Study Notes on Labov's Social Stratification of (r) in NYC Department Stores

Introduction to the Social Stratification of (r) in New York City Department Stores

  • Author: William Labov.

  • Context: Examines the relationship between social class and language variation, focusing on department store employees in New York City.

  • Key Quote: "As this letter is but a jar of the tongue, it is the most imperfect of all the consonants." (John Walker, 1791)

Methodological Challenges in Studying Language

  • Primary Challenge: Data collection methods influence the linguistic data gathered.

    • Taped Interviews: Formal speech, less representative of vernacular.

    • Responses may be altered due to interviewer presence.

    • Natural Context Studies: Observations of language use in informal settings (home, peer groups).

  • Aim of the Chapter: Present results from systematic anonymous observations within the social context of New York City.

Overview of the Study

  • Setting: Sociolinguistic analysis in New York City, particularly the Lower East Side.

  • Initial Investigations: Conducted 70 individual interviews and anonymous public observations to establish phonological variables.

  • Key Variable Studied: The consonantal (r) in post-vocalic positions (e.g., car, card).

  • Hypotheses Tested:

    1. The variable (r) serves as a social differentiator across all societal levels of New York City speech.

    2. Casual speech in public contexts can yield systematic linguistic data.

The Concept of Social Stratification

  • Definition by Bernard Barber (1957): Social stratification results from social differentiation and social evaluation. It does not imply specific class structures but indicates systematic differences in status or prestige in society.

  • General Hypothesis Derived from Interviews: If two subgroups are ranked socially, their linguistic behavior (specifically in the use of (r)) will reflect that same ranking.

Methodology of Research

  • Testing the Hypothesis:

    • Focus on subtle stratification within a single occupational group—salespeople in department stores.

    • Department Stores Selected:

    • High-Ranked: Saks Fifth Avenue.

    • Middle-Ranked: Macy's.

    • Low-Ranked: S. Klein.

  • Expected Outcomes: Different stores will reflect a consistent pattern in the usage of (r) corresponding to social prestige.

Store Differentiation

  • Saks Fifth Avenue:

    • Location: 50th Street and Fifth Avenue.

    • Characteristics: High prestige, elite shopping experience.

  • Macy's:

    • Location: Herald Square, 34th Street and Sixth Avenue.

    • Characteristics: Middle-range in both price and prestige.

  • S. Klein:

    • Location: Union Square, 14th Street and Broadway.

    • Characteristics: Lower prestige, less fashionable, budget-focused.

Advertising Analysis

  • Newspaper Advertising Patterns:

    • Daily News: Primarily read by working-class citizens.

    • New York Times: Primarily caters to the middle-class demographic.

  • Advertising Comparison (Oct 24-27, 1962):

    • NY Times: Saks (2), Macy's (2); Kleins (1/4).

    • Daily News: Saks (0); Macy's (15); Kleins (10).

  • Pricing Comparison for Women's Coats:

    • Saks: $90, Macy's: $79.95, Kleins: $23.

Employee Experience and Conditions

  • Working Conditions:

    • Employees' perception of prestige varies by store, affecting their linguistic behavior.

    • Employees at higher-prestige stores willingness to accept lower wages for prestige benefits.

  • Wages:

    • Saks (non-union, generally lower wages) vs. Macy's (unionized, higher wages).

    • Prestige potentially overrides wage considerations in employee satisfaction.

  • Socioeconomic Status:

    • Education level among employees may vary, but working conditions and prestige lead to clear stratification.

Research Method Applied

  • Customer Interaction Method:

    • Interviewer posing as a customer requests store information, prompting language use in naturalistic contexts.

  • Data Collection:

    • 68 interviews at Saks, 125 at Macy's, 71 at Kleins; total approximately 6.5 hours.

  • Independent Variables: Store, floor, gender, age, occupation, race, accent.

  • Dependent Variable: Use of (r) in phrases like "fourth floor."

Analysis of Results

  • Stratification in (r) Usage:

    • Results show clear social stratification of (r) use correlating with store prestige.

  • Data Presentation:

    • Categories used:

    • All (r-1): Only (r-1, no (r-0).

    • Some (r-1): At least one (r-1) and (r-0).

    • No (r-1): Only (r-0).

Results Overview

  • **Percentage of Use by Store:

    • Saks: 62% (All (r-1)), 32% (Some (r-1)).

    • Macy's: 51% (All), 31% (Some).

    • Kleins: 20% (All), 30% (Some).

  • Stylistic Variation: Employees exhibit similar fluctuations in the use of (r) across stores. Stratification is consistent across casual and emphatic contexts.

Detailed Result Tables

  • Table 13.1: Distribution across stores and styles:

    • Saks: 68 total responses; various instances of (r-1) and (r-0).

    • Macy's and Kleins also tabulated with different results impacting overall rankings.

  • Table 13.2: For complete responses, the pattern of differential ranking amongst stores remains evident, confirming the hypothesis.