Course materials © for/by Peter L. Patrick. May contain copyright material used for educational purposes. Please respect copyright.

LG 232 Sociolinguistics

 2011-2012, term 1

Prof. Peter L. Patrick

 

Week-by-week Schedule

Here is a list of topics, aims and readings for each week of Term 1.

Each week has Main Readings covered in the lecture. Most Main Readings are drawn from the set texts; most exam questions are drawn from the Main Readings. When you come to class, you should have already read the Main Readings for that week. In doing your assignments, I will also assume you have already read the Main Readings for their topic.

Each week also lists Further reading items which can be found in the library. The first few weeks cover general and introductory topics, with short Further Reading lists. The second half of term provides a more detailed guide to the existing literature on key topics in sociolinguistic variation and change. As this is a survey course, it is not expected that you will read all of these – and it is not necessary to do so in order to perform well! However, all topics covered in class may appear on exams. The Further readings lists are bibliographies which, if you worked through them, would provide you with a good in-depth knowledge of the individual topic. (Readings printed in red are ones you might use in your Assignments.)

Weblinks are given for most weeks. Online lecture notes are often provided too. Please understand these are not complete lectures, and are not intended to substitute for attending lectures – many things said in class will not appear in them.

 

Week 2

Course introduction. Language histories. Definitions, basic concepts.

Oct 11

In this first class you are introduced to the basic ideas and structure of the course, and a description is distributed. We'll briefly illustrate key concepts of sociolinguistics, contrast formal & sociolinguistic approaches to language, and explore basic notions of 'language', 'dialect', 'accent' and 'variety', with examples; and look at how they are defined by users (speech community) and functions (communicative competence). You'll be asked about your own linguistic history.

Main Reading:

·         Mesthrie et al 2009, Chap 1.

·         Chambers 2009, Chap 1: pp 1-11.

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap 1.

Further Reading:

Begin reading for next week. Below are some general histories & basic articles to orient you to key ideas in the field. Remember – you’re not expected to read all, or required to read any, of them.

·         F Coulmas 1997, introduction to Handbook of Sociolinguistics, 1-11.

·         M Heller, JR Rickford, M Laforest, D Cyr 1999, "Sociolinguistics and public debate." Journal of Sociolinguistics 3(2): 260-86. These four very brief pieces, individually written but jointly published, have a common theme of sociolinguistic expertise and public perceptions. You will need to consult this journal in the periodicals section of the library.

·         D Hymes 1972 "On communicative competence" in J Pride & J Holmes, eds. Sociolinguistics 269-293

·         W Labov 1968 "The logic of non-standard English" in P Giglioli 1972, ed. Language & Social Context 179-215.

·         RB LePage 1997, "The evolution of a sociolinguistic theory of language", in F Coulmas, ed. Handbook of Sociolinguistics: 15-32.

·         R Shuy 1990, “A brief history of American sociolinguistics, 1949-1989”, and L-J Calvet, “Reflections on the origins of sociolinguistics in Europe”, both included in C Bratt Paulston & GR Tucker, eds., Sociolinguistics: The Essential Readings, pp. 1-25.

·         P Trudgill 2000 Sociolinguistics: an Introduction, Chap. 1.

·         K Hazen 2007 The study of variation in historical perspective. In R Bayley & C Lucas, eds. 2007. Sociolinguistic Variation: Theories, methods and applications, 70-89. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Web-links:

§  Please fill out Language History Form: http://courses.essex.ac.uk/lg/lg232/LangHistForm.doc

§  http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~patrickp/Courses/10slxaxioms.htm Ten things all (socio-) linguists agree on (I think!)

Notes:

·         Definitions of sociolinguistics

·         List: Some basic concepts in sociolinguistics

·         Formal linguistics vs. Sociolinguistics

 

 

Week 3

Dialectology and Dialect Geography.

Oct 18

Aims: to explain what dialectologists do, their typical methods, tools and findings; to contrast traditional & mainstream dialects. We'll illustrate with dialect maps & discuss the geographic dimensions of language change. Case study: traditional & mainstream dialect features in England.

Main Reading:

·         D Britain, 2005 “Dialectology”. Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies resource paper. http://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/goodpractice.aspx?resourceid=964

·         P Trudgill 1994 Dialects pp 1-35 (=Chaps 1-7).

·         Chambers & Trudgill 1998 Dialectology pp 6-35.

·         Mesthrie et al 2009, Chap 2 : "Regional dialectology".

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap 2 : "Variation and language", pp 8-16.

