unit 10

•The Varieties of English (I)

ReviewReview

• What are some properties of What are some properties of conversational implicature?conversational implicature?

• What are some maxims of What are some maxims of politeness? Use an example for each politeness? Use an example for each maxim.maxim.

Major contents

11.1 Interrelation between language and so11.1 Interrelation between language and societyciety

11.2 Regional dialects of English11.2 Regional dialects of English 11.3 Social dialects of English 11.3 Social dialects of English 11.4 Register theory11.4 Register theory

11.1 Interrelation between language and 11.1 Interrelation between language and societysociety

Chomsky (cognitive approach, ideal speaker) vChomsky (cognitive approach, ideal speaker) vs. Saussure (social semiotic approach)s. Saussure (social semiotic approach)

Any use of language is socially marked/stampeAny use of language is socially marked/stamped. Style is the man. d. Style is the man. [The story of the flowergirl in Pygmalion][The story of the flowergirl in Pygmalion]

As society changes, language will change. LaAs society changes, language will change. Language reflects society, as shown by the lexinguage reflects society, as shown by the lexicon of "snow", "camel".con of "snow", "camel".

The social value of a dialect or variety The social value of a dialect or variety reveals the social status of the speaker. A reveals the social status of the speaker. A speaker with a large repertoire is likely to speaker with a large repertoire is likely to be more successful in his future career. be more successful in his future career. For example, the ability to speak different For example, the ability to speak different dialects/mandarin Chinese is often dialects/mandarin Chinese is often advantageous in job hunting.advantageous in job hunting.

The speech of a speaker acting as a The speech of a speaker acting as a father/son/husband/teacher/friend is father/son/husband/teacher/friend is varied. varied.

Approaches to the study of the Approaches to the study of the interrelationinterrelation

•Macro-sociolinguisticsMacro-sociolinguistics: a bird's-eye : a bird's-eye view: how language functions in society view: how language functions in society and how language reflects the social and how language reflects the social differentiations. [sociology of language]differentiations. [sociology of language]

• Micro-sociolinguisticsMicro-sociolinguistics: a worm's-: a worm's-eye view: how language functions in the eye view: how language functions in the communication between members of communication between members of the society. [sociolinguistics]the society. [sociolinguistics]

11.2 Regional dialect11.2 Regional dialect

• Language and dialectLanguage and dialect

• LanguageLanguage: writing system; may include several : writing system; may include several dialects; often politically defineddialects; often politically defined

• DialectDialect: [traditionally only variation with space, : [traditionally only variation with space, but now with the space, the temporal factor but now with the space, the temporal factor and social factors] usu. spoken; often part of a and social factors] usu. spoken; often part of a language; not distinct enough from other language; not distinct enough from other dialects of the same language to be treated as dialects of the same language to be treated as an independent language; often marked by an independent language; often marked by geographical or social barriers; restricted geographical or social barriers; restricted purposespurposes

•Chinese vs. CantoneseChinese vs. Cantonese

• dialectdialect A regionally or socially distinctive A regionally or socially distinctive VARIETY of a language, identified by a VARIETY of a language, identified by a particular set of WORDS and GRAMMATICAL particular set of WORDS and GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURES. Spoken dialects are usually STRUCTURES. Spoken dialects are usually also associated with a distinctive also associated with a distinctive pronunciation, or ACCENT. Any LANGUAGE pronunciation, or ACCENT. Any LANGUAGE with a reasonably large number of speakers with a reasonably large number of speakers will develop dialects, especially if there are will develop dialects, especially if there are geographical barriers separating groups of geographical barriers separating groups of people from each other, or if there are people from each other, or if there are divisions of social class. divisions of social class.

It is usually said that people speak different languIt is usually said that people speak different languages when they do not understand each other. Buages when they do not understand each other. But many of the so-called dialects of Chinese (Mandat many of the so-called dialects of Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Pekingese) are mutually unintelligirin, Cantonese, Pekingese) are mutually unintelligible in their spoken form. (They do, however, share ble in their spoken form. (They do, however, share the same written language, which is the main reasthe same written language, which is the main reason why one talks of them as ‘dialects of Chineson why one talks of them as ‘dialects of Chinese’.) And the opposite situation occurs: Swedes, Ne’.) And the opposite situation occurs: Swedes, Norwegians and Danes are generally able to undersorwegians and Danes are generally able to understand each other, but their separate histories, cultutand each other, but their separate histories, cultures, literatures and political structures warrant theres, literatures and political structures warrant their being referred to as different languages. (David ir being referred to as different languages. (David Crystal)Crystal)

• Regional dialectRegional dialect often coincides with often coincides with geographical barriers, like mountains, geographical barriers, like mountains, rivers, etc. [accent] [dialectology] rivers, etc. [accent] [dialectology]

• Transition from one dialect to another Transition from one dialect to another is gradual rather than abrupt. Two is gradual rather than abrupt. Two neighboring dialects are often neighboring dialects are often intelligible.intelligible.

