L23B: Sociolinguistics
2005-2006
Lecturer: Emmogene Budhai-Alvaranga
Please Turn off all cellular phones & pagers
L23B Website:
www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/courses/l23b
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Objectives of the Session
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Review some important concepts
Overview of Communication
Readings: Downes & Hymes
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What is sociolinguistics?
As defined by C&J (1997)
‘the study of language in its social
context and the study of social
life through linguistics’
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Sociolinguistics:
Is it relevant?
(Downes)
 language includes not just
grammar but also social process
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features of language linked to
social aspects
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Arbitrariness: is a
social phenomenon
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label/lexical items/expressions
dependent on our
philosophies/culture
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Variability: requires
social explanation
For example: (taken from Downes)
‘butter’ - meaning (edible, yellow, diary product)
- syntactic use: noun ‘a’ ‘the’ sub/obj
But different phonetic realizations
 RP [b]
 Canadian/American ‘budder’ [bdr]
 British English/Cockney [br]
(working class)
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Sociolinguistics
Allows us to:
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Combine theoretical discoveries
with social investigations
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Concentrate on performance
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Relevance of Sociolinguistics
(Hymes)
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linguistic theory as a wholistic
theory of language entailing the
organization of speech and not just
grammar.
Speech communities as
organizations of ways of speaking
not just the distribution of the
grammar of a language
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Downes (Film 1961)
Doreen: She got married yesterday. She
looked ever so nice
Arthur: What was the bloke like, could y’er
smell the drink? He must have
been drunk to get married.
What did she want to convey?
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make a statement
request for action
suggestion
broach the topic
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Analyzing
Conversation
Points to consider…
1. Context
2. Several Interpretations possible
3. Intentions may be incorrect
4. Speaker can deny
5. Vague
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Interaction:
student to teacher at end
of term
Will you be teaching another
course in this programme?
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Politeness
Salt!
Pass the Salt!
Would you mind passing the salt please?
I think this food could use a little salt.
This meal is marvelous! Just a pinch
of salt and it would be perfect.
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Components of Communication
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Linguistic Knowledge
Interaction Skills
Cultural Knowledge
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Linguistic Knowledge
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verbal elements
non-verbal elements
patterning of elements
range of possible variants
meaning of variants
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Interaction Skills
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selection of forms
interpretation of forms
discourse organization and
processes
norms of interaction and
interpretation
strategies for achieving goals
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Cultural Knowledge
social structure
 values and attitudes
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Communicative Competence
“underlying systems of
knowledge and skill required
for communication”
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Factors Influencing
Selection of Variety/Code:
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Speaker/Receiver
Competence
Situation
Topic
Channel
Tone
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Questions
????
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