Language Variation: Social Class Sociolinguistics Language Variation: Social Class

Just as a regional dialect marks off the residents of one region from those of other regions, a social dialect would be a variety associated with a specific social class or group, marking that class or group off from other classes or groups. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics p. 137

What does vernacular mean? The everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary language. A variety of such everyday language specific to a social group or region: the vernaculars of New York City. The commonly spoken language or dialect of a particular people or place. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vernacular

Regional vs. Social Dialects Regional dialects = geographically based Social dialects = social class, religion and ethnicity

Examples of social dialects might include, what?: African American Vernacular English: uses a number of different phrases, word order changes and sound differences, some “rap” has these characteristics changes. We will talk more about BEV later it is a complex social dialect. Jewish Speakers of English in New York: for example might say the word “dog” with a vowel sound more similar to book, so “doog.” Italian Speakers of English in New York: for example might say words like bad and bag with a vowel sound resembling “beard” so something like bead and beag.

Previously, most studies of variability were concerned with regional variation or dialectology. - concerned with the study of dialects Karl Marx broke society into two groups: Capitalists = production Proletariat = sold labour to the capitalists

“The new urban vernaculars which emerged in places like Manchester and Leeds had powerful working-class connotations. Alongside them, there was the increasingly uniform Received Pronunciation of the elite, which consisted not only of the capitalists, but also traditional landowners, senior managers and civil servants, and aristocracy. Nineteenth-century British English was therefore split up not only into regional dialects, but also into social dialects or sociolects.” p. 51

What is the difference between idiolect and sociolect What is the difference between idiolect and sociolect? Idiolect - our own particular, personal way of speaking Sociolect - a social dialect: a way of speaking shared by a particular group of people from a particular age, ethnic group or social class

How do we group individuals?

Social groupings include… Age Sex Race / ethnicity Class Income and wealth Kinship Occupational structures Political structures Religious structures Education Leisure-time activities Organizational involvements

Grouping and social class Many sociolinguistic studies have started by grouping individuals into social classes on the basis of factors such as education, occupation, and income. They look at certain linguistic features and how they are used by each group.

Dialects and social class The development of social-class dialects can be explained in terms of social barriers and social distance Social distance appears to be as important in differentiating dialects as geographical distance

A number of modern thinkers have tried to define what makes a particular “social class.” – Is it accent? – …neighborhood? – …occupation? – …income? – …wealth?

Question Try to list the formative influences on the variety of English you speak and to give relative weights to those influences. You might consider such factors as when and where you learned English, your social and cultural background, the range of occasions on which you use English, and any other relevant matters. A comparison of your set of factors and the weights you assign these with the sets and weights that others propose should prove interesting.

How does social class affect language?

Variables of Social Class Power The degree to which a person can control other people Wealth Objects or symbols owned by people which have value attached to them Prestige The degree of respect, favourable regard, or importance accorded to a person by members of society

William Labov’s Department Store Study In 1966 Labov completed the “New York department store study” which examined overt prestige involving both class and gender. The three stores are classified by: Their location The number of pages of advertising in The New York Times and in The Daily News The prices of comparable items (e.g., in 1962, women's coats averaged $90 in Saks, $79.95 in Macy's, and $23 in Klein's) The size and layout of the store http://aggslanguage.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/william-labov/

What is overt prestige and covert prestige What is overt prestige and covert prestige? An overt prestige dialect = culturally dominant group. A covert prestige dialect = often seen as inferior to the dominant culture but is embarrassed to show membership

He investigated: Pronunciation of the ‘post-vocalic’ /r/ sound in American speech. /r/ comes directly after a vowel = fourth Or as seen in floor Different social classes: Saks (upper class) Macy’s (middle class) S. Klein (lower class)

For example: The interviewer asked: Excuse me, where are the (women's shoes)? The salesperson answered: Fourth floor. The interviewer then leaned forward and said: Excuse me?

Labov’s Findings (1) I = 1st utterance II = 2nd utterance

Findings /r/ increased as the class of store increased /r/ increased in careful speech Overuse of /r/ known as Hypercorrection was used in the lower middle class (Macy’s) Hypercorrectness was used more by MC women

Downton Abbey Analysis Notice how questions are asked to get things done. - Think about direct and indirect language. - How do the servants speak to each, how do they speak to the family, how does the family speak to the servants and then to each other. Note down the different vocabulary used by the family and by the servants How do they address each other? - Pay attention to the housekeeper, cook and the butler are they addressed formally or informally. 4. Pay attention to Daisy the kitchen maid and how she interacts with others. - What about her vocabulary, accent and respect 5. Consider the interaction with Lady Gratham and the Dowayer Countess of Gratham Other areas to consider: Education Dress Hierarchy Pace and tone