Monday_Week11

Introduction to Sociolinguistics

• Quote by Thomas Hardy on dialects as marks of social class.

• Focus on social dialects in sociolinguistics.

Participation Survey

• End of quarter participation survey details:

  • Access from Week 11 module.

  • Open until December 6 at 11:59 pm.

Final Exam Details

• Scheduled on Canvas for Wednesday, December 11.

  • Opens at 12:01 am and closes at 11:59 pm (24-hour window).

  • 110 minutes to complete after starting (do not start after 10:10 pm).

  • Total points: 65-70.

  • DRS extended time managed via Canvas – contact instructor if issue arises.

Class Topics Today

• Covered topics:

  • Distinctions between 'standard' and 'nonstandard' dialects.

  • Concepts of overt vs. covert prestige in dialects.

  • The role of social dialects with variations in ethnicity, social class, and gender.

• Assigned Readings: Sections 10.4 – 10.5.

U.S. Regional Dialects

• Discussion question: Which U.S. regional dialect is considered the most correct?

  • Options: The North, The Midland, The South, The West.

Linguistic Attitudes

• No dialect is linguistically superior or inferior.

  • All dialects are systematic and logical in their own contexts.

Standard vs. Non-standard Dialects

• Standard Dialect:

  • Utilized by political leaders, media, upper classes; often taught in schools.

  • Considered the 'prestige' dialect.

• Non-standard Dialect:

  • Refers to any dialect not recognized as 'standard'.

  • Not synonymous with terms like 'substandard', 'incorrect', or 'ungrammatical'.

Characteristics of Standard American English (SAE)

• Defined primarily by syntactic rather than phonological features.

• Prestige associated with standard dialects is arbitrary and not based on linguistic merit.

Prestige in Dialects

• Overt Prestige:

  • Linked to standard dialects; indicates societal expectations for status.

• Covert Prestige:

  • Associated with nonstandard dialects; valued by specific groups within the community.

Hypercorrection

• Occurs when individuals use nonstandard forms mistakenly, aiming for overt prestige:

  • Examples:

    • Phonological: Intrusive 'r' in r-less dialects ("The idea(r) is...").

    • Syntactic: Cases like "Let’s keep this between you and I." and "Whom is calling?".

Factors Contributing to Variation

• Social situation (speech style).

• Age (use of slang).

• Occupation (industry jargon).

• Geography (regional dialects).

• Ethnicity, Gender, and Social status/class affecting social dialects.

Social Dialects and Ethnicity

• Overview of African-American English (AAE):

  • A diverse continuum primarily spoken among African-Americans.

  • Not exclusive to or indicative of a lack of education.

  • Differentiates from stereotypes such as "black slang".

Structure of AAE

a. Multiple Negation:

• Example: "He don’ know nothin.’"

• Comparable to Spanish and Middle English forms.

b. Absence of 'to be':

• Example: "He __ my brother."

• Parallels in other languages like Russian.

c. Absence of 3rd Person Singular '–s':

• Example: "He eat five times a day."

Bidialectal Speakers

• AAE/SAE speakers may switch to AAE to identify positively with the community:

  • Reasons include seeking overt or covert prestige.

Socioeconomic Class Variation

• William Labov's NYC 'r' study:

  • Analyzed speech among salespeople in different department stores: Saks (upper class), Macy's (middle class), S. Klein (lower class).

  • Methodology included casual and careful speech samples.

• Results:

  • Percentage of [ɹ]’s production increased with socioeconomic class and attention to speech.

Conclusions from Dept Store Study

• Pronunciation of [ɹ] correlates with social class:

  • Lower classes use fewer [ɹ]’s.

  • Significant intra-speaker variation largely seen in lower classes, highlighting the role of overt prestige.

Social Dialects and Gender

• Distinctions between biological sex (male vs. female) and social gender (masculine vs. feminine):

  • Women's voices generally higher in pitch.

  • Social speech norms see women using 'standard' forms more frequently compared to men.

• Notable cultural variations in norms around speech:

  • Direct vs. indirect speech preferences across cultures.

Language Variation Summary

• Language and dialect serve as crucial indicators of group identity.