• P. 192 No. 1P. 192 No. 1

Temporal dialect• [temporal distance] Old English; Middle E[temporal distance] Old English; Middle E

nglish; Modern English [diachronic/histornglish; Modern English [diachronic/historical linguistics vs. synchronic linguistics]ical linguistics vs. synchronic linguistics]

• PP. 192-193 No. 2PP. 192-193 No. 2

11.3 Social dialect11.3 Social dialect

• Social dialectSocial dialect (also social-class dialect, socio (also social-class dialect, sociolect, class dialect) [social distance] arises frolect, class dialect) [social distance] arises from the separation brought about different som the separation brought about different social conditions. It refers to the linguistic varicial conditions. It refers to the linguistic variety characteristic of a particular social class.ety characteristic of a particular social class.

• Language varies according to gender, age, oLanguage varies according to gender, age, occupation, race, education, social status, etc.ccupation, race, education, social status, etc.

Language and sexLanguage and sex

•PP. 196-198 No. 5PP. 196-198 No. 5

•Language and ageLanguage and age: level tone; use o: level tone; use of words; tempo; ellipsis; etc.f words; tempo; ellipsis; etc.

•Language and raceLanguage and race: Black English : Black English [African pidgin] drop of inflections, [African pidgin] drop of inflections, simplified morphology and grammsimplified morphology and grammarar

•Language and social classLanguage and social class: social st: social status and the use of language atus and the use of language

•Language and occupationLanguage and occupation: jargon; t: jargon; technical terms [doctor-patient conechnical terms [doctor-patient conversation]versation]

• Language and social groupsLanguage and social groups: underground socie: underground society ty

• argot argot The specialized language and vocabulary The specialized language and vocabulary of a particular group of people, especially of a crof a particular group of people, especially of a criminal or underworld group. iminal or underworld group.

• Idiolect:Idiolect: language and individuality, e.g Shakes language and individuality, e.g Shakespeare's languagepeare's language

• An idiolect is the speech variety of an individual.An idiolect is the speech variety of an individual.

• Anyone in this class speaks an idiolect?Anyone in this class speaks an idiolect?

PP. 193-195 No. 3PP. 193-195 No. 3

Taboo and euphemismTaboo and euphemism

• Taboo (tabu, a Polynesian word)Taboo (tabu, a Polynesian word)

Taboo wordTaboo word: a word that is often avoide: a word that is often avoided because it may cause offence .d because it may cause offence .

Types of taboo wordsTypes of taboo words

• Swear words/curse wordsSwear words/curse words: those that invoke d: those that invoke damnation,misfortune or degradation of the taramnation,misfortune or degradation of the target person or subject, e.g. damn.get person or subject, e.g. damn.

• Obscene/dirty wordsObscene/dirty words: those referring to sexual : those referring to sexual organs and acts, body elimination process.organs and acts, body elimination process.

Presentation sessionPresentation session

•Euphemisms in EnglishEuphemisms in English

EuphemismEuphemism

•derived from Greekderived from Greek, eu––“good”, , eu––“good”, phem –––“speak”. phem –––“speak”. •““making something sound better”.making something sound better”.

Use of euphemismsUse of euphemisms : :

• A. appearance, age, disease, death.A. appearance, age, disease, death. ugly–––plain; homely ugly–––plain; homely

fat ––––chubby; stout; plumyfat ––––chubby; stout; plumy cripple––––physically handicapped cripple––––physically handicapped old –––––getting on years; senior; elderly old –––––getting on years; senior; elderly madhouse–––––mental house madhouse–––––mental house

pregnant ––––– in the family waypregnant ––––– in the family way die ––––– pass away, go to the better worldie ––––– pass away, go to the better worl

d, go out of third world, go aloftd, go out of third world, go aloft

B. Physiological aspectB. Physiological aspect

• sex organs --private partssex organs --private parts have sex with-- make love have sex with-- make love defecate/urinate–––go to stool; pass water;go t defecate/urinate–––go to stool; pass water;go to W.C.o W.C.

C. Political aspectsC. Political aspects• poor–––––needypoor–––––needy

bankrupt–––––out of the gamebankrupt–––––out of the game poor area–––––underprivileged area poor area–––––underprivileged area

hair dresser–––––beauticianhair dresser–––––beautician dust man–––––sanitary engineerdust man–––––sanitary engineer economic crises–––––recession; depressieconomic crises–––––recession; depressionon strike––––––industrial action/dispute strike––––––industrial action/dispute

11.4 Register theory (Variation 11.4 Register theory (Variation with the use)with the use)

•Halliday:Halliday: RegisterRegister: language variety according to the use of : language variety according to the use of language in speech events.language in speech events.a. experience a. experience b. each other b. each other c. the medium of transmissionc. the medium of transmissionComponentsComponents: field of discourse: field of discourse tenor of discoursetenor of discourse mode of discoursemode of discourse

Field of discourseField of discourse

• Field of discourseField of discourse: related to what is going : related to what is going on, the purpose and the subject matter of on, the purpose and the subject matter of communication; answers the questions of communication; answers the questions of why and about what communication takes why and about what communication takes place. place.

• Technical: linguistic lectures, specialist Technical: linguistic lectures, specialist communication [vocabulary]communication [vocabulary]

• Non-technical: shopping, chattingNon-technical: shopping, chatting

Tenor of discourseTenor of discourse::