Further Reading:

·         Labov, William. 1963. The social motivation of a sound change. Word 19:273-309. Reprinted in W Labov 1972 Sociolinguistic Patterns, Chap. 1 (1-42).  [P 126.L2], and also in Meyerhoff & Schleef (2010), pp292-322.

·         A Payne 1980 "Factors controlling the acquisition of the Philadelphia dialect by out-of-state children," in W Labov ed. 1980 Locating language in time and space: 143-178.

·         P Trudgill 1983 On Dialect Chap. 3: "Linguistic change and diffusion", 52-87.

·         W Labov 1989 "The child as linguistic historian." Language Variation & Change 1: 85-97.

·         G Bailey, T Wikle, J Tillery & L Sand 1993 "Some patterns of linguistic diffusion." Language Variation & Change 5: 359-90.

·         W Wolfram & N Schilling-Estes 1998 American English Chaps. 2, 5.

·         Chambers & Trudgill 1998, Dialectology Chaps. 7-8.

·         P Foulkes & G Docherty 1999 "Urban Voices: Overview" in Foulkes & Docherty ed. 1999 Urban Voices: pp1-9.

·         Romaine 2000 Chap 5, pp 135-155 (up to "Language change and social ideology").

·         C Boberg 2000 "Geolinguistic diffusion and the US-Canada border." Language Variation & Change 12(1): 1-24.

·         B & R Horvath 2001 "A multilocality study of a sound change in progress: The case of /l/ vocalization in New Zealand and Australian English." Language Variation & Change 13(1): 37-57.

·         D Britain, 2002: “Space and Spatial Diffusion”. In JK Chambers, P Trudgill & N Schilling-Estes, eds., Handbook of Language Variation and Change, 603-637.

·         Blake, Renee, & Meredith Josey. 2003. The /ay/ diphthong in a Martha's Vineyard community: What can we say 40 years after Labov? Language in Society 32: 451-485.

·         Straw, MC & PL Patrick 2007 “Dialect acquisition of glottal variation in /t/: Barbadians in Ipswich.” Language Sciences 29(2-3): 385-407.

·         Pope, Jennifer, Miriam Meyerhoff, & D. Robert Ladd. 2007. Forty years of language change on Martha's Vineyard. Language 83:615-627.

Web-links:

·         Please fill out the Language History Form at http://courses.essex.ac.uk/lg/lg232/LangHistForm.doc

·         http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/  [Estuary English described]

·         http://sounds.bl.uk [Sound samples - “Accents & Dialects”, search on eg "Limehouse”]

·         http://us.english.uga.edu [Linguistic Atlases of the USA]

·         http://www.yorkshiredialect.com/SED.htm [Survey of English Dialects, SED overview]

·         http://www.ncsu.edu/linguistics/ncllp  [North Carolina dialect research site – video samples]

Notes:

·         Language, Variety & Standard

·         Dialectology and Dialect Geography

·         Comparison of ‘Cockney’ and ‘Estuary English’

·         Similarity map for British English varieties

 

 

Week 4

Language Norms and Attitudes

Oct 25

We examine language norms and attitudes, perceptions and stereotypes. Language attitudes are linked to ideologies, and relate values to behaviour. Case studies: Welsh/English, Arvanitika, Hebrew/Arabic.

Main Reading:

·         P Garrett 2007, "Language attitudes." Chap. 14 (pp 116-121) in Llamas, Mullany & Stockwell, eds., Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics.

·         J & L Milroy 1999, Authority in Language, Chap 3: “Spoken and written norms.”

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap 4: “Language attitudes” (pp 54-80).

Further Reading:

·         W Labov 1982, "Objectivity and commitment in linguistic science: The case of the Black English trial in Ann Arbor." Language in Society 11: 165-201.

·         P Trudgill 1983 On Dialect Chaps 11 & 12.

·         R Fasold 1984, Sociolinguistics of Society, Chap 6: “Language Attitudes.”

·         V Edwards 1989 "Patois and the politics of protest: Black English in British classrooms", in Coupland & Jaworski, eds. 1997, Sociolinguistics: A Reader, pp 408-415. [NB: in older edition only]

·         C Baker 1992 Attitudes and Language (Multilingual Matters)

·         D Cameron 1995 Verbal Hygiene, Chap 1.

·         R Lippi-Green 1997 English with an accent, esp. Chaps. 1 & 2; see also 3 & 4.

·         S Millar 1997 "British educational policy, sociolinguistics and accent." Journal of English Linguistics 25(2): 107-121.

