sociolinguistics october 29, 2008. sociolinguistics: methods 1. observation 2. observation of a...
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Sociolinguistics: Methods
1. Observation 2. Observation of a small group over a period
of time 3. Interview 4. Surveys and questionnaires 5. Accent Judgment Test 6. Language attitude studies 7. Role-playing 8. Discourse Completion Tests
6. Language Attitude Studies
How do you conduct language attitude studies?
examine what people think about certain dialects and why they think it
examine what effect these attitudes have on the way people think about the speakers of the dialect
examine what effect these attitudes have on the way people interact with speakers of the dialect
This type of research is sometimes called “folk linguistics”
social perceptions and dialects
Two types of social perception: Status (we admire these people):intelligence, businesslike, correct, dependable Solidarity (we like these people):friendly, pleasant, funny, similar to you
Do we perceive speakers of some varieties of English as being more intelligent or more friendly?
background: Preston’s (1992, 1999) research on language attitudes
Tested Northerners (Michiganders) and Southerners (Alabamans) on their perception of northern and southern speech
Participants rate speakers from different states on scales of solidarity and status:
Example:
Politeness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Language attitude studies
background: results
Who scored highest on status characteristics?
Michigan Who scored highest on solidarity
characteristics?AlabamaIn other words, we tend to admire
speakers of some dialects, but think they are unfriendly. We think speakers of other dialects are friendly, but kind of dumb
background: child attitude studies
How old are you when you acquire these attitudes?
Rosenthal, 1974
Standard English and African American English speaking children
Interacted with two boxes—one that spoke standard English and one that spoke African American English
background: child attitude studiesTakingWhich box has nicer
presents?Which box sounds nicer?Which box talks better?Which box do you like
better?Which box do you want to
take your present from?
GivingWhich box wants it
more?Which box needs it
more?Which box sounds
nicer?Which box do you want
to give it to?
background: child attitude studies
Who did they want to take from?
The Standard English box
Who did they want to give to?
The African American English box
How old were the children?
3-5 years old
social perception of dialects (David Bowie)Replication of Preston’s work, but with
Californians, Floridians and Utahans
Status: correct, intelligentSolidarity: pleasant, similar to you
States marked in red on the following maps indicate that participants thought this state “very strongly” had this characteristic; pinks and blues indicate that participants thought this state “very strongly” did not have this characteristic
conclusions Californians: think they are correct, pleasant
and very intelligent Floridians: think they are correct, intelligent
and pleasant and that no one is like them Utahans: Don’t think they are correct, don’t
think anyone is intelligent and think everyone is pleasant
Utahans display the most linguistic insecurity Californians and Floridians think they score
high on both status and solidarity characteristics
Don’t see as strong north/south prejudice as in eastern U.S.
Sociolinguistics: Methods
1. Observation 2. Observation of a small group over a period
of time 3. Interview 4. Surveys and questionnaires 5. Accent Judgment Test 6. Language attitude studies 7. Role-playing 8. Discourse Completion Tests
Which of the speakers is male? Which is female? How do you know?
M: What kind of salad dressing should I make?K: Oil and vinegar, what else?M: What do you mean “what else”?K: Well, I always make oil and vinegar, but if you want we could try something else.M: Does that mean you don’t like it when I make other dressings?K: No, I like it. Go ahead. Make something else.M: Not if you want oil and vinegar.K: I don’t. Make a yogurt dressing(M. makes a yogurt dressing, tastes it ,and makes a face)K: Isn’t it good?M: I don’t know how to make yogurt dressing.K: Well, if you don’t like it, throw it out.M: Never mind.K: What never mind? It’s just little yogurt.M: You’re making a big deal out of nothing.K: You are!
Conversation Analysis: Some terms
Some definitions:1. Face 2. Power and Solidarity 3. Politeness (directness) 4. Speech Acts5. Floor
solidarity
power
+p, +s
-p, +s
+p, -s
-p, -s
Politeness
Situation Positive (desire to include)
Negative (desire to avoid)
1. Person walks into room and trips
make a joke pretends doesn’t happen
2. Friendliness include person in all activities
allow person to do things on their own
3. Sees someone with zipper undone
tells the person a. ignores
b. tells person later
4. Request includes in activity “Let’s take the garbage out
hedge: “I wonder if you could help out?”
5. Complaint make a joke “you sure are a good housekeeper”
nominalize: “Your poor performance on the exam . . .
Conversation Analysis: Holding the floor
a. P: Your Honor, we request immediate sentencing and waive the probation report.
J: What's his record?P: He has a prior drunk and GTA. Nothing serious. This is just a shoplifting
case. He did enter the K-Mart with the intent to steal. But really all we have here is a petty theft.
J: What do the people have?D: Nothing either way.J: How long has he been in?D: Eighty-three days.
b. D: I wonder how our parents and grandparents thought about Thanksgiving.S: Could we get this off the table?D: Y'know, if they used to do it for the kids or whether they really felt it.P: I'd like to get this off the table.S: It keeps coming back on the table.
Example Speech Act: Compliments
1. Who gets compliments?
2. Who gives compliments?
3. Who evades/deflects/rejects compliments?
4. What do men/women compliment (appearance, possessions, skills?)