L23B: Sociolinguistics 2005-2006

1. L23B: Sociolinguistics 2005-2006 Please Turn off all cellular phones & pagers L23B Website: www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/courses/l23b

2. Topics for this Session • Theories explaining: • Language Variation • Language Change

3. THEORIES/TOOLS developed to account for variation & change • Social Networks Accommodation Theory Acts of Identity Ideology & language use

4. Sources • 1.Social Network Prescribed Text ch. 16, Wardhaugh (pg.127-130, 180-183), Holmes (pg.183-191). • 2.Acts of Identity • LePage (on reserve), Prescribed Text ch. 20. Article in Tutor’s pack • 3.Accommodation Theory • Prescribed Text ch. 18, Holmes (pg. 230-234). • 4. Language and Ideology Prescribed Text ch. 6, Woolard (available at DITTO).

5. Networks • close knit networks will create value for variety of network • close knit networks will create a counter balance to change • those with loose network ties will be more susceptible to change

6. Networks cont’d • gender difference – in language production hence difference in networks. • Class differences – in language can be explained through networks

7. Social Networks • MILROY & MILROY (1992) • Network Strength • “to the extent that ties are strong, linguistic change will be prevented, • … whereas to the extent that they are weak, they will be more open to external influences and so linguistic change will be facilitated”

8. Social Network – Caribbean Application • Walter F. Edwards. (1984) • Socializing the Continuum- Guyana • in SCL Occasional Papers – 5th conference

9. Ideology • “the particular system of beliefs and assumptions that underlies every linguistic analysis and every social event”

10. Ideology • Society’s perception towards variants: • Correct • Prestigious • Stigmatized

11. Ideology • Ideology - Changes in English centred on: • language purity • elegance of production • Logic • Comparison with other prestigious languages eg. Latin

12. Ideology – Caribbean • Alison Irvine • in JPCL vol. 19:1 (pp 41-75) • And also: • In English world-wide vol 15:1 (pp.55-78)

13. Accommodation Theory • Giles was interested in: • “how speakers changed the way they spoke according to the person they were talking to”. • a speaker may converge or diverge along several dimensions.

14. Accommodation Theory_Schema • Speakers A & B. (prescribed text) • (1)A samples B’s speech and: • i.draw inferences re personality of B. • ii.assumes that B values such characteristics • iii.assumes B will approve of him to the extent that A displays similar characteristics.

15. Schema cont’d • Speakers A & B. • (2) A chooses from his repertoire, patterns of speech which will project characteristics of which B is assumed to approved.

16. Accommodation_Jamaica • Done through: • Code-mixing, code-shifting, style-shifting. • These are influenced by: • competence/proficiency • topic selected • participants (converge/diverge)

17. Code-mixing/switching • Conversation between owner and gardener • Speaker A(owner): good morning, what can I do for you? • Speaker B(gardener): Mmm, a mi bil Maas Roy yaad, an im se yu a luk fi sumadi fi du fi-yu sar. • Speaker A: ohhh! Good. A niid wan gyardner bad bad. Humoch days yu kan gi mi?

18. Readings • Shields-Brodber (1992) • Hens Can Crow Too in SCL – 9th conference.

19. Acts of Identity • LePage & Tabouret-Keller (1985), Projection, Focusing, Diffusing • “speakers often consciously rather than unconsciously use language to convey their social identity”

20. Acts of Identity • Projecting and Focusing • Every speech act is an act of projection. • Each speech act is an announcement.

21. Acts of Identity_Constraints • 1. the extent to which we are able to identify our model groups • 2. the extent to which we have sufficient access to them and sufficient analytical ability to work out the rules of their behaviour.

22. Acts of Identity_Constraints • 3. the strength of various (possibly conflicting) motivations towards one or another model. • 4. our ability to modify our behaviour