·         JR Rickford 1997 "Unequal Partnership: Sociolinguistics and the African American speech community." Language in Society 26: 161-97. [Also Chap 14 in JR Rickford 1999, African American Vernacular English, pp290-319]

·         W Downes 1998, pp 257-266 [exc. from Chap. 7: Norms... Attitudes.. Stereotypes.]

·         W Wolfram 1998 "Scrutinizing linguistic gratuity: Issues from the field" Journal of Sociolinguistics 2(2): 271-9.

·         J Rickford 1999 "Attitudes towards AAVE, and classroom implications and strategies", Chap 13 in JR Rickford 1999 African American Vernacular English, pp 283-9.

·         HJ Ladegaard 2000 “Language attitudes and sociolinguistic behaviour: Exploring attitude-behaviour relations in language” Journal of Sociolinguistics 4(2): 214-233.

·         Judith Irvine & Susan Gal. 2000. Language ideology and linguistic differentiation. In Paul V.  Kroskrity (ed.) Regimes of language: Ideologies, polities and identities. Santa Fe, New Mexico: School of American Research Press, 35-83.

·         B Soukup 2001 “Y’all come back now, y’hear? Language attitudes in the United States towards Southern American English” Vienna English Working Papers 10(2): 56-68. online at http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/views/views012.pdf

·         D Bayard, A Weatherall, C Gallois & J Pittam 2001. “Pax Americana? Accent attitudinal evaluations in New Zealand, Australia and America.” Journal of Sociolinguistics 5(1): 22-49.

·         D Preston 2002, “Language with an attitude”. In Chambers, Trudgill & Schilling-Estes, eds. 2002, The Handbook of Language Variation and Change, pp40-66. [P 122.H2, available as online book]. Also excerpted in Meyerhoff & Schleef 2010, pp. 112-131.

Web-links:

http://www.une.edu.au/langnet/ [varieties of language that differ from the standard; see their definitions]

http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~patrickp/aavesem/attitudes.htm [bibliography on Attitudes to African American English, w/abstracts]

http://www.ethnologue.com/web.asp [Varieties around the world -- 15th ed., 2005]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/5144300.stm From Geordie to Jamaican?

Notes:

·         Definitions of ‘speech community’

·         Linguistic Convergence and Divergence, and Acts of Identity

·         Welsh/English attitudes experiment

·         West Indians in Cardiff

·         Hindi/Urdu and Mandarin/Cantonese examples

·         Notes on Language Ideology

·         Language Subordination Model [adapted from Lippi-Green 1997]

 

 

Week 5

Language Rights as Human Rights

Nov 1

We consider what linguistic rights should people be entitled to. What provisions are made for them in law? How successful have challenges to linguistic discrimination been? We look at both accent/dialect (language-internal) and multilingual (crosslanguage) discrimination. Case studies: the US English-Only movement; lawsuits involving Spanish in US workplaces; UK asylum seekers.

Main Reading:
  • Linguistic Society of America Committee on Social & Political Concerns, 1995: Statement on Language Rights (online, see "Statements", then "Language Rights")
  • R Lippi-Green 1997, English with an accent (Ch 7, "Language ideology in the workplace and the judicial system").
  • C Bratt Paulston 1997 “Language Policies and Language Rights”, in Bratt Paulston & Tucker, 472-482. Also available in Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 26, pp. 73-85 (online via JSTOR)
  • Language and National Origin Group, 2004: “Guidelines for the use of Language Analysis in relation to questions of national origin in refugee cases” (online).

Further Reading:

·         J Baugh 1988 "Language & race: Some implications for linguistic science" In F Newmeyer ed., Language: the sociocultural context: 64-74 (Linguistics: the Cambridge survey, vol. 4)

