Language variation

language variation

Differences in language use across contexts.

dialect

a form of language spoken by people in a particular region or group

sociolect

A language style associated with a particular social group

idiolect

Language use that is typical of a particular person

register

These are variations determined by the context or situation. Your language changes when speaking in a formal setting compared to an informal one.

factors affecting language variation

Geographical Factors: Where you live

Social Factors: Social class, ethnicity, and community traditions

Functional Factors: The situation or context in which language is used can alter language form.

geographical influences

Geographical location plays a significant role in language variation. When people live in different areas, they often develop unique dialects that include specific pronunciations, vocabularies, and grammatical structures. For example, the English spoken in New England contrasts with the Southern English dialect in the United States.

social and cultural factors

Social identity, cultural heritage, and community traditions influence language variation significantly. Factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and social class can shape how individuals and groups express themselves. Within any given language community, multiple speech patterns coexist, reflecting the society’s complex social fabric.

Aitchison

'Prescriptivist Attitudes'

1) damp spoon

2) crumbling castle

3) infectious diseases

Norman Fairclough

'Synthetic personalisation'

Zimmerman and West

Women are interrupted more in mixed conversations (men interrupt 96% of the time).Men talk about things, women talk about feelings.