Ling20 Ch.11 Sociocultural Linguistics

Structured variation

The systematic, rule-governed way languages operate, change, and differ; language is not random and is based on predictable patterns

Social stratification

Studies of society’s hierarchies influence language (I.e. socioeconomic class, race, gender, age, sexuality, gender, etc)

Sociocultural linguistics

The study of interactional, social, cultural, and political uses + meanings of language

2 fundamental principles:

1) linguistic diversity

2) linguistic variation

Dialect

The systemic variations of a single language; may differ in vocabulary, syntax, lexicons, etc but remains mutually intelligible

Regional variety

a form of a language specific to a geographic area; similar to dialect

Merger

A sound change where the distinction between two or more phonemes is lost, resulting in them being pronounced as the same sound

Split

Phenomena where linguistics elements diverge; includes phonological splits (sound change), lexical splits, etc etc

Double modal

Non-standard grammatical constructions where 2 modal verbs are used together (I.e. “shoulda oughta”); characteristics of Southern US English

Rhoticity

Pronounces [r] in all positions

Non-rhoticity

Drops or softens [r] when it follows a vowel

Linguistic divergence

The process by which languages become more different over time and split into entirely new languages or dialects

Characteristics of AAVE

Negative concern, invariant be, zero copula, uninflected verb

Negative concord

Double negatives

Invariant “be”

The same form of “be” is used for all person and number inflections

Zero copula

Omitting copula verb such as “is” or “are”

Situational code switching

Aka diglossia; switching back and forth in a single conversation

Conversational code switching

Switching back and forth within a single conversation

Fourth Floor study

Store employees were asking where a specific item is and their response was always “the fourth floor” and their rhoticity was recorded; determined that higher socioeconomic status = likelier pronunciation of [r]; shows that linguistic variables are social stratified