  • MJ Matsuda 1991 "Voice of America: Accent, antidiscrimination law, and a jurisprudence for the last Reconstruction." Yale Law Joumal 100: 1329-1407.
  • J Rodby 1992 "A polyphony of voices: The dialectics of linguistic diversity & unity in the 20th-century United States." In TW Machan & CW Scott, eds. English in its social contexts 178-203.
  • J Crawford 1992 Language Loyalties [Selections]
  • C Roberts, E Davies & T Jupp 1992 Language and discrimination. A Study of communication in multi-ethnic workplaces (Longman).
  • R Lippi-Green 1994 "Accent, standard language ideology and discriminatory pretext in the courts", Language in Society 23(2): 163-98.
  • Tove Skutnabb-Kangas & Robert Phillipson, eds. 1994  Linguistic Human Rights: Overcoming linguistic discrimination. (Mouton)
  • M Silverstein 1996 "Monoglot 'Standard' in America: Standardization and metaphors of linguistic hegemony." In D Brenneis & R Macaulay, eds. The Matrix of Language: Contemporary Linguistic Anthropology, 284-306.
  • Douglas Kibbee, ed. 1998 Language legislation and linguistic rights (Benjamins) P 138.L2
  • Lenore Grenoble & Lindsay Whaley, eds. 1998 Endangered languages: Language loss and community response (Cambridge University Press) P 138.E6
  • Miklos Kontra, T Skutnabb-Kangas, R Phillipson & Tibor Varady, eds. 1999 Language: A right and a resource. (Budapest: Central European University Press)
  • Santa Ana, Otto. 1999. “Like an animal I was treated”: Anti-immigrant metaphor in US public discourse. Discourse & Society 10(2): 191-224.
  • Jan Blommaert 2001 “The Asmara Declaration as a sociolinguistic problem: Reflections on scholarship and linguistic rights” Journal of Sociolinguistics 5(1): 131-142. (See next item.)

·         Tove Skutnabb-Kangas & Robert Phillipson, with Miklos Kontra 2001 “Reflections on scholarship and linguistic rights: A rejoinder to Jan Blommaert” Journal of Sociolinguistics 5(1): 143-155. (See previous item.)

·         D Eades, H Fraser, J Siegel, T McNamara, B Baker. 2003. “Linguistic identification in the determination of nationality: A preliminary report.” (online) http://courses.essex.ac.uk/lg/lg232/restricted/LingID.pdf

·         Douglas Kibbee, ed. 1998 Language legislation and linguistic rights. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

·         Cheryl de Jong-Lambert 2003 “From the islands to the classroom and back” The Christian Science Monitor 04/15/2003 http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0415/p13s02-lecs.html

·         Donaldo Macedo, Bessie Dendrinos & Panayota Gounari. 2003. The hegemony of English. Boulder: Paradise.

·         Tsunoda, Tasaku. 2005 Language endangerment and language revitalization (Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter)

Web-links:

·         http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~patrickp/lhr/linguistichumanrights.htm Linguistic human rights: A sociolinguistic perspective, by PL Patrick

·         http://www.linguistic-declaration.org/index-gb.htm, the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (PEN/UNESCO/CIEMEN)

·         http://www.lsadc.org/info/lsa-res.cfm Linguistic Society of America statements (cf. "Language Rights") and resolutions (cf. "English Only", "Unz-Tuchman" and "Ebonics" pages).

·         http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/index.htm American Anthropological Association statements and position papers: see "Language Rights", Race", "Race and Intelligence"

·         http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/02/09/2484593.htm?site=galileo  Australian news (ABC) story on whether languague testing of asylum seekers is scientifically valid (Diana Eades’ research)

·         http://www.ecmi.de/ European Center for Minority Issues – see “Language & Culture Diversity” – then "Resources" and "ECMI publications", esp. Monograph #2 (minority language policies: Wales, Ireland, the Basque Country) and Brief #2 (Language Policy in Multilingual Switzerland)

·         http://netfiles.uiuc.edu/debaron/www Linguist Dennis Baron's homepage has a half-dozen very readable newspaper columns and papers on the topics of English-Only, language legislation in the US, Ebonics, etc. See esp. "Language Laws and Related Court Decisions", "Don't make English official -- Ban it instead", and “Language Legislation and Language Abuse? The English-Only Movement through the 1990s".

·         http://www.ogmios.org/ the Foundation for Endangered Languages

·         http://www.rosettaproject.org  A resource for people using, researching and preserving endangered languages

Notes:

 

 

Week 6

Sociolinguistic Variation: Basic Concepts

Nov 8

We’ll review the application of dialectology to urban areas and the problems encountered; examine difficulties in using structuralist concepts (free variation, coexistent systems, dialect mixture, the idiolect), and the opposition of categorical rules vs. linguistic variation. Linguistic and socio-linguistic variables explained. Case studies: (r) in England and NYC, (t) in England, (th) in NYC.

Main Reading:

·         Mesthrie et al 2009, Chaps 3-4.

·         Chambers 2009:11-38 (=Chap. 1, 2nd half).

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap 2 : "Variation & language", pp 16-26 ; Chap 7, "Real time & apparent time"

·         W Wolfram 1997 "Dialect in society", in F Coulmas, ed. Handbook of Sociolinguistics: 92-106.

·         M Gordon 2007, “Techniques of analysis I: Phonological variation”, in C Llamas et al, eds., The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics: 19-27.

Further Reading:

·         Chambers & Trudgill 1998 Dialectology Chaps. 1, 2 and 4.

·         W Labov 1963 "The social motivation of a sound change", Word 19:273-309. [Reprinted in W Labov 1972 Sociolinguistic Patterns, Chap. 1 (1-42); also in Meyerhoff & Schleef 2010, pp292-312.]

·         T Shopen & B Wald 1981 "A Research Guide to (-ing)", in T Shopen & JM Williams, eds. Style and Variables in English.

·         P Trudgill 1983 On Dialect Chap. 3: "Linguistic change and diffusion", 52-87.

·         W Labov 1989 "The child as linguistic historian." Language Variation & Change 1: 85-97.

·         G Guy & S Boyd 1990 "The development of a morphological class." Language Variation & Change 2(1): 1-18 [reprinted in Trudgill & Cheshire eds. 1998: 196-212]

·         W Wolfram 1993 "Identifying and interpreting variables," in Dennis Preston ed., American Dialect Research: 193-222.

·         J & L Milroy 1997 "Varieties and variation", in F Coulmas, ed. Handbook of Sociolinguistics: 47-64.

·         W Wolfram & N Schilling-Estes 1998 American English Chaps. 2, 5.

·         Wm Downes 1998 Chap. 4.

·         P Foulkes & G Docherty 1999 "Urban Voices: Overview" in Foulkes & Docherty ed. 1999 Urban Voices: 9-24.

  • Romaine 2000, Chap 3, pp 64-87, and Chap 5, pp 135-155 (up to "Language change and social ideology").
  • B & R Horvath 2001 "A multilocality study of a sound change in progress: The case of /l/ vocalization in New Zealand and Australian English." Language Variation & Change 13(1): 37-57.

Web-links:

·         http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/home.html  Phonological Atlas of North American English

·         http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/ BBC survey and recordings of speech in Britain

·         http://www.uni-due.de/SVE/ Studying Varieties of English

·         http://www.ic.arizona.edu/~lsp/index.html  Samples of ethnic/regional varieties of English

Notes:

·         Sociolinguistic Variation: Summary of some key concepts

·         About Cheating: details from Prof. Radford's lecture (we’ll go over key parts about referencing/plagiarism in class)

 

 

Week 7

Sociolinguistic Variation by Social Class/Status

Nov 15

We aim to understand the classical models of sociolinguistic variation: the linguistic variable, the linguistic index, and correlation with a socioeconomic index. Case study: New York City, illustrating contextual styles and style-shifting, age-grading, stable socio-linguistic variables vs. changes in progress, vernacular speech, hyper-correction and the "cross-over pattern" of the lower middle-class. Understanding the meaning of diagrams in variation studies.

Main Reading:

·         Chambers 2009, Chap 2.1-2.5.

·         Meyerhoff 2006 Chap 8, “Social class” (pp155-183).

·         P Kerswill 2007, "Social class". Chap. 6 (pp51-61) in Llamas, Mullany & Stockwell, eds., Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics.

·         W Labov 1972 "The social stratification of (r) in New York City department stores", in W Labov Sociolinguistic Patterns, Chap. 2 (pp43-69). [Reprinted in N Coupland & A Jaworski, eds. 2009, The New Sociolinguistics Reader, pp49-59.]

·         W Labov 1972, "Hypercorrection by the lower middle class as a factor in linguistic change," in W Labov, Sociolinguistic Patterns, Chap. 5 (pp122-142).

Further Reading:

·         Chambers & Trudgill Dialectology Chaps 5 & 6.

  • J L Fischer 1958 "Social influences on the choice of a linguistic variant." Word 14: 47-56. Reprinted in Dell Hymes, ed., Language in Culture and Society (1964): 483-8.
  • W Labov 1966 The Social Stratification of English in New York City. (Washington: Center for Applied Linguistics)
  • W Labov 1969 “Some sociolinguistic principles”, in CB Paulston & GR Tucker, eds., Sociolinguistics: The Essential Readings, 234-250.
  • P Trudgill 1974 The social differentiation of English in Norwich.
  • A Kroch 1978 "Toward a theory of social dialect variation." Language in Society 7:17-36.
  • L Milroy 1980 (2nd ed 1987) Language and Social Networks Chap 1.
  • B Horvath 1985 Variation in Australian English: The sociolects of Sydney.
  • K Walters 1988 "Dialectology." In F. Newmeyer, ed., Language: The Socio-cultural context. Linguistics: The Cambridge Survey, vol. 4.  Pp. 119-39.
  • G Guy 1988 "Language and social class." In F. Newmeyer, ed., Language: The Socio-cultural context. Linguistics: The Cambridge Survey, vol. 4.  Pp. 37-63.
  • W Labov 1994 Principles of Language Change, vol. I: Internal factors.
  • A Kroch 1996 "Dialect and style in the speech of upper-class Philadelphia," in G Guy, C Feagin, D Schiffrin & J Baugh eds. Towards a social science of language: 23-45.

·         Wm Downes 1998 Chaps 5-6

·         W Wolfram & N Schilling-Estes 1998 American English Chap 6.

·         S Ash 2002 "Social class". In JK Chambers, P Trudgill & N Schilling-Estes, eds., Handbook of Language Variation and Change, pp 573-597.

Web-links:

http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/NationalMap/NatMap1.html map of urban dialect areas in N America

Notes:

 

 

Week 8

Reading Week.

Nov 22

No Class. Regular office hours.

   

  

Week 9

Sociolinguistic Variation: Language Style

Nov 29

We’ll explore what style means in sociolinguistics, define it & become familiar with approaches to style analysis. How does our audience affects the way we speak? Style as attention; style as audience-design, incl. types of audience; style as speaker-design and performance. How does stylistic variation relate to social variation?

Main Reading:

·         Allan Bell 1997, "Language style as audience design", in N Coupland & A Jaworski, eds. 2009, pp265-75. [Also in 1997 reader by C&J, pp240-50.]

·         W Wolfram & N Schilling-Estes 1998 American English, Chap. 8.

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap 3, “Variation and style”

·         N Coupland 2007, Style: Language variation & identity, Chaps. 2-3 (optionally Chap. 1, Intro)

Further Reading:

·         W Labov 1972, "The isolation of contextual styles" in W Labov, Sociolinguistic patterns Ch. 3.

·         A Bell 1984 "Language style as audience design", Language in Society13: 145-204

·         W Labov 1984 "Field methods of the Project in Linguistic Change and Variation," in J Baugh & J Sherzer, eds. Language in Use: 28-53.

·         D Preston 1991 "Sorting out the variables in sociolinguistic theory," American Speech 66: 33-56.

·         S Eggins. 1994. An introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics, Chap. 3.

·         E Finegan & D Biber 1994 "Register and social dialect variation: An integrated approach," in Biber and Finegan, eds. Sociolinguistic perspectives on register.

·         J Rickford & F McNair-Knox 1994 "Addressee- and topic-influenced style shift: A quantitative sociolinguistic study" in Biber & Finegan, eds. Sociolinguistic perspectives on register.

·         MB Rampton 1995 Crossing: Language and ethnicity among adolescents.

·         Barbara Johnstone 1996 "Consistency and individual style". Chap 5 of The Linguistic Individual. Oxford University Press.

·         P Patrick 1997 "Style and register in Jamaican Patwa," in E Schneider, ed. Englishes Around the World, Vol. 2: Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Australasia, 41-56.

·         P Eckert & JR Rickford 2001. Style and sociolinguistic variation. Intoduction, esp. pp1-6. Cambridge University Press. [P 126.S7], including:

·  W Labov 2001 “The anatomy of style-shifting”, in Eckert & Rickford 2001, pp 85-108, followed by commentary by...

·  J Baugh 2001 “A dissection of style-shifting”, in Eckert & Rickford 2001, pp 109-118, and...

·  P Eckert 2001 “Style and social meaning”, in Eckert & Rickford 2001, pp 119-126

·  A Bell 2001 “Back in style: Reworking audience design”, in Eckert & Rickford 2001, pp139-160.

  • Auer, Peter. 2007. Style and social identities: Alternative approaches to linguistic heterogeneity. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.  [P 126.S7]
  • A Bell 2007 "Style in dialogue: Bakhtin and sociolinguistic theory", in R Bayley & C Lucas (eds.), Sociolinguistic Variation, pp90-109
  • N Coupland 2007, Style: Language variation and identity, Cambridge UP.

Web-links:

 

Notes:

·         Chart comparing notions of Language Style

  • Philly Variables identifies key features of the Philadelphia vernacular accent, with examples, as heard in class on the film clip of Philadelphia’s finest (=police) at work

 

 

Week 10

Sociolinguistic Variation by Sex & Gender I; Language Change

Dec 6

We aim to clarify the difference between sex, gender & linguistic gender; see how male speech has been taken as a language norm; explore sex differentiation in language variation; become aware of researcher stereotypes; and consider links to language change, prestige & social class.

