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| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics and Social Theory Nikolas Coupland, Srikant Sarangi, Christopher N. Candlin, 2014-06-11 The empirical and descriptive strengths of sociolinguistics, developed over more than 40 years of research, have not been matched by an active engagement with theory. Yet, over this time, social theorising has taken important new turns, linked in many ways to linguistic and discursive concerns. Sociolinguistics and Social Theory is the first book to explore the interface between sociolinguistic analysis and modern social theory. The book sets out to reunite sociolinguistics with the concepts and perspectives of several of the most influential modern theorists of society and social action, including Bakhtin, Foucault, Habermas, Sacks, Goffman, Bourdieu and Giddens. In eleven newly commissioned chapters, leading sociolinguists reappraise the theoretical framing of their research, reaching out beyond conventional limits. The authors propose significant new orientations to key sociolinguistic themes, including- - social motivations for language variation and change - language, power and authority - language and ageing - language, race and class - language planning In substantial introductory and concluding chapters, the editors and invited discussants reassess the boundaries of sociolinguistic theory and the priorities of sociolinguistic methods. Sociolinguistics and Social Theory encourages students and researchers of sociolinguistics to be more reflexively aware and critical of the social bases of their analyses and invites a reasessment of the place sociolinguistics occupies in the social sciences generally. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistic Metatheory E. Figueroa, 2014-06-28 Linguistics is a discipline with ever expanding boundaries and interests. Despite the narrow definition of linguistics which dominates academia, sub-fields continue to flourish and ways of doing linguistics continue to expand. As ways to do linguistics increase, and as approaches to linguistics accumulate over time, it becomes increasingly necessary for students of linguistics to have ways of understanding and comparing developments in linguistics.Sociolinguistic Metatheory is a book which explains foundational developments in linguistics by taking the past three decades of developments in sociolinguistics and relating them to contemporaneous developments in received linguistics. Sociolinguistic Metatheory takes the reader through the basic philosophical questions which drive linguistic research. It looks in detail at three models of sociolinguistics - Dell Hymes and the Ethnography of Communication, William Labov and Sociolinguistic Realism, and John Gumperz and Interactional Sociolinguistics - and focuses on such questions as: Where is language located? How is an utterance-based approach to linguistics different from a sentence-based approach? How do metatheoretical paradigm assumptions such as realism or relativism affect the development of linguistic theory? What interesting developments in linguistic theory and analysis have sociolinguistics provided? |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: The Cambridge Handbook of Sociolinguistics Rajend Mesthrie, 2011-10-06 The most comprehensive overview available, this Handbook is an essential guide to sociolinguistics today. Reflecting the breadth of research in the field, it surveys a range of topics and approaches in the study of language variation and use in society. As well as linguistic perspectives, the handbook includes insights from anthropology, social psychology, the study of discourse and power, conversation analysis, theories of style and styling, language contact and applied sociolinguistics. Language practices seem to have reached new levels since the communications revolution of the late twentieth century. At the same time face-to-face communication is still the main force of language identity, even if social and peer networks of the traditional face-to-face nature are facing stiff competition of the Facebook-to-Facebook sort. The most authoritative guide to the state of the field, this handbook shows that sociolinguistics provides us with the best tools for understanding our unfolding evolution as social beings. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching Sandra Lee McKay, Nancy H. Hornberger, 1996 This text provides an introduction to the field of sociolinguistics for second and foreign language teachers. This book provides an introduction to the field of sociolinguistics for second and foreign language teachers. Chapters cover the basic areas of sociolinguistics, including regional and social variations in dialects, language and gender, World English, and intercultural communication. Each chapter has been specially written for this collection by an individual who has done extensive research on the topic explored. This is the first introductory text to address explicitly the pedagogical implications of current theory and research in sociolinguistics. The book will also be of interest to any teachers with students from linguistically diverse backgrounds. