The notion is simple, but the ways in which language reflects behavior can often be complex and subtle. The basic notion underlying sociolinguistics is quite simple: Language use symbolically represents fundamental dimensions of social behavior and human interaction. Sociolinguistics has become an increasingly important and popular field of study, as certain cultures around the world expand their communication base and intergroup and interpersonal relations take on escalating significance. Given the social role of language, it stands to reason that one strand of language study should concentrate on the role of language in society. It is often shocking to realize how extensively we may judge a person's background, character, and intentions based simply upon the person's language, dialect, or, in some instances, even the choice of a single word. In the normal transfer of information through language, we use language to send vital social messages about who we are, where we come from, and who we associate with. Such insulting words may reinforce biased views, and changes in society may be reflected in the changes in language.Language is one of the most powerful emblems of social behavior. Language itself is not racist or sexist, but the society may be. The use of words may indicate a society's attitude toward sex, bodily functions or religious beliefs, and they may also reflect racism or sexism in a society. These taboo words produce euphemisms, words or phrases that replace the expressions that are being avoided. Words or expressions referring to certain acts that are forbidden or frowned upon are considered taboo. Jargon refers to the unique vocabulary pertaining to a certain area, such as computers or medicine. Slang may also be used in speech, but is not often used in formal situations or writing. Creoles are defined as pidgins that are adopted by a community as its native tongue.īesides dialects, speakers may use different styles or registers (such as contractions) depending on the context. No one learns a pidgin as a native language, but children do learn creoles as a first language. English is called the lingua franca of the whole world, while French used to be the lingua franca of diplomacy.Ī pidgin is a language of few lexical items and less complex grammatical rules based on another language. Syntactic differences include the double negative and the loss of and habitual use of the verb "be." He late means he is late now, but he be late means he is always late.Ī lingua franca is a major language used in an area where speakers of more than one language live that permits communication and commerce among them. Phonological differences include r and l deletion of words like poor (pa) and all (awe.) Consonant cluster simplification also occurs (passed pronounced like pass), as well as a loss of interdental fricatives. These differences are the same as the differences among many of the world's dialects. These non-standard dialects are just as linguistically sophisticated as the standard dialect, and judgments to the inferiority of them are based on social or racist judgments.Īfrican-American English contains many regular differences of the standard dialect. A non-standard dialect is associated with covert prestige and is an ethnic or regional dialect of a language. Overt prestige refers to this dominant dialect. On the other hand, Mandarin and Cantonese are mutually unintelligible languages when spoken, yet the writing systems are the same.Ī dialect is considered standard if it is used by the upper class, political leaders, in literature and is taught in schools as the correct form of the language. Hindi and Urdu are considered mutually intelligible languages when spoken, yet the writing systems are different. Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish are all considered separate languages because of regular differences in grammar and the countries in which they are spoken, yet Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes can all understand one another to a large extent. Geographical regions are also considered when dialects become languages. The dialects of a single language are mutually intelligible, but when the speakers can no longer understand each other, the dialects become languages. Sociolinguistics refers to the way language is used in society. A dialect is a variety of language that is systematically different from other varieties of the same language.
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