Meeting II
Meeting II
Language and Society
Language and Society
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics
Study the relationship between language and society.Study the relationship between language and society.
1.
1. explaining why we speak differently in different social explaining why we speak differently in different social contexts
contexts
2. identifying the social functions of language and the 2. identifying the social functions of language and the
ways it is
ways it is used to convey social meaning.used to convey social meaning.
An attempt to find correlations between social structure and An attempt to find correlations between social structure and
linguistic structure and to observe any changes that occur linguistic structure and to observe any changes that occur
(Gumpers, 1971: 223) (Gumpers, 1971: 223)
Language and society Language and society → intertwined → impossible to → intertwined → impossible to
understand one without the other. understand one without the other.
Sociolinguistics vs. the Sociology of
Sociolinguistics vs. the Sociology of
language
language
SociolinguisticsSociolinguistics
investigating the relationships between language
investigating the relationships between language
and society with the goal of a better
and society with the goal of a better
understanding of the structure of language and
understanding of the structure of language and
of how languages function in communication
of how languages function in communication
Sociology of languageSociology of language
to discover how social structure can be better
to discover how social structure can be better
understood through the study of language, e.g.
understood through the study of language, e.g.
how certain linguistic features serve to
how certain linguistic features serve to
characterize particular social arrangement
Sociolinguistics vs. the Sociology of
Sociolinguistics vs. the Sociology of
language
language
Hudson, 1980: 4-5
Hudson, 1980: 4-5
a.
a.
Sociolinguistics is the study of language
Sociolinguistics is the study of language
in relation to society’,
in relation to society’,
b.
b.
Sociology of language: the study of
Sociology of language: the study of
society in relation to language
society in relation to language
Similarity:
Similarity:
a. Both require systematic study of
a. Both require systematic study of
The relationship between language
The relationship between language
and society
and society
(wardaugh, : 10)(wardaugh, : 10)1.
1. Social structure Social structure → linguistic structure and/or behavior → linguistic structure and/or behavior
a. age-grading phenomenon
a. age-grading phenomenon
young children speak differently from older
young children speak differently from older
children and in
children and in turn, children speak differently turn, children speak differently from mature adults.
from mature adults.
b. studies → the varieties of language that speakers
b. studies → the varieties of language that speakers
use reflect
use reflect such matters; their regional, social, such matters; their regional, social, or ethnic origin and possible sex.
or ethnic origin and possible sex.
c. other studies → particular ways of speaking,
c. other studies → particular ways of speaking,
choices of words,
choices of words, and rules for conversing and rules for conversing are are determined by
The relationship between
The relationship between
language and society
language and society
(wardaugh, : 10)(wardaugh, : 10)2. Linguistic structure and/or behavior may
2. Linguistic structure and/or behavior may
either influence or determine social structure
either influence or determine social structure
(behind Whorfian hypothesis)
(behind Whorfian hypothesis)
3. The influence is bi-directional; language and
3. The influence is bi-directional; language and
society may influence each other.
society may influence each other.
4. There is no relationship at all.
Social factors
Social factors
The participantsThe participants
Who is talking to whom (wife-husband, customer-shopkeeper,
Who is talking to whom (wife-husband, customer-shopkeeper,
boss-worker)
boss-worker)
The social setting and function of interactionThe social setting and function of interaction e.g. home, work, school
e.g. home, work, school
The aim or purpose of the interactionThe aim or purpose of the interaction (informative, social)
(informative, social)
Example I
Example I
Ray
Ray
: Hi mum.
: Hi mum.
Mum
Mum
: Hi. You’re late.
: Hi. You’re late.
Ray
Ray
: Yeah, that bastard Sootbucket kept us in
: Yeah, that bastard Sootbucket kept us in
again.
again.
Mum
Mum
: Nana’s here.
: Nana’s here.
Ray
Analysis I
Analysis I
Language serves a range of functions; to
Language serves a range of functions; to
ask for and give people information, to
ask for and give people information, to
express indignation and annoyance, as
express indignation and annoyance, as
Example II
Example II
Ray
Ray
: Good afternoon, sir.
: Good afternoon, sir.
Principle
Principle
: What are you doing here at this
: What are you doing here at this
time?
time?
Ray
Ray
: Mr. Sutton kept us in, sir.
: Mr. Sutton kept us in, sir.