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Social Meaning and Linguistic Variation Lauren Hall-Lew, Emma Moore, Robert J. Podesva, 2021-08-12 The 'third wave' of variation study, spearheaded by the sociolinguist Penelope Eckert, places its focus on social meaning, or the inferences that can be drawn about speakers based on how they talk. While social meaning has always been a concern of modern sociolinguistics, its aims and assumptions have not been explicitly spelled out until now. This pioneering book provides a comprehensive overview of the central tenets of variation study, examining several components of dialects, and considering language use in a wide variety of cultural and linguistic contexts. Each chapter, written by a leader in the field, posits a unique theoretical claim about social meaning and presents new empirical data to shed light on the topic at hand. The volume makes a case for why attending to social meaning is vital to the study of variation while also providing a foundation from which variationists can productively engage with social meaning. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Towards a Critical Sociolinguistics Rajendra Singh, 1996 This collection of twelve essays, some of which have been written specifically for this volume by well-known European and North-American sociolinguists, reflects an increasing recognition within the field that sociological and theoretical innocence can no longer be underwritten by it, and offers a multi-pronged and multi-methodological way to move towards a critical, reflexive, and theoretically responsible socio-linguistics. It explores, with courage and sensitivity, some very important areas in the enormous space between Bloomfieldian 'idiolect' and Chomskyan 'UG' in order to situate the human linguistic enterprise, and offers valuable insights into human linguisticality and sociality. These explorations expose the limits of correlationism, determinism, and positivistic reificationism, and offer new ways of doing sociolinguistics.Intended for both practicing and future sociolinguists, it is an ideal text-book for the times, particularly for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Analysing Sociolinguistic Variation Sali A. Tagliamonte, 2006-05-11 The study of how language varies in social context, and how it can be analyzed and accounted for, are the key goals of sociolinguistics. Until now, however, the actual tools and methods have been largely passed on through 'word of mouth', rather than being formally documented. This is the first comprehensive 'how to' guide to the formal analysis of sociolinguistic variation. It shows step-by-step how the analysis is carried out, leading the reader through every stage of a research project from start to finish. Topics covered include fieldwork, data organization and management, analysis and interpretation, presenting research results, and writing up a paper. Practical and informal, the book contains all the information needed to conduct a fully-fledged sociolinguistic investigation, and includes exercises, checklists, references and insider tips. It is set to become an essential resource for students, researchers and fieldworkers embarking on research projects in sociolinguistics. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistic Variation Robert Bayley, Ceil Lucas, 2007 Why does human language vary from one person, or one group, to another? How do linguists go about studying this variation? This book provides an overview of these questions and more, bringing together a team of experts to survey key areas within the study of language variation and language change. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Introducing Sociolinguistics Rajend Mesthrie, 2009-05-29 Sociolinguistics is one of the central branches of modern linguistics and deals with the place of language in human societies. This second edition of Introducing Sociolinguistics expertly synthesises the main approaches to the subject. The book covers areas such as multilingualism, code-choice, language variation, dialectology, interactional studies, gender, language contact, language and inequality, and language and power. At the same time it provides an integrated perspective on these themes by examining sociological theories of human interaction. In this regard power and inequality are particularly significant. The book also contains two chapters on the applications of sociolinguistics (in education and in language policy and planning) and a concluding chapter on the sociolinguistics of sign language. New topics covered include speaking style and stylisation, while current debates in areas like creolisation, globalisation and language death, language planning, and gender are reflected.Written collaboratively by teachers and scholars with first hand experience of sociolinguistic developments on four continents, this book provides the broadest introduction currently available to the central topics in sociolinguistics.Features:* Provides a solid foundation in all aspects of sociolinguistics and explores important themes such as power and inequality, sign language, gender and the internet* Well illustrated with maps, diagrams, inset boxes, drawings and cartoons* Accessibly written with the beginner in mind* Uses numerous examples from multilingual settings* Explains basic concepts, supported by a glossary* Further Reading lists, a full bibliography, and a section on 'next steps' provide valuable guidance. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociophonetics Tyler Kendall, Valerie Fridland, 2021-03-11 A concise introduction to sociophonetics, this book links research in sociolinguistics, phonetics, speech sciences, and psycholinguistics. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics Peter Trudgill, 1995 An introduction to sociolinguistics exploring the link between language and society. The author draws on a range of languages to illustrate his survey. The variations in spoken English are also explored. The author argues that the varieties of language should be preserved if the dangers of a culturally standardized world are to be avoided. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Language Contact in the Early Colonial Pacific Emanuel J. Drechsel, 2014-03-27 This volume presents a historical-sociolinguistic description and analysis of Maritime Polynesian Pidgin. It offers linguistic and sociohistorical substantiation for a regional Eastern Polynesian-based pidgin, and challenges conventional Eurocentric assumptions about early colonial contact in the eastern Pacific by arguing that Maritime Polynesian Pidgin preceded the introduction of Pidgin English by as much as a century. Emanuel J. Drechsel not only opens up new methodological avenues for historical-sociolinguistic research in Oceania by a combination of philology and ethnohistory, but also gives greater recognition to Pacific Islanders in early contact between cultures. Students and researchers working on language contact, language typology, historical linguistics and sociolinguistics will want to read this book. It redefines our understanding of how Europeans and Americans interacted with Pacific Islanders in Eastern Polynesia during early encounters and offers an alternative model of language contact. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Introducing Sociolinguistics Miriam Meyerhoff, 2015-05-11 Equipping students with the necessary tools for an excellent command of the subject, this new edition explores a range of topics, including language attitudes, gender, and social dialects. Exercises help readers to critically engage with the text. Now supported by The Routledge Sociolinguistics Reader, the textbook also shares a common website with interactive exercises, web- and video links to examples, an online glossary and interview with the author. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Do You Speak American? Robert Macneil, William Cran, 2007-12-18 Is American English in decline? Are regional dialects dying out? Is there a difference between men and women in how they adapt to linguistic variations? These questions, and more, about our language catapulted Robert MacNeil and William Cran—the authors (with Robert McCrum) of the language classic The Story of English—across the country in search of the answers. Do You Speak American? is the tale of their discoveries, which provocatively show how the standard for American English—if a standard exists—is changing quickly and dramatically. On a journey that takes them from the Northeast, through Appalachia and the Deep South, and west to California, the authors observe everyday verbal interactions and in a host of interviews with native speakers glean the linguistic quirks and traditions characteristic of each area. While examining the histories and controversies surrounding both written and spoken American English, they address anxieties and assumptions that, when explored, are highly emotional, such as the growing influence of Spanish as a threat to American English and the special treatment of African-American vernacular English. And, challenging the purists who think grammatical standards are in serious deterioration and that media saturation of our culture is homogenizing our speech, they surprise us with unpredictable responses. With insight and wit, MacNeil and Cran bring us a compelling book that is at once a celebration and a potent study of our singular language. Each wave of immigration has brought new words to enrich the American language. Do you recognize the origin of 1. blunderbuss, sleigh, stoop, coleslaw, boss, waffle? Or 2. dumb, ouch, shyster, check, kaput, scram, bummer? Or 3. phooey, pastrami, glitch, kibbitz, schnozzle? Or 4. broccoli, espresso, pizza, pasta, macaroni, radio? Or 5. smithereens, lollapalooza, speakeasy, hooligan? Or 6. vamoose, chaps, stampede, mustang, ranch, corral? 1. Dutch 2. German 3. Yiddish 4. Italian 5. Irish 6. Spanish |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Norms and the Study of Language in Social Life Janus Mortensen, Kamilla Kraft, 2022-03-21 Sociolinguistics and the social sciences more generally tend to take an interest in norms as central to social life. The importance of norms is easily discernible in the sociolinguistic canon, for instance in Labov’s definition of the speech community as ‘participation in a set of shared norms’ and Hymes’ concepts of ‘norms of interaction’ and ‘norms of interpretation’. Yet, while the notion of norms may play a central role in sociolinguistic theory, there is little explicit theoretical work around the notion of norms itself within the discipline. Instead, norms tend to be treated as conceptual primes – convenient building blocks, ready-made for sociolinguistic theorizing – rather than theoretical constructs in need of reflexive attention. The aim of this book is to assess and advance current understandings of norms as a theoretical construct and empirical object of research in the study of language in social life. The contributors approach the topic from a range of complementary disciplinary perspectives, including sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, EM/CA, socio-cognitive linguistics and pragmatics, to provide a multifaceted view of norms as a central concept in the study of language in social life. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics Janet Holmes, 2013-10-31 Sociolinguistics is the study of the interaction between language and society. In this classic introductory work, Janet Holmes examines the role of language in a variety of social contexts, considering both how language works and how it can be used to signal and interpret various aspects of social identity. Written with Holmes' customary enthusiasm, the book is divided into three sections which explain basic sociolinguistic concepts in the light of classic approaches as well as introducing more recent research. This fourth edition has been revised and updated throughout using key concepts and examples to guide the reader through this fascinating area, including: - New sections on: koines and koineisation linguistic landscapes New Englishes Stylisation language and sexuality societal approaches to attitude research forensic linguistics - A new selection of informative examples, exercises and maps -Fully updated further reading and references sections An Introduction to Sociolinguistics is an essential introductory text for all students of sociolinguistics and a splendid point of reference for students of applied linguistics. It is also an accessible guide for those who are simply interested in language and the many and varied uses we put it to. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics and Language Education Nancy H. Hornberger, Sandra Lee McKay, 2010-06-17 This book, addressed to experienced and novice language educators, provides an up-to-date overview of sociolinguistics, reflecting changes in the global situation and the continuing evolution of the field and its relevance to language education around the world. Topics covered include nationalism and popular culture, style and identity, creole languages, critical language awareness, gender and ethnicity, multimodal literacies, classroom discourse, and ideologies and power. Whether considering the role of English as an international language or innovative initiatives in Indigenous language revitalization, in every context of the world sociolinguistic perspectives highlight the fluid and flexible use of language in communities and classrooms, and the importance of teacher practices that open up spaces of awareness and acceptance of --and access to--the widest possible communicative repertoire for students. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics Sharon K. Deckert, Caroline H. Vickers, 2011-03-17 This is a definitive introductory text to modern sociolinguistics that looks at the study of language and society through the concept of identity. It uses these sociolinguistic constructs of identity to tie together current concepts and methods in the field, offering a full overview of the discipline, both past and present. Deckert and Vickers adopt an interdisciplinary approach, introducing work from a variety of fields that examine sociolinguistic data, from linguistics to anthropology, sociology, psychology and education. The book moves from looking at language varieties and globalization to a close examination of language in social interaction, covering the concepts of ideology and power. Throughout, the authors offer keen insight into all of the topics, issues and methods that students of language and society will need to understand. The chapters contain a range of pedagogical features, including key terms, study questions, chapter summaries and further reading. This is an essential new text for all those studying contemporary sociolinguistics, suitable for undergraduates and postgraduates alike. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Dictionary of Sociolinguistics Joan Swann, 2019-08-07 Provides a broad coverage of sociolinguistics, including macro- and micro-sociolinguistics and a range of approaches within variationist, interactional, critical and applied traditions. In explaining sociolinguistic terminology, the dictionary is able to map out the traditions and approaches that comprise sociolinguistics and will thus help readers find their way around this fascinating but complex subject. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Glossary of Sociolinguistics Peter Trudgill, 2019-08-08 This pocket-sized alphabetic guide introduces popular terms used in the study of language and society. A central topic within modern linguistics, sociolinguistics deals with human communication and the use of language in its social context. Clearly written by a leading authority in the field, this glossary provides full coverage of both traditional and contemporary terminology, including the relatively new areas within sociolinguistics of sign language, gay language and cross-cultural communication.Key features:* An ideal companion to courses in sociolinguistics, language variation and change, dialectology, English language and language and gender* Contains illustrations, dialect maps and a bibliography* Provides linguistic examples of the terms defined* Supplies numerous cross-references to related terms. