Introducing Sociolinguistics

Front Cover
Introducing Sociolinguistics
Copyright Page
Contents
List of figure
List of tables
Sounds and symbols used in the text
Acknowledgements
Maps
1. Introduction
What is sociolinguistics?
How do sociolinguists study sociolinguistics?
Making broader connections
Sociolinguistic questions
Structure of this book
On quantitative and qualitative methods
On sociolinguistic methods more generally
Using this book with The Routledge Sociolinguistics Reader
2. Variation and language
Variables and variants
Regional dialectology: mapping speakers and places
Using regional dialect data to inform theory
Standards, norms and alternations from the norms
Martha’s vineyard: a study of social dialects
Stereotypes, markers and indicators
Factors motivating variation
Chapter summary
Further reading
3. Variation and style
Introduction
Studying variation in speakers’ style
The new york City social dialect survey
Prestige of a variable
In search of the unknowable: the observer’s paradox
Challenging style as attention to speech
Chapter summary
Further reading
4. Language attitudes
Introduction
Language attitudes in language change
Linguistic relativism
Reclaiming derogatory terms
Perceptual dialectology
Attitudes to language: identities and accommodation
Social identity theory
Accommodation theory
Chapter summary
Further reading
5. Being polite as a variable in speech
Introduction
Theories of politeness
Applications of politeness theory: intercultural communication
Critiques of politeness theory
Chapter summary
Further reading
6. Multilingualism and language choice
Introduction
Language policy and language planning in multilingual societies
Language rights in South Africa’s constitution
Language rights in Vanuatu’s constitution
Ethnolinguistic vitality
Using the model of language vitality
Diglossia in a community
Is ‘vitality’ the same as ‘prestige’?
Code switching and code mixing
Speech levels as different codes
Chapter summary
Further reading
7. Real time and apparent time
Introduction
Studying change over time
Real time studies of change
Apparent time studies of change
Real time tests of the apparent time construct
Profiles of change
Challenges associated with real and apparent time sampling
Language and ageing
Chapter summary
Further reading
8. Social class
Introduction
Social class
Class as a factor in linguistic variation
Fine and broad stratification
Cross-over effects and change from above/ below
Class and historical sociolinguistics
The intersection of class and style
Chapter summary
Further reading
9. Social networks and communities of practice
Introduction
Social networks
Communities of practice: highly local networks
Case studies of social networks and language variation
Not all networks are equal
How occupation interacts with social networks
Who leads?
Chapter summary
Further reading
10. Gender
Introduction
Sex or gender?
Exclusive gender differences
Preferential gender differences
Principles of gender and variation: a historical picture
Moving beyond Labov’s principles
Gender practices
Strategic use of gender differences
Gendered style
Gender and sexuality
Wider implications of rethinking gender
Chapter summary
Further reading
11. Language contact
How contact between varieties affects variation and change
Dialect levelling
Global contact: global English?
Contact-induced change
Sociolinguistic constraints on contact
Chapter summary
Further reading
12. Looking back and looking ahead
Variation is what we know
Theory in sociolinguistics
Interpreting and motivating variation
A final word: the triumph of multiple causation
Notes on the exercises
Glossary
Bibliography
Index