Main Reading:

·         D Cameron 2007, “What language barrier?” Guardian 1 Oct 2007 [online part 1 – part 2 – part 3]

·         Mesthrie et al 2009, Chap 7.

·         Chambers 2009, Chap. 3.

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap. 10.

·         P Eckert 1998 "Gender and sociolinguistic variation", in J Coates ed. 1998 Language & Gender: A reader: 64-75. [This volume is an excellent source of current and classic articles, original and excerpted]

Further Reading:

·         S Gal 1978 "Peasant men can't get wives: language change and sex roles." Language in Society 7: 1-16 [excerpt in J Coates ed. 1998 Language & Gender: 147-159]

·         A Payne 1980 "Factors controlling the acquisition of the Philadelphia dialect by out-of-state children," in W Labov ed. 1980 Locating language in time and space: 143-178.

·         J Cheshire 1982 "Linguistic variation and social function" in S Romaine ed Sociolinguistic variation in speech communities [excerpt in J Coates ed 1998 Language & Gender:29-41]

·         P Trudgill 1983 "Sex and covert prestige" in P Trudgill On Dialect, Chap. 10 [rev. of orig. 1972 article in Language in Society; excerpt in J Coates 1998 Language & Gender: 21-28]

·         P Nichols 1983 [rev. 1998] "Black women in the rural South: Conservative and innovative" [excerpt in J Coates ed. 1998 Language & Gender 55-63]

·         P Eckert 1989 "The whole woman: sex and gender differences in variation". Language Variation and Change 1: 245-267.

·         W Labov 1990 "The intersection of sex and social class in the course of linguistic change." Language Variation and Change 2: 205-254.

·         R Fasold 1990 The Sociolinguistics of Language Chap. 4: "Language and Sex"

·         P Eckert and S McConnell-Ginet 1992 "Think practically and look locally: language and gender as community-based practice." Annual Review of Anthropology 21: 461-90.

·         L Milroy 1992 "New Perspectives in the analysis of sex differentiation in language", in K Bolton ed. Sociolinguistics today: International persectives: 163-179.

·         J and L Milroy 1993 "Mechanisms of change in urban dialects: the role of class, social network and gender". International Journal of Applied Linguistics vol. 3: 57-77 [reprinted in P Trudgill & J Cheshire eds. 1998 The Sociolinguistics Reader: Volume 1:179-195]

·         N Haeri 1994 "A linguistic innovation of women in Cairo." Language Variation & Change 6: 87-112

·         P Eckert and S McConnell-Ginet 1995 "Constructing meaning, constructing selves: Snapshots of language, gender and class from Belten High." In K Hall and M Bucholtz (eds) Gender articulated: Language and the socially-constructed self, 459-507.

·         N Haeri 1996 " 'Why do women do this?' Sex and gender differences in speech," in G Guy, C Feagin, D Schiffrin & J Baugh eds. Towards a social science of language: 101-14

·         E Gordon 1997 "Sex, speech, and stereotypes: why women use prestige speech forms more than men" Language in Society 26: 47-64.

·         R Wodak & G Benke 1997 "Gender as a sociolinguistic variable: New perspectives on variation studies", in F Coulmas, ed. Handbook of Sociolinguistics: 127-150

·         W Wolfram & N Schilling-Estes 1998 American English, Chap. 7.

·         S Kiesling 1998 "Men's identities and sociolinguistic variation: the case of fraternity men." Journal of Sociolinguistics 2: 69-100.

·         M Maclagan, E Gordon, & G Lewis 1999 "Women and sound change: Conservative and innovative behavior by the same speakers" Language Variation & Change 11(1): 19-41.

·         AG Mathisen 1999 "Sandwell, West Midlands: Ambiguous perspectives on gender patterns and models of change", in P Foulkes & G Docherty eds. Urban Voices: 107-123.

·         P Trudgill 1999 “Norwich: Endogenous and exogenous linguistic change”, in P Foulkes & G Docherty eds. Urban Voices: 124-140.

·         P Eckert. 2000. Linguistic variation as social practice.

·         Romaine 2000, Chap. 4.

  • J Cheshire 2002, “Sex and gender in variationist research.” In JK Chambers, P Trudgill & N Schilling-Estes, eds., Handbook of Language Variation and Change, 423-443.

·         J Marshall. 2003. “The changing sociolinguistic status of the glottal stop in northeast Scottish English”. English World-Wide 24:1, 89–108.

·         J Coates 2004 (3rd ed.) Women, Men and Language. Chaps. 1, 4, 5, 10 & 12.

·         R Major. 2004. Gender and stylistic variation in second language phonology. Language Variation & Change 16(3): 169-188.

Web-links:

·          Chart of sex difference in (more-or-less) linguistic abilities (from Hyde 2005)

Notes:

·         Sex Differentiation in Variation

·         Generalisations on linguistic differentiation of men and women (Labov 1990)

 

 

Week 11

Sociolinguistic Variation by Sex & Gender II; Social Networks

Dec 13

We continue with topics of language, sex and gender from the previous week, investigating problems with, and alternatives and supplements to, social class- and status-based analysis of language, focusing on speakers' positions in a social network. We try to better understand how individuals are active in using language to manipulate or create social identities. If time permits, we will consider the importance of ethnicity in variation and the 'linguistic market'.

Main Reading:

·         Chambers 2009, Chap 2.6-2.9.

·         Meyerhoff 2006, Chap. 9.

·         L Milroy 2002 “Social networks,” in JK Chambers, P Trudgill & N Schilling-Estes, eds., Handbook of Language Variation and Change, 549-572

Further Reading:

·         P Bourdieu 1977 "The economics of linguistic exchanges." Social Science Information 16(6): 645-668.

·         D Sankoff & S Laberge 1979 "The linguistic market and the statistical explanation of variability", in D Sankoff, ed. Linguistic variation: Models and methods: 239-50.

·         L Milroy 1980 Language and Social Networks, esp Chaps 3-6.

·         S Bortoni-Ricardo 1985 The urbanisation of rural dialect speakers.

·         L Davis 1985 "The problem of social class grouping in sociolinguistic research." American Speech 60(3): 214-221.

·         J Rickford 1986 "The need for new approaches to social class analysis in linguistics." Language and Communication 6(3): 215-221.

·         J Rickford 1987 "Response: Social class grouping in sociolinguistic research." American Speech 62(3):281-285.

·         W Labov & W Harris 1986 "De facto segregation of black and white vernaculars," in D Sankoff, ed. Diversity and Diachrony: 1-24.

·         B Horvath & D Sankoff 1987 "Delimiting the Sydney speech community." Language in Society 16(2): 179-204.

·         P Eckert 1988 "Adolescent social structure and the spread of linguistic change." Language in Society 17(2): 183-207.

·         Sankoff, Cedergren, Kemp, Thibault & Vincent 1989 "Montreal French: Language, class and ideology", in R Fasold & D Schiffrin, eds. Language change and variation: 107-118.

·         W Edwards 1992 "Sociolinguistic behaviour in a Detroit inner city neighborhood." Language in Society 21: 93-115.

·         L and J Milroy 1992 "Social network and social class", in Language in Society 21: 1-26.

·         J Milroy 1992 Linguistic variation and change Chap. 7, "Towards an integrated social model for the interpretation of language change".

·         J and L Milroy 1993 "Mechanisms of change in urban dialects: the role of class, social network and gender". International Journal of Applied Linguistics vol. 3: 57-77 [reprinted in P Trudgill & J Cheshire eds. 1998 The Sociolinguistics Reader: Volume 1:179-195]

·         S Murray 1993 "Network determination of linguistic variables" American Speech 68:161-77

·         J Fishman 1997, "Language and ethnicity: The view from within", in F Coulmas, ed. Handbook of Sociolinguistics: 327-343.

·         K McCafferty 1998a "Shared accents, divided speech community? Changes in Northern Ireland English" Language Variation & Change 10: 97-122.

·         K McCafferty 1998b "Barriers to change: Ethnic division and phonological innovation in Northern Hiberno-English" English World-Wide 19: 7-35.

·         W  Labov 2001, Principles of linguistic change, Vol 2: Social factors. Ch.7, "Neighborhood and ethnicity", pp224-232 and 245-260.

·         P Patrick 2002, "The Speech Community" (online). In JK Chambers, P Trudgill & N Schilling-Estes, eds., Handbook of Language Variation and Change, 573-597. [Looks at these issues in depth, especially social class models & social networks for sociolinguistics. This article is available in the Library as Essex Research Reports in Linguistics 35.]

Web-links:

http://www.orgnet.com/sna.html  A brief introduction to Social Network Analysis, by Valdis Krebs

http://folk.uio.no/geirthe/Ethnicity.html Writings on the concept of ethnicity by anthropologist TH Eriksen

http://www.analytictech.com/networks/topics.htm  Analytic Tech intro to Social Network Analysis

Notes:

·         Change from Above and from Below

 

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Last updated on 18 November 2011