Sociolinguistics

1. Sociolinguistics LI 2023 Nathalie F. Martin

2. Sociolinguistics • Related to ___________. • Relates __________phenomenon and _____ phenomenon. • Human side of linguistics … • __________: individual and collective • What is truly said behind our « way » of saying it .. • __________: • Our use of language and other’s use of language

3. Languages & Diaclects • Could it be that the way we speak creates social __________? • Do we place different « ways » of speaking on a __________? • Language … dialect • Are there languages/dialects that we consider more __________or __________? • Ex: French, Swahili ...

4. WhatdidyouAnswer … DISCUSSION: • To speak of your own linguistic competence? • Which region could serve as a model of proper English?

5. Terminology used to speak of linguistic variation? How do we call it? What terminology do we use to speak of linguistic variation? Languages Dialects Pidgins Creole

6. A Language • Language: • A code or system, • used by consensus. • Collective • Ex: French, English, Spanish, Greek, etc.

7. Dialects or Varieties of a Language • Dialect/Variety - includes pronunciation (phonological/phonetic), but also includes grammatical, lexical and language usage • Some examples of homophones for some -- hock/hawk, caller/collar, cot/caught, Don/Dawn • Variety - used as a more neutral term for dialect or language

8. Pidgin Pidgin: • speakers of a different language • intergroup communication; • no native speakers (because the speakers have their own language that they speak in their homes) • reduced grammatical system. Ex: Traverler’s use of another language

9. Creole • Defined in it’s political and historic context • Colonialism and slavery • Derived from colonial languages: • French (Haiti), • English (Jamaica), • Netherlands (South Africa), • Portugeese (Cap Vert) • Spanish (Philippines) • Contact with African languages (mostly) • Oral languages, vernacular • NOTE: Creoles are considered languages in their own right.

10. Creole (continued) Here are a few examples of French Creoles: Statement: « I don’t know where he is. » • French: «Je ne sais pas oùilest»  • M’paskome (ki) kotéliyé (haïtien) • Moin pa savolaiyé (guadeloupéen) • Mi koné pas ousailé (réunionnais) • Mo pa konéliété (mauricien) • Consider spoken French (Acadian): • Mwa, j’sé pa ous qui é. • Mwa, j’connais pa a yous qui é.

11. Terminology used to speak of Languages in contact? Code Switching vs. Code mixing Borrowing

12. Languages in Contact • Code Switching or Code mixing: • The systematic alternation between language systems in discourse. • Borrowing: • A source of language change that involves adopting aspects of one language into another.

13. What about Chiac • Video : Chiac pour les Dummies • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q9BqfXyx4k • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRgbpIQU1hw

14. Terminology used to speak of a language’s/dialect’s functions vernacular Languages Vehicular languages

15. Vernacular Languages • Vernacular: a variety of a given language often limited to _________within the _________ (not often written). • Example: Chiac is a vernacular language of francophones living in the south-east region of NB.

16. Vehicular Languages • Vehicular : a language used to assure ______________between many groups of differing tongues. • For example: • American English is a vehicular language throughout the world at present. • Wolof is the vehicular language of Senegal, West Africa.

17. Evaluating a Speaker Answer these questions as honestly as possible

18. Evaluating Speakers • What is your impression of this speaker? • Education? • Profession? • Social class? • Describe the character of this person? • Friendly? • Honest? • Intelligent? • Proud/ arrogant? • Etc.

19. Perceptions, Presuppositions and Prejudice

20. Language Myths • What is "proper English"? • What is the most prestigious pronunciation? • Is there a right way and a wrong way to speak ? • Sociolinguists often want to know two things: • How do you perceive __________________? • How do you perceive __________________? • Video: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vF9g37FCmk (AMERICAIN TONGUES) 6:18 min

21. Prestigious Pronunciation? Sociolinguist: William Labov Social stratification in new-york’s department stores.

22. Prestigous Pronunciation Hypothesis: • Is there a correlation between the pronunciation of the words with the sound /r/ and New-Yorker’s social classes. • According to Labov, many individuals that are part of the upper class tend to pronounce the final /r/ in words like car, card, four, et fourth.

23. Labov (3) • Employees of three New-York departement stores • Upper: Saks Fifth Avenue • Middle : Macy's • Lower: S. Klein • Asked them a question to which the answer would be « fourth floor » in order to determine their pronunciation of the final /r/.

24. Labov: Résultats Results : • 62% of the employees at Saks pronounce the /r/, • 51% at Macy's; • 20% at Klein.

25. Linguistic Insecurity Real pronunciation vs. perceived pronunciation Seeking the prestigious pronunciation Consequence of linguistic insecurity

26. Prestigious PronunciationsPeter Trudgill, Norwich (Great Brittan) Study of the pronunciation of the words: tune, student, music • These words have variants in Norwich: • /ju:/ et /u:/ • Ex: • /tju:n/ (considered more prestigious) • /tu:n/ (considered less prestigious)

27. Prestigious PronunciationsPeter Trudgill, Norwich (Great Brittan) • Two steps in this study: • Ask the people to pronounce the words (transcribe the actual pronunciation) • Then ask the people what they _______they pronounce.

28. Trudgill: Results  

29. Trudgill: Interpretation • 40% of the people who actually use the prestigious pronunciation seemed to have “under-evaluated” their pronunciation. • 16% of the people who used that less prestigious pronunciation had a tendency to “over-evaluate” their pronunciation.

30. Trudgill: Men vs. Women • Trudgill then analysed the results in light of SEXES :

31. Trudgill: Interpretation • Sociolinguistics now wants to explain these results. • As opposed to « descriptive linguistics » that only seeks to describe. Trudgill’s interpretation in view of sociological findings: • Women: • Are more preoccupied with the desire to adopt what is promoted as a more socially acceptable behaviour, in this case, language. • “women are more likely to have social class aspirations than men” • Men: • Do not tend to desire to adopt what is promoted as a more socially acceptable behaviour, in this case, language.

32. Trudgill: Interpretation (2) Linguistic security vs. insecurity. • Linguistic insecurity : The anxiety ______________ __________ experienced by speakers and writers who believe that their use of language does not conform to the principles and practices of __________________(e.g. Standard English).

33. Video : Learning not to TawkLike a New Yorker • http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/11/19/nyregion/1248069311927/you-talkin-to-me.html

34. Linguistic insecurity • Possible effects of linguistic insecurity: • False perceptions • Loss of confidence to speak given language • Hypercorrection: • “You and I” • “Whomever” • Loss of desire to speak given language • Language transfer • Loss of identity • Effects on others

35. AcadianTeachers: Boudreau & Dubois • Professors at Université de Moncton, did a similar experiment. • Future teachers: • Results: • The more there is intense language contact, the more Acadians are insecure about their language.