Sociolinguistics Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on sociolinguistics.

Sociolinguistics

The study of how language interacts with society, including how social factors shape speech and how language use reflects and constructs social identities and relationships.

Social factors in language use

Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, social class, education, occupation, sexual orientation, etc., that influence how people speak and how their speech is interpreted.

Region (geographical factor)

Geography-driven language variation that leads to dialects and accents, with examples like soda vs. pop or Newfoundland vs. Toronto English.

Standard language

The variety widely accepted as the norm, used in formal settings, codified in grammars/dictionaries, and linked to prestige and authority.

Non-standard language

Any language variety that differs from the standard; not incorrect; common in informal contexts; includes regional forms, slang, and varieties like AAVE.

Variation

The different ways people use language, including pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, influenced by context and social factors.

Linguistic variable

An abstract feature of language that can be realized in different forms (variants) in different contexts.

Variant

The actual form used to realize a linguistic variable (e.g., [ɪŋ] vs [ɪn] for the -ing ending).

Dialect

A regional or social sub-variety of a language; mutually intelligible with other dialects of the same language and not inherently incorrect.

Accent

The pronunciation features of speech (phonology) without necessarily involving grammar or vocabulary.

Slang

Informal, often trendy language used by specific groups; signals belonging and identity; evolves quickly.

Variety

A neutral umbrella term for forms of a language (including dialects, accents, registers); here used to refer to a dialect in the course.

Regional dialects

Dialects tied to specific geographic regions, with differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and sometimes grammar.

Sociolects

Social dialects based on class, ethnicity, age, gender, occupation, and other social factors.

Mutual intelligibility

When speakers of different varieties can understand each other; if not, varieties are typically considered separate languages.

Language vs. dialect (social/political factors)

The distinction is often influenced by political, social, and historical factors rather than purely linguistic criteria.

r-dropping (non-rhoticity)

Omitting the 'r' sound in certain positions; associated with some British accents (RP) and varies in other regions; tied to social prestige.

Copula deletion

Omitting the 'be' verb in certain dialects (e.g., He bad); common in AAVE and other varieties; not a lack of ability.

AAVE (African American Vernacular English)

An ethnolect spoken by some African American communities; a rule-governed, legitimate variety with deep linguistic patterns.

Ethnolect

A variety spoken by a specific ethnic group (e.g., AAVE as an ethnolect in the U.S.).

Enclave

A geographic or social area where a minority language/dialect is preserved within a larger community (e.g., Chinatown).

Code-switching

Alternating between two or more languages or dialects within a conversation or sentence; types include inter-sentential, intra-sentential, and tag-switching.

Loanwords

Words borrowed directly from another language into a language’s vocabulary.

Calques (loan translations)

Phrases translated literally from one language to another (e.g., gratte-ciel from French for skyscraper).

Borrowed grammar

Grammatical structures borrowed from another language.

Borrowed sounds (phonemes)

Phonetic features adopted from another language.

Hypercorrection

Overapplying perceived prestigious language rules to sound more educated, often producing nonstandard forms (e.g., whom arrived? or between you and I).

Linguistic insecurity

Anxiety about one’s speech, leading to overcorrection; linked to social stigma and prestige pressures; described by Labov.

Example of a linguistic variable and its variants\n\n

The -ing suffix in English where the variable can be realized as variants like [ɪŋ] (walking) or [ɪn] (walkin').\n\n

Example of regional dialect lexical variation\n\n

The use of 'soda' in some regions versus 'pop' in others to refer to a carbonated drink.\n\n

Example of copula deletion\n\n

The phrase 'He bad' instead of 'He is bad', commonly found in AAVE.\n\n

Example of a loanword\n\n

'Kindergarten' from German, meaning 'children's garden'.\n\n

Example of a calque (loan translation)\n\n

The English word 'skyscraper' which is a literal translation of the French word 'gratte-ciel' ('scrape-sky').\n\n

Example of hypercorrection\n\n

Using 'whom' in a context where 'who' would be grammatically correct, such as 'Whom arrived?' instead of 'Who arrived?'.\n\n