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics Bernard Spolsky, 1998-01-08 A brief but comprehensive introduction to sociolinguistics, the study of ways in which groups of people use language. It makes links with related disciplines such as history, politics and gender studies. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistic Patterns William Labov, 1973-09 This classic volume, by a well-known linguist, constitutes a systematic introduction to sociolinguistics, unmatched in the clarity and forcefulness of its approach, and to the study of language in its social setting. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Language in Society Suzanne Romaine, 2000-10-05 Why have 1500 separate languages developed in the Pacific region? Why do Danes understand Norwegians better than Norwegians understand Danish? Is Ebonics a language or a dialect? Linguistics tends to ignore the relationship between languages and the societies in which they are spoken, while sociology generally overlooks the role of language in the constitution of society. In this book Suzanne Romaine provides a clear, lively, and accessible introduction to the field of sociolinguistics and emphasizes the constant interaction between society and language, discussing both traditional and recent issues including: language and social class, language and gender, language and education, and pidgins and creoles. The text shows how our linguistic choices are motivated by social factors, and how certain ways of speaking come to be vested with symbolic value and includes examples drawing on studies of cultures and languages all over the world. This new edition incorporates new material on current issues in the study of gender as well as other topics such as the linguistic dimension to the ethnic conflict in the Balkans, and the controversy over Ebonics in the United States. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Style Nikolas Coupland, 2007-08-09 Style refers to ways of speaking - how speakers use the resource of language variation to make meaning in social encounters. This 2007 book develops a coherent theoretical approach to style in sociolinguistics, illustrated with copious examples. It explains how speakers project different social identities and create different social relationships through their style choices, and how speech-style and social context inter-relate. Style therefore refers to the wide range of strategic actions and performances that speakers engage in, to construct themselves and their social lives. Coupland draws on and integrates a wide variety of contemporary sociolinguistic research as well as his own extensive research in this field. The emphasis is on how social meanings are made locally, in specific relationships, genres, groups and cultures, and on studying language variation as part of the analysis of spoken discourse. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Code-switching Between Structural and Sociolinguistic Perspectives Gerald Stell, Kofi Yakpo, 2015-02-17 The study of code-switching has been carried out from linguistic, psycholinguistic, and sociolinguistic perspectives, largely in isolation from each other. This volume attempts to unite these three research strands by placing at the centre of the enquiry the role played by social factors in the occurrence, forms, and outcomes of code-switching. The contributions in this volume are divided into three parts: “code-switching between cognition and socio-pragmatics”, “multilingual interaction and identity”, and “code-switching and social structure”. The case studies represent contact settings on five continents and feature languages with diverse linguistic affiliations. They are predictive and descriptive in their research goals and rely on experimental or naturalistic data. But they share the common goal of seeking to explain how social structures, ideologies, and identity impact on the grammatical and conversational features of code-switching and language mixing, and on the emergence of mixed languages. Given its scope, this volume is a significant addition to the empirical and theoretical foundations of the study of code-switching. It is also of relevance to the general debate on the inter-relationships between language and society. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Code Switching: A sociolinguistic perspective Thuy Nguyen, 2014-04-01 Nowadays the alternation between two languages which is known as code-switching is rather the norm than exception in many communities due to the fact that there are nearly seven thousand languages spoken throughout the world and more than half of the worlds’ population is estimated to be bilingual and engages in code-switching. Code-switching remains one of the central issues in bilingualism research. For a long time, code-switching has been considered as a lack of linguistic competence since it was taken as evidence that bilinguals are not able to acquire two languages or keep them apart properly. Nowadays it is the common belief that code-switching is grammatically structured and systematic and therefore can no longer be regarded as deficient language behaviour.The purpose of this essay is to explore the question why bilingual speakers engage in code-switching based on selected theories from a sociolinguistic perspective which looks beyond the formal aspects and concentrates on the social, pragmatic and cultural functions that code-switching may have. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: The History of Linguistics in Europe Vivien Law, 2003-01-30 This authoritative and wide-ranging book, first published in 2003, examines the history of western linguistics over a 2000-year timespan, from its origins in ancient Greece up to the crucial moment of change in the Renaissance that laid the foundations of modern linguistics. Some of today's burning questions about language date back a long way: in 1400 BC Plato was asking how words relate to reality. Other questions go back just a few generations, such as our interest in the mechanisms of language change, or in the social factors that shape the way we speak. Vivien Law explores how ideas about language over the centuries have changed to reflect changing modes of thinking. A survey chapter brings the coverage of the book up to the present day. Classified bibliographies and chapters on research resources and the qualities the historian of linguistics needs to develop, provide the reader with the tools to go further. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Durkheim and the Internet Jan Blommaert, 2018-07-12 This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Sociolinguistic evidence is an undervalued resource for social theory. In this book, Jan Blommaert uses contemporary sociolinguistic insights to develop a new sociological imagination, exploring how we construct and operate in online spaces, and what the implications of this are for offline social practice. Taking Émile Durkheim's concept of the 'social fact' (social behaviours that we all undertake under the influence of the society we live in) as the point of departure, he first demonstrates how the facts of language and social interaction can be used as conclusive refutations of individualistic theories of society such as 'Rational Choice'. Next, he engages with theorizing the post-Durkheimian social world in which we currently live. This new social world operates 'offline' as well as 'online' and is characterized by 'vernacular globalization', Arjun Appadurai's term to summarise the ways that larger processes of modernity are locally performed through new electronic media. Blommaert extrapolates from this rich concept to consider how our communication practices might offer a template for thinking about how we operate socially. Above all, he explores the relationship between sociolinguistics and social practice In Durkheim and the Internet, Blommaert proposes new theories of social norms, social action, identity, social groups, integration, social structure and power, all of them animated by a deep understanding of language and social interaction. In drawing on Durkheim and other classical sociologists including Simmel and Goffman, this book is relevant to students and researchers working in sociolinguistics as well as offering a wealth of new insights to scholars in the fields of digital and online communications, social media, sociology, and digital anthropology. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics and the Narrative Turn Rada Tirvassen, 2018-12-10 Sociolinguistics and the Narrative Turn presents a fresh approach to sociolinguistics. Located within a qualitative paradigm, it proposes an alternative method for generating knowledge in the field. To start with, there is an argued critique of some of the guiding principles of traditional sociolinguistics which is driven by a trend of scholarship that draws on the meta-narrative of the researcher. In this traditional approach to sociolinguistics, the interpretation of the language phenomenon is not only decontextualised but also stripped of human experience. To illustrate his argument that a qualitative narrative approach to knowledge generation can offer different perspectives and can renew the theorisation of the relationship between language and society, the author has conducted a small-scale study consisting of seven participants. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics: Theoretical perspectives in sociolinguistics Nikolas Coupland, Adam Jaworski, 2009 This title is a new collection in Routledge's Critical Concepts in Linguistics series. In six volumes, it provides a critical synthesis of the key ideas, findings, methods, and approaches that make up the interdisciplinary field of sociolinguistics. It includes both classic texts and contemporary, state-of-the-art research, with a bias towards the latter. The editors aver that the collection 'will stand as an articulation of the New Sociolinguistics as it is emerging through a sustained reflexive reassessment of the field which is now ongoing, set against a core of classic texts' |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: The Cambridge Handbook of Linguistic Code-switching Barbara E. Bullock, Almeida Jacqueline