhat analogous to the phonetic realization of a phoneme
- The occurrence of an allophone is somewhat predictable, whereas a variant cannot be predicted
Sociolinguistic Variables
- Example: h-dropping associated with working class
- Example: variable (a) with 2 variants: [ɑ:] and [æ]
- Example: pronunciation of /t/ varies, with a choice of variants: [t] and glottal stop
Language Change and Variation
- Is T-glottalling language change in progress or is it stable variation?
- Peter Trudgill studied this in Norwich in the 1970s
- Sociolinguists uncover systematic correlations between variants and independent factors (linguistic and social constraints)
Pronunciation of Modern Dialects
- Trudgill's dialect division: 16 dialect areas of different feature combinations created with only 7 distinctive features
- Examples: pronunciation of A in GATE, vowel in words such as gate and face; pronunciation of R in ARM, rhotic vs. non-rhotic
Sociolinguistic Constraints
- Envelope of variation: all and only the contexts in which a variable occurs
- No free variation, variation follows certain rules
- The distribution of variants shows certain systematic correlations with independent factors
Martha's Vineyard Study
- Conducted by Bill Labov in 1961
- Pioneering study in sociolinguistics
- Developed concepts such as sociolinguistic variables, markers, indicators, and stereotypes
Markers, Indicators, and Stereotypes
- Markers: linguistic variables that show social stratification, e.g. age, class, sex
- Stereotypes: same as markers, plus overt evaluative comments
- Indicators: linguistic variables that show social class/group stratification, with no style-shifting
Variation and Change in England
- Everybody has an accent (pronunciation)
- Everybody speaks a dialect (+ grammar)
- Standard English is also a dialect
- Variation in England: dialects tend to be spoken in rural areas
Explore language variation through linguistic and social context, inherent variability, and frequency. Learn how language is influenced by various components, including group membership. Test your knowledge of sociolinguistics concepts.
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