The Libyan Academy - Garian

School of Languages – English Department – Applied

Linguistics

The study of language in its social context

Sociolinguistic rules of address
Language and style

:Presented by
Marwa Salem Zidan

:Submitted to

Prof: Mohsen Abubakr

Spring 2024
:Introduction -1

Language is a tool for social interaction, and it should not be surprising

to learn that it can be affected by different social context. The study of
language in social contexts, termed sociolinguistics, focuses on the
relationships between linguistic behaviour and social situations, roles,
and functions. Rather than concentrating on individuals,
sociolinguistics is cantered on the speech community, defined as any
group of people who share some set of social conventions, or
sociolinguistic norms, regarding language use, (refers to a group of
people who use the same system of speech signals.)

:Sociolinguistics of language -1

Conventions associated with social situations can have an influence on

the structure of individual speech interactions. These can include
anything from conventions for beginning a casual conversation to those
for asking a question of a teacher in a formal classroom setting. Almost
any interaction can be the focus of sociolinguistic study. No matter
what sort of interaction is involved, it is a representation of some types
.of discourse

Relationship between Language and Society

The relationship between language and the context in which it is used (Janet
Holmes,2001:1). In other words, it studies the relationship between language
and society. It explains why people speak differently in different social
contexts. It discusses the social functions of language and the ways it is used
to convey social meaning. All of the topics provide a lot of information about
the language works, as well as about the social relationships in a community,
and the way people signal aspects of their social identity through their
.language

Ronald Wardhaugh (1986: 10-11) summaries the relationship between

language and society. According to him, there are some possible
relationships between language and society. A first one is that, viewed from
the participants, social structure may either influence or determine linguistic
structure and/or behaviour. For instance, in relation to the age-grading
phenomenon, whereby young children speak differently from older children
and, in turn, children speak differently from mature adults. Socially, the
participants may have different origins, either regional, social, or ethnic
origins; and, they must met with the particular ways of speaking, choices of
words, and even rules for conversing

Based on the geographical area, one community may be different from one to
another. This results in the different varieties of language: dialects. These
kinds of dialects are known as geographical or regional dialects. The fact also
shows us that the members of a community or speech community are in the
same social hierarchy. Consequently, there are also varieties of the same
language used by the different types of the language users. These kinds of
.language varieties are known as social dialects

Sociolinguists study the relationship between language and society. They are interested in
explaining why we speak differently in different social contexts, and they are concerned with
identifying the social functions of language and the ways it is used to convey social meaning.
Examining the way people use language in different social contexts provides a wealth of
information about the way language works, as well as about the social relationships in a
community, and the way people convey and construct aspects of their social identity
through their language. Sociolinguistics is concerned with the relationship between language
and the context in which it is used. We also indicate aspects of our social identity through
the way we talk. Our speech provides clues to others about who we are, where we come
.from, and perhaps what kind of social experiences we have had

The way people talk is influenced by the social context in which they are talking. It matters
who can hear us and where we are talking, as well as how we are feeling. The same message
may be expressed very differently to different people. We use different styles in different
.social contexts

:Social factors

certain social factors have been relevant in accounting for the particular variety used. Some
relate to the users of language – the participants; others relate to its uses – the social setting
and function of the interaction. Who is talking to whom (e.g. wife – husband, customer –
shopkeeper, boss – worker) is an important factor. The setting or social context (e.g. home,
work, school) is generally a relevant factor too. The aim or purpose of the interaction
(informative, social) may be important. And, in some cases, the topic has proved an infl
.uence on language choice

In any situation, linguistic choices generally indicate people’s awareness of the infl uence of
one or more of the following components: 1. The participants: (a) who is speaking and (b)
who are they speaking to ? 2. The setting or social context of the interaction: where are they
?speaking? 3. The topic: what is being talked about? 4. The function : why are they speaking

:Language shift

There are many different social factors which can lead a community to shift from using one
language for most purposes to using a different language, or from using two distinct codes in
different domains, to using different varieties of just one language for their communicative
.needs