Toribio, 2012-04-26 Code-switching - the alternating use of two languages in the same stretch of discourse by a bilingual speaker - is a dominant topic in the study of bilingualism and a phenomenon that generates a great deal of pointed discussion in the public domain. This handbook provides the most comprehensive guide to this bilingual phenomenon to date. Drawing on empirical data from a wide range of language pairings, the leading researchers in the study of bilingualism examine the linguistic, social and cognitive implications of code-switching in up-to-date and accessible survey chapters. The Cambridge Handbook of Linguistic Code-switching will serve as a vital resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as a wide-ranging overview for linguists, psychologists and speech scientists and as an informative guide for educators interested in bilingual speech practices. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics Lesley Milroy, Matthew Gordon, 2008-04-15 Sociolinguistics: Method and Interpretation presents a thorough and practical description of current sociolinguistic methodology while recognizing that methodological decisions can never be separated from questions of theory. Presents a thorough and practical description of current sociolinguistic methodology. Considers a range of issues including speaker selection, data collection, social considerations, phonological and syntactical variation, style-shifting and code-switching. Recognizes that methodological decisions can never be separated from questions of theory. Stresses the need for the entire research process from the initial design of the project to the interpretation of results to be grounded in theoretically defensible positions. Shows how the research paradigm established by a few influential pioneers has been fruitfully expanded by exciting new trends. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Discourse Analysis Michael Stubbs, 1991-01-08 The study of naturally occurring connected discourse, spoken or written is one of the most promising and rapidly developing areas of linguistics. Traditional linguistics has concentrated on the analysis of single sentence or isolated speech acts. In this important new book Michael Stubbs shows that linguistic concepts can be extended to analyse spontaneous and informal talk in the home, classroom or factory, and, indeed, written narrative. Using copious examples drawn from recorded conversations, field work observations, experimental data and written texts, he explores such questions as how far discourse structure is comparable to sentence structure; whether it is possible to talk of 'well formed' discourse as one does of 'grammatical' sentences; and whether the relation between question and answer in conversation is syntactic, semantic or pragmatic. He also demonstrates some of the limitations of contemporary linguistics and speech act theory which neglect key aspects of native speaker fluency and communicative competence. Alhough written from a predominantly linguistic perspective, the book is informed by insights from sociology and anthropology. Theoretical debate is accompanied by discussion of real life implications, particularly for the teacher. A Final Chapter offers clear and practical guidelines on methods of data collection and analysis for the student and researcher; and the book includes a full bibliography and suggestions for further reading. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Language Attitudes Roger W. Shuy, Ralph W. Fasold, 1973 |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: A Framework for Cognitive Sociolinguistics Francisco Moreno-Fernandez, 2016-10-04 A Framework for Cognitive Sociolinguistics attempts to lay out the epistemological system for a cognitive sociolinguistics—the first book to do so in the English language. The intention of this volume is not to provide a simple catalog of sociolinguistic principles or of theoretical postulates of a cognitive nature, but rather it aims to build a verifiable metatheoretical basis for cognitive sociolinguistics. This book is articulated through a series of propositions, accompanied by annotations and commentaries that develop, qualify and exemplify these propositions. As for the research questions that would be central to a cognitive sociolinguistic endeavor, the following incomplete catalog could be enumerated: What do speakers know about their language? What do they know about communicative interaction? What do speakers know about sociolinguistic variation? Where does that knowledge reside and how is it configured? How does social reality influence the origin and processing of language? How does language use affect the configuration, evolution and variation of language? What do speakers know about their socio-communicative context? How do speakers perceive sociolinguistic reality? What are speakers’ attitudes and beliefs regarding linguistic variation? How does sociolinguistic perception influence speakers’ communicative behavior at all levels? How does language contribute to the construction of identity? Offering a fresh perspective on the frequently taught and studied topic of cognitive linguistics, A Framework for Cognitive Sociolinguistics can easily be incorporated into existing courses in the areas of both cognitive and sociocultural linguistics. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Third Language Acquisition and Linguistic Transfer Jason Rothman, Jorge González Alonso, Eloi Puig-Mayenco, 2019-10-10 Provides a comprehensive overview of third language acquisition (additive multilingualism) in adulthood, an increasingly important subfield of language acquisition. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: The Oxford Handbook of Sociolinguistics Robert Bayley, Richard Cameron, Ceil Lucas, 2015 This major new survey of sociolinguistics identifies gaps in our existing knowledge base and provides directions for future research. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: Sociolinguistics Richard A. Hudson, 1996-06-13 New edition of widely-acclaimed textbook, including new sections on up-to-date topics for the 1990s. |
| sociolinguistic theory definition: The Sociolinguistics of Survey Translation Yuling Pan, Mandy Sha, Hyunjoo Park, 2019-06-26 The Sociolinguistics of Survey Translation presents an overview of challenges in survey translation, introduces a sociolinguistic framework to overcome these challenges, and demonstrates step-by-step how this framework works to guide and evaluate survey translation. Topics covered in the book include the relationship between linguistic rules, cultural norms, and social practices and their impact on survey translation, the role of orthography and semiotic symbols in translation, translation of different types of survey materials, and various stages of translation review and evaluation. This accessible book not only demonstrates how sociolinguistics can be a useful framework to address thorny survey translation problems but also provides practical and useful tools to guide survey translators and survey practitioners as they conduct and evaluate survey translations. Presenting an easy to implement yet comprehensive survey translation methodology and providing practical tools for survey translators, practitioners and students, this book is the essential guide to this fast-growing area. |
Sociolinguistics - Wikipedia
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive, scientific study of how language is shaped by, and used differently within, any given society. The field largely …
Sociolinguistics | Definition, Examples, History, William La…
May 22, 2025 · sociolinguistics, the study of the social dimensions of language use. Human language, …
Sociolinguistics Definition and Examples - ThoughtCo
Apr 29, 2025 · Sociolinguistics takes language samples from sets of random population subjects and looks at variables that include such things as …
What Is Sociolinguistics? - Globe Language
Feb 8, 2025 · Sociolinguistics explores how social influences shape language use, variation, and change. It looks at why people speak differently in …
SOCIOLINGUISTIC Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of SOCIOLINGUISTIC is of or relating to the social aspects of language.
Sociolinguistics - Wikipedia
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive, scientific study of how language is shaped by, and used differently within, any given society. The field largely looks at how a language varies between …
Sociolinguistics | Definition, Examples, History, William Labov ...
May 22, 2025 · sociolinguistics, the study of the social dimensions of language use. Human language, across all of its many modalities, exhibits tremendous diversity, creativity, and …
Sociolinguistics Definition and Examples - ThoughtCo
Apr 29, 2025 · Sociolinguistics takes language samples from sets of random population subjects and looks at variables that include such things as pronunciation, word choice, and colloquialisms.
What Is Sociolinguistics? - Globe Language
Feb 8, 2025 · Sociolinguistics explores how social influences shape language use, variation, and change. It looks at why people speak differently in various settings and how speech patterns …
SOCIOLINGUISTIC Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of SOCIOLINGUISTIC is of or relating to the social aspects of language.
Sociolinguistics: Connection between Language & Society
Aug 6, 2023 · Sociolinguistics is a branch of linguistics that studies the intricate connection between language and society. It analyzes how social factors, including region, gender, age, …
Sociolinguistics | Definition, Variations & Examples - Study.com
Nov 21, 2023 · Sociolinguistics is a branch of study in the broader field of linguistics that is concerned with how language functions in society. Sociolinguists study how social factors …
Socioliguistics Explained - Easy Sociology
Jun 7, 2025 · By treating language as a patterned social practice rather than a transparent conduit of ideas, sociolinguistics equips analysts with an ear attuned to inequality and an eye sensitive …
Sociolinguistic theory - (Intro to Linguistics) - Fiveable
Sociolinguistic theory is the study of how language varies and changes in social contexts, emphasizing the relationships between language, culture, and society. It examines how factors …
Sociolinguistics - Literary Theory and Criticism
Nov 7, 2020 · Sociolinguistics, or the study of language in relation to society, is a relative newcomer to the linguistic fold. It wasn’t until the early 1960s, largely as a result of William …
