Sociolinguistics

Introduction
 What is a society?
 What is a language?
 Langage v langue v parole
 Competence v performance
 Theoretical linguistics v sociolinguistics
 Linguistics v sociology
 Sociolinguistics v sociology of language
 Language v dialect
 A society:
“any group of people drawn together for certain
purpose or purposes.”

 A language:
“is what the members of a particular society
speak”.
Langage v langue v parole
 Langage “a universal system which has an
underlying, fundamental structure so that
linguistic communication can work.”
 Langue “actual language spoken, for instance;

French, German or English. The language of

the speaker.”
 Parole “is the individual speech act.”
 Langue v parole: “group knowledge of

language v individual knowledge of language”

Competence v performance
 Linguistic competence:
“the system of linguistic knowledge possessed by native
speakers of a language”.

Chomsky: ideal speaker-listener, in a completely

homogeneous speech-community.

 Linguistic performance:
“the way the language system is used in communication.”

Chomsky: might include: memory limitations,

distractions, shifts of attention and interest, and errors.
Theoretical linguistics v
sociolinguistics
 Theoretical linguistics: general models on
syntax, phonology, morphology and semantics.
 Based on model of ideal native speaker –

looks for ‘deep realities’.

 Sociolinguistics: effect of society on

language. Looks at language in use.
Sociolinguistics v sociology of
language
 linguists concerned with linguistic items

 sociologists concerned with how societies are

structured

 Sociolinguistics: the effect of society on

language.

 Sociology of language: the effect language of

on society.
Language v dialect
 Difference between language v dialect? Ambiguous.

“Language can be used to refer either to a single linguistic norm or to

a group of related norms, and dialect to refer to one of the norms.”

 Dialecte v patois.

 Serbo-Croatian

 Dutch dialects v German dialects

 standardization, vitality, historicity, autonomy, reduction, mixture,

and
de facto norms
What is Standard English?
 According to Crystal:

 A variety of English with no geographical base.

 Relates to grammar, lexis, orthography but NOT

pronunciation (unlike Received Pronunciation).

 Standard English is the most prestigious variety.

 It’s the most widely understood but least produced

variety.
Not a style
 Father was exceedingly fatigued subsequent
to his extensive peregrination

 Dad was very tired after his lengthy journey

 The old man was bloody knackered after his

long trip

 Father were very tired after his lengthy

journey
What Standard English is not:
 According to Trudgill:

 Standard English is not a language.

 Standard English is not an accent.

 Standard English is not a style.

 Standard English is not a register.

 Standard English is not a set of prescriptive rules.