Introducing Sociolinguistics

by Mesthrie, Rajend; Swann, Joan; Deumert, Andrea; Leap, William L.; Mesthrie, Rajend

• ISBN13: 9781556192067
• ISBN10: 1556192061
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-02-01
• Publisher: John Benjamins Pub Co

Table of Contents

List of Tables, Maps and Figures	x
List of Tables	x
List of Maps	x
List of Figures	xi
Abbreviations	xiv
Acknowledgements	xv
Note to Readers	xxiii
Clearing the Ground: Basic Issues, Concepts and Approaches	1	(43)
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	1	(5)
Relations between Language and Society	6	(6)
Prescriptivism	12	(8)
Standardisation	20	(6)
Speech vs Writing	26	(2)
Societies and Speech Communities	28	(10)
Monolingualism and Multilingualism	38	(4)
Conclusion	42	(2)
Notes	43	(1)
Regional Dialectology	44	(32)
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	44	(2)
A Multilingual Project: The Linguistic Survey of India	46	(3)
Monolingual Dialectology in Europe	49	(13)
Modern Approaches to Dialect	62	(8)
More Challenges for Dialectologists	70	(4)
Conclusion	74	(2)
Notes	75	(1)
Social Dialectology	76	(38)
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	76	(1)
Principles and Methods in Variationist Sociolinguistics: Three Case Studies	77	(15)
Fieldwork Methods in Variationist Sociolinguistics	92	(3)
A Closer Look at Stylistic and Social Categories	95	(15)
Sociolinguistics on Trial: An Application of Urban Dialectology	110	(2)
Conclusion	112	(2)
Notes	112	(2)
Language Variation and Change	114	(34)
Andrea Deumert
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	114	(1)
Two Models of Language Change	115	(8)
Vernacular Maintenance and Change	123	(9)
New Approaches to Variation and Change: The Need for Integration	132	(6)
Vowel Shifts: Towards a Holistic Approach to Dialect and Change	138	(8)
Conclusion: The Limits of Variation Theory	146	(2)
Notes	147	(1)
Language Choice and Code-switching	148	(36)
Joan Swann
Introduction	148	(1)
Evaluation and Accommodation: Language Variation as Meaningful	149	(3)
Language Choice in Bilingual Communities	152	(12)
Code-switching in Bidialectal and Bilingual Communities	164	(7)
Code-switching and Speaker Style	171	(11)
Conclusion	182	(2)
Note	183	(1)
Language in Interaction	184	(32)
Joan Swann
William L. Leap)
Introduction	184	(2)
Speaking and Silence	186	(4)
Narratives	190	(7)
Conversational Style	197	(4)
Encoding Relationships	201	(2)
Asymmetrical Talk	203	(11)
Conclusion	214	(2)
Gender and Language Use	216	(32)
Joan Swann
Introduction	216	(1)
Women's and Men's Languages	217	(4)
Variationist Studies: Quantifying Gender	221	(8)
Gender in Interaction: `Difference' and `Dominance'	229	(6)
Gender and Politeness	235	(3)
The Fluidity of `Language' and `Gender'	238	(5)
New Contexts for Communication	243	(3)
Conclusion	246	(2)
Notes	247	(1)
Language Contact 1: Maintenance, Shift and Death	248	(31)
Rajend Mesthrie
William L. Leap
Introduction	248	(1)
Contact and Borrowing	249	(4)
Language Maintenance, Shift and Death	253	(9)
The Linguistics of Obsolescence	262	(1)
A Case Study: Language Contact, Maintenance and Shift among Native Americans	263	(10)
Saving Endangered Languages	273	(4)
Conclusion	277	(2)
Notes	278	(1)
Language Contact 2: Pidgins, Creoles and `New Englishes'	279	(37)
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	279	(1)
Pidgins and Creoles	279	(10)
Pidgin Structures and Theories of their Origin	289	(8)
Creole Structures and Theories of their Origin	297	(7)
Language Spread and `New' Varieties of English	304	(10)
Conclusion	314	(2)
Notes	315	(1)
Critical Sociolinguistics: Approaches to Language and Power	316	(38)
Rajend Mesthrie
Andrea Deumert
Introduction	316	(1)
Power	317	(3)
Critical Discourse Analysis	320	(6)
Critical Language Awareness in Action	326	(7)
Resistance to Powerful Language	333	(9)
Sociolinguistics and Symbolic Power: The Work of Pierre Bourdieu	342	(10)
Conclusion	352	(2)
Notes	353	(1)
Sociolinguistics and Education	354	(30)
William L. Leap
Rajend Mesthrie
Introduction	354	(1)
Teaching, Learning and Schooling	355	(6)
Disadvantage and Classroom Language	361	(7)
Dialect and Language Choice in the Classroom	368	(13)
Conclusion	381	(3)
Notes	383	(1)
Language Planning and Policy	384	(35)
Andrea Deumert
Introduction	384	(1)
Dimensions of Language Planning	385	(3)
The Process of Language Planning	388	(6)
The Rational Choice Model and its Critics	394	(4)
The Question of Acceptance	398	(1)
Language Planning, Power and Ideology	399	(6)
Two Case Studies: Norway and South Africa	405	(12)
Conclusion	417	(2)
Notes	418	(1)
The Sociolinguistics of Sign Language	419	(30)
Andrea Deumert
Introduction	419	(1)
Some Aspects of the Structure of Sign Languages and other Sign Systems	419	(5)
The Deaf Community as a Linguistic Minority	424	(5)
Sign Language and Education	429	(4)
Language Contact, Diglossia and Code-switching	433	(5)
Sociolinguistic Variation in Sign Language	438	(6)
`Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language': Martha's Vineyard Revisited	444	(3)
Conclusion	447	(2)
Notes	447	(2)
Epilogue	449	(6)
Further Reading	455	(3)
Next Steps	458	(1)
Bibliography	459	(31)
Glossary	490	(3)
Index	493