ENG303 Masteremne i engelsk lingvistikk I
Fall 2006
Kevin McCafferty, Tel. 55 58 31 50, e-mail kevin.mccafferty@eng.uib.no
Sociolinguistic variation and change in English
Sociolinguistics has been characterised as ‘The study of the relationship between language
and society with the goal of understanding the structure of language’ (Ronald Wardhaugh, An
introduction to sociolinguistics, 1992, p.13). More specifically, the focus of variationist or
quantitative sociolinguistics is on the roles played by language variation, communication, and
social organisation in the emergence and spread of language change.
This kind of sociolinguistics offers tools and methods for approaching language change as an
ongoing process. We will study the methods developed by sociolinguists for gaining access to
the vernacular – speakers’ most informal speech style – in order to study patterns of linguistic
variation in communities and determine the origins and directions of change, as well as the
motivations for change. We will look at relationships between language use and social
structures in terms of correlations with age, sex/gender, class, ethnicity, networks, etc. And
we will examine processes like social and geographical mobility, migration, etc., which play a
part in promoting or inhibiting language change. On the linguistic side, we will study
developments affecting both phonological and morphosyntactic features.
Textbooks
The main textbooks for the course are:
J.K. Chambers, Sociolinguistic theory. Linguistic variation and its social significance (Second
edition), Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 2003.
Lesley Milroy & Matthew Gordon, Sociolinguistics. Method and interpretation, Basil
Blackwell, Oxford, 2003.
Other texts may be distributed in class.
Teaching
The course will be taught as a seminar/workshop with active student participation. Student
presentations will be required.
Examination
6-hour school examination.