?v=DBXUXqf8FXk Adam and Joe – Voice Coach’s British Pronunciation.

Vowel Differences – American / British AmericanRP loftlarftlawft dogdargdawg notnahtnot

William Labov’s findings: [au]  [əu] “trout, house” [ai]  [əi] “night, like”

What had happened? There was already a tendency in the fishermen’s speech to speak in this way. The fishermen were a close-knit community, least in touch with the ‘summer people’ and most opposed to their presence. The fishermen subconsciously began to exaggerate their accents to show establish themselves as an independent social group with superior status to the ‘summer people’. The men were viewed positively by the wider community as having good, old-fashioned values (contrasting with the lazy, consumerist visitors). People therefore subconsciously copies the accent so as to be seen as ‘true islanders’. The tendency was strongest amongst those who planned to remain on the island; more standard accents were found among those who planned to leave.

Stage 1 An aspect of speech of a particular group differs from that of the ‘standard’ dialect of the area. Stage 1 An aspect of speech of a particular group differs from that of the ‘standard’ dialect of the area. Stage 2 A second social group admires and models itself on the first group, subconsciously adopting and exaggerating certain features of speech. Stage 2 A second social group admires and models itself on the first group, subconsciously adopting and exaggerating certain features of speech. Stage 3 The new feature of speech gradually takes hold and becomes the norm. Stage 3 The new feature of speech gradually takes hold and becomes the norm. Stage 4 The process repeats itself as other social groups model themselves on the second social group. Stage 4 The process repeats itself as other social groups model themselves on the second social group.

What might Labov’s “Martha’s Vineyard” research tell us about other areas of language change?