Sociolinguistics Final Review

These flashcards cover key concepts from the sociolinguistics course, including definitions and important terms.

Sociolinguistics

The study of how language varies and changes in social groups.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary of a linguistic feature.

Dialect Continuum

A spread of language varieties that vary only slightly from their closest neighbors.

Idiolect

The language or speech pattern unique to an individual.

Diglossia

The coexistence of two distinct varieties of the same language, one of which is regarded as a high variety and the other as a low variety.

Code-Switching

The practice of alternating between two or more languages or language varieties in conversation.

Social Dialect

Variation in language related to the speaker’s social background.

Multilingualism

The ability to use and understand multiple languages.

Negative Concord

The use of multiple negative markers in the same phrase.

Genderlect

Variation in language use based on gender.