Example III
Example III
Every afternoon my friend packs her bag and Every afternoon my friend packs her bag and leaves her Cardiff office at about 5 o’clock. As
leaves her Cardiff office at about 5 o’clock. As
she leaves, her business partner says
she leaves, her business partner says goodbye goodbye Margaret
Margaret, (she replies goodbye Mike) her , (she replies goodbye Mike) her secretary says
secretary says goodbye Ms Walkergoodbye Ms Walker, (she replies , (she replies goodbye Jill) and the caretaker says
goodbye Jill) and the caretaker says Bye Mrs. Bye Mrs. Walker
Walker (to which she responds goodbye Andy). (to which she responds goodbye Andy). As she arrives home she is greeted by
As she arrives home she is greeted by Hi mumHi mum from her son, Jamie,
from her son, Jamie, hello dear, have a good hello dear, have a good day
day?, from her mother, and simply ?, from her mother, and simply you’re late you’re late again! from her husband.
Example III
Example III
Later in the evening the president of the
Later in the evening the president of the
local flower club calls to ask if she would
local flower club calls to ask if she would
like to join.
like to join.
Good evening, is that Mrs.
Good evening, is that Mrs.
Billington?
Billington?
she asks.
she asks.
No, it’s Ms Walker,
No, it’s Ms Walker,
but my husband’s name is David
but my husband’s name is David
Billington
Billington
, she answers. What can I do for
, she answers. What can I do for
you? Finally a friend calls
you? Finally a friend calls
Boradar Meg,
Boradar Meg,
how’s thing?
Example IV
Example IV
Sam
Sam
: You seen our ‘enry’s new ‘ouse
: You seen our ‘enry’s new ‘ouse
yet? It’s in ‘alton you know.
yet? It’s in ‘alton you know.
Jim
Jim
: I have indeed. I could hardly
: I have indeed. I could hardly
miss it Sam. Your Henry now
miss it Sam. Your Henry now
owns the biggest house in Halton.
owns the biggest house in Halton.
It illustrated a range of social influences on
It illustrated a range of social influences on
Social dimensions
Social dimensions
A Social distance scale
A Social distance scale
concerned with
concerned with
participant relationship
participant relationship
A status scale
A status scale
concerned with participant
concerned with participant
relationship
relationship
A formality scale
A formality scale
relating to the setting or
relating to the setting or
type of interaction
type of interaction
Two functional scales
Two functional scales
relating to the
relating to the
purposes or topic of interaction
The solidarity – social distance
The solidarity – social distance
scale
scale
Intimate
Intimate DistantDistant
High solidarity
High solidarity Low solidarityLow solidarity
The scale is useful in emphasizing that how well
The scale is useful in emphasizing that how well
we know someone is a relevant factor in
we know someone is a relevant factor in
linguistic choice.
linguistic choice.
e.g. meg vs. Mrs. Belington
The status scale
The status scale
Superior
Superior
high status
high status
Subordinate
Subordinate
low status
low status
e.g.
e.g.
1.
1.
The use of ‘sir’, ‘Mrs.’, to the lecturer by the
The use of ‘sir’, ‘Mrs.’, to the lecturer by the
students
students
The
The formality scale
The formality scale
Formal
FormalHigh formalityHigh formality
Informal
Informal Low FormalityLow Formality
1.
1. Useful in assessing the influence of social setting Useful in assessing the influence of social setting
or type of interaction on language choice.
or type of interaction on language choice.
2.
2. Often degrees of formality are largely determined Often degrees of formality are largely determined
by solidarity and status relationship. But not
by solidarity and status relationship. But not
always.
The referential and affective
The referential and affective
function scales
function scales
Referential Referential
High
High lowlow
Information
Information informationinformation
Content
Content contentcontent
affective affective Low
Low highhigh
Affective
Affective affectiveaffective
Content
The referential and affective
The referential and affective
function scales
function scales
1. The more referentially oriented an
1. The more referentially oriented an
interaction is, the less it tends to express
interaction is, the less it tends to express
Chaika ( 1988, 10)Chaika ( 1988, 10)
the context determines meaning,
the context determines meaning,
1. the social status of speakers
1. the social status of speakers
2. the speech event and social conventions
2. the speech event and social conventions
governing it;
governing it;
3. the social-cultural and physical environment
3. the social-cultural and physical environment
4. previous discourse between the speakers or
4. previous discourse between the speakers or
known to them
known to them
5. the intent of the speaker.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Our word choices depend on who we are
Our word choices depend on who we are
talking to.
talking to.
Language choices convey information
Language choices convey information
about the social relationships between
about the social relationships between
people as well as about the topic of
people as well as about the topic of
discussion.
discussion.
Linguistic variation occurs at other levels
Linguistic variation occurs at other levels
of linguistic analysis: sounds,
of linguistic analysis: sounds,
