Sociolinguistics 8

Inequality linguistic and social

8 types of linguistic inequality

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. High/low power Positive/negative bias in language Standard/non-standard dialects Nice/nasty accents Linguistic competence/incompetence Pragmatic competence/incompetence Conversational power/solidarity Affinity/lack of affinity for language

Benign inequality
Unequal power is inherent in social structure. In most cases its accepted by both sides. In such cases its benign. We signal it linguistically
In relation to our addressee.

Illegitimate power
But it can be illegitimate and language gives powerful support. (policeman to black doctor in Southern States of US). P: What's your name, boy? D: Dr Pouissant. I'm a physician P: What's your first name, boy. D: Alvin.

Solution: legislation, education

Why is language so hard to resist?
Because its part of our shared culture. It reinforces inequality by repetition. It transmits inequality to the young.

Solution:
Ban discriminatory language use. Train those in work to avoid it. Educate the young to understand and avoid it.

2. Bias in language
This concerns how we refer to other people (not necessarily the addressee). It can be legitimate,
e.g. criminal/daring, terrorist/freedom fighter but even these words can be mis-applied.

But the bias can also be illegitimate,

E.g. man/woman, he/she treat male as normal

MAN means Person

Person

Man
sense

Woman
sense

MAN

WOMAN

3. Standard/non-standard
Most modern societies have selected one variety as the standard variety for:
Public writing Education Public and formal occasions

In some cases (e.g. English) this is also the native dialect of professional families.
? 10% of population

Standard and non-standard

Standard I did it. Those books I didnt see anybody. Non-standard I done it. Them books I didnt see nobody.

Diglossia and education

But in some countries the standard is not spoken natively by anyone.
E.g. German-speaking Switzerland

In such countries
everyone learns the standard at school. the standard is always presented as a complement, not a competitor, to the local non-standard.

The solution in the UK

Education Teach Standard English at school
As a complement to Non-standard. Describe the forms explicitly. Treat the alternatives as equal but different.

This is already the official government view.

Thanks to linguists.

Exactly what needs to be taught?

Call in the linguists!

Accent and dialect

Dialect shows in writing.
E.g. Standard, Non-standard (London, )

Accent doesnt just pronunciation.

E.g. RP, London, Liverpool,
Only about 2% speak RP (based on Trudgill PhD)

Standard can be combined with many different accents

E.g. your lecturers

Accent is important for self-classification. Schools should not teach accent.

4. Speaker evaluation
People do evaluate speakers on the basis of their accent or dialect.
Often the evaluation is negative.

Research methods:
E.g. subjective reaction tests
Listen Evaluate speaker e.g. for intelligence, friendliness

For example, which speaker is a solicitor? This speaker?

Or this one?

Prejudice and classification

We classify people in terms of persontypes. We can then inherit a lot of information Classification is essential to survival. But inherited information can be wrong.
Generally true, but not in this case.
Bad luck.

Not even generally true.

Prejudice.

Prejudice in a picture
Person job-status Liverpudlian Londoner low

job-status Person X low

Solution
Education. Discuss and undermine prejudices. Especially those relevant to education:
Teachers prejudices about pupils.
E.g. RP therefore clever.

Pupils prejudices about teachers.

E.g. RP therefore boring.

5. Linguistic (in)competence
Babies know no language. Educated adults know a lot. Children and uneducated adults know less. Some people know more language than others. E.g. two 11-year olds.

A letter about a school trip

Dear perant's There is a school trip to an Animal farm on the 18th of march. We will be going on minney bus it costs 3 pound. They will be staying all day so they will need a pack lunch. There are some shops there so they can bring some money. I wouldn't bring a lot thoe because if they lose it it's a lot they've just lost

Another one
Dear Parents A visit has been arranged for the Year 6 class J12, to Mountain Peaks Field Study Centre, on July 18th, leaving school at 9.30 am. This is an overnight visit. Your child will be travelling by coach and will be accompanied by Mrs Medway the class teacher and her assistant Miss Skinner.

Solution
Education Teach language explicitly at school.
Vocabulary Grammar

But what is this language?

Call in the linguists!

This helps the weaker children who cant learn just from exposure. This is government policy in England.
With help from linguists.

6. Pragmatic (in)competence
Institutions have special conventions for using language. E.g. in schools:
You answer adults questions even if they obviously know the answer.
Like middle-class homes.

You use the present tense for literary works, even if the events are in the past.
Romeo loves Juliet Shakespeare presents Romeo as a sensitive soul.

Solution
Education Teach the conventions explicitly. Which means that you should be aware of the conventions. Call in the linguists!

7. Conversational strategies
One theory about conversation management:
Males aim at power Females aim at solidarity

For example: he fights for power so he can talk about his hospital experience.

Mother and daughter

Whereas these women dont care about power, but do care about differences of opinion.

Is there a problem?
Men interrupt more, and are less likely to be interrupted, than women. If one person dominates conversation or meetings or ., there is a problem:
For others, who cant contribute For them, if others consider them boring

Solution: education??

Affinity for language

Females are better at language. They develop a little faster as infants. They develop a lot faster as adolescents. They score much higher marks at school than boys at all ages.
Especially for writing.

Theyre more likely to study:

Foreign languages Linguistics

Solution
Education Teach boys
more explicitly with clearer structures

Boys enjoy grammar. But linguistics is a science where girls shine. So linguistics is good for everyone.