Notes for “Language and Notes for “Language and Society” (Sociolinguistics)Society” (Sociolinguistics)

Chapter Ten of Fromkin, Rodman, Chapter Ten of Fromkin, Rodman, HyamsHyams

TermsTerms Idiolect – unique characteristics of the Idiolect – unique characteristics of the

language of an individuallanguage of an individual Dialect (variety is more appropriate)Dialect (variety is more appropriate)

– Mutual intelligibility is key to definitionMutual intelligibility is key to definition Accent – phonological traitsAccent – phonological traits Isoglosses – a geographic line dividing Isoglosses – a geographic line dividing

two speech communities two speech communities Dialect leveling – movement towards Dialect leveling – movement towards

greater uniformity. (Is it happening?)greater uniformity. (Is it happening?)

Concepts Concepts Dialect variation increasingDialect variation increasing

– Effects of travel and mass mediaEffects of travel and mass media Dialects of EnglishDialects of English

– General Exmamples General Exmamples » r vs. r-less (FDR Example) (New York City Example)r vs. r-less (FDR Example) (New York City Example)» Cot vs. caughtCot vs. caught» SorrySorry» Double modalsDouble modals

Phonological DifferencesPhonological Differences– ““pen” [ p i n ] vs. [ p e n ]pen” [ p i n ] vs. [ p e n ]

Syntactic DifferencesSyntactic Differences– ““between you and I” (growing in acceptance)between you and I” (growing in acceptance)

PurityPurity

Language Purity – video on debateLanguage Purity – video on debate– Who decides what is standard and what is Who decides what is standard and what is

corruption?corruption? ExamplesExamples

– media, date, belittle (Jefferson)media, date, belittle (Jefferson) French Academy, Royal Spanish French Academy, Royal Spanish

AcademyAcademy Banned Languages and revival of Banned Languages and revival of

languageslanguages

SYSTEMATICITYSYSTEMATICITY

African American Vernacular English African American Vernacular English (AAVE)(AAVE)

General pointsGeneral points– discuss because it is widely misunderstood (p. 424)discuss because it is widely misunderstood (p. 424)– not genetic (LM p. 105) not genetic (LM p. 105) – not all African Americans speak nor write using AAVEnot all African Americans speak nor write using AAVE– not limited to African Americansnot limited to African Americans– not the same all over but remarkable uniformity (p. 424)not the same all over but remarkable uniformity (p. 424)

CharacteristicsCharacteristics– [ r ] deletion (recall the prestige factor in England and the [ r ] deletion (recall the prestige factor in England and the

stigma in U.S.)stigma in U.S.)– Consonant cluster simplificationConsonant cluster simplification– pen and pin neutralizationpen and pin neutralization– Loss of interdental fricativesLoss of interdental fricatives– Deletion of “be” (superior linguistically??)Deletion of “be” (superior linguistically??)– Habitual “be” (superior linguistically??)Habitual “be” (superior linguistically??)

African American Vernacular English African American Vernacular English (AAVE)(AAVE)

OriginsOrigins– AnglicistsAnglicists– Creole – West African influenceCreole – West African influence

» contributions to English: tote, nitty gritty, Okay (?)contributions to English: tote, nitty gritty, Okay (?)– Isolation (distance) remains a factor in growing differencesIsolation (distance) remains a factor in growing differences– early 20early 20thth century recordings show little difference between century recordings show little difference between

African American dialect and southern dialect (recordings African American dialect and southern dialect (recordings from WPA)from WPA)

» migration Northmigration North Concluding pointsConcluding points

– myths dealing with nurture/grammaticality are harder to myths dealing with nurture/grammaticality are harder to debunk (LM p. 106)debunk (LM p. 106)

– ““No one is saying that this structure should be considered No one is saying that this structure should be considered standard English – just that its linguistic integrity stands standard English – just that its linguistic integrity stands apart from its social assessment.” (LM p. 109)apart from its social assessment.” (LM p. 109)

Latino EnglishLatino English Phonological traitsPhonological traits

– five vowels (influenced from Spanish)five vowels (influenced from Spanish) – ““sh” becomes “ch”sh” becomes “ch”– / t / or / d / for “th”/ t / or / d / for “th”

» / t I n / and / d e // t I n / and / d e /

– / e / before s cluster/ e / before s cluster– Higher vowels – goween for goingHigher vowels – goween for going

Code-switchingCode-switching Double negativesDouble negatives

Social Issues & Latino Social Issues & Latino EnglishEnglish

““If English was good enough for If English was good enough for Jesus, then it is good enough for Jesus, then it is good enough for me.”me.”

Ma Ferguson – First Woman Gov. in Ma Ferguson – First Woman Gov. in

Texas (and US)Texas (and US)

English speakers feel threatenedEnglish speakers feel threatened English speakers feel frustratedEnglish speakers feel frustrated

More TermsMore Terms

Lingua francaLingua franca PidginPidgin CreoleCreole Style or registerStyle or register SlangSlang Jargon or ArgotJargon or Argot EuphemismEuphemism

Men and WomenMen and Women

Do you feel language influences your Do you feel language influences your perception of gender roles?perception of gender roles?

Kind of talk does show difference (LM p. Kind of talk does show difference (LM p. 45)45)

Classroom implications (LM pp. 46, 47)Classroom implications (LM pp. 46, 47)