AN INTRODUCTION TO

SOCIOLINGUISTICS

Project by : SIWAR MANAI

 Outline
I. Defining Sociolinguistics
II. Role of sociolinguists
III. Social factors
IV. Social dimensions
 Sociolinguisticcs

 Sociolinguistics is a descipline that examines all

aspects of the relationship between language and
society. The basic premise of sociolinguistics is that
language is variable and ever-changing. As a result,
language is not uniform or constant. Rather, it is
inconsistent for the individual user within and
among groups of speakers.
 Role of sociolinguists

the way
people
convey and
construct why we speak
differently in
aspects of different social
their social the relationship contexts
identity between
through their language and
language society

the social the social functions

relationships of language and the
ways it is used to
in a convey social
community meaning
Example :
Conversation n°1:
 Ray : Hi mum.
 Mum : Hi. You’re late.
 Ray : Yeah, that bastard
Sootbucket kept us in
again.
 Mum : Nana’s here.
 Ray : Oh sorry. Where is
she?
Conversation n°2:
 Ray : Good afternoon,
sir.
 Principal : What are
you doing here at this
time?
 Ray : Mr Sutton kept
us in, sir.
  Ray’s description of his teacher would have been expressed differently
had he realised his grandmother could hear him .This same message can
be expressed differently depending on the social context , who can hear
us , our particular feelings

vs

  Notice the difference in utterance and choice of words when the social
context changes : awareness of the need of an appropriate way of speaking
 Social factors
In order to achieve successful communication one
has to be aware of the social factors that govern
any type of interaction :
1. The users of that language or the participants : the
speaker and adressee
2. The function : why is one speaking ?
3. The social setting
4. The topic
 social dimensions :

1. The solidarity-social distance scale concerned

with participant relationships : This scale is useful
in emphasising that how well we know someone
is a relevant factor in linguistic choice
A relationship can be Intimate with a high level of
solidarity or distant with a low level of solidarity
2. The status scale :
This scale points to the relevance of status in some
linguistic choices. The choice of sir by Ray in the
ficrst example, for instance, signals Ray’s
awareness that the school principal was of higher
status and entitled to a respect term

Superior High status

Subodinate low status

3. The formality scale related to the type of interaction :
It highlights the influence of the social setting or type
of interaction on language choice.
For example in a formal transaction such as one with
the bank manager in his office , or at a ritual service
in church, the language used will be influenced by
the formality of the setting. For a friendly chat,
people generally use colloquial language
4. Two functional scales relating to the purposes or
topic of interaction :
A directive function: language can convey objective
information of referential kind
An affective function: expresses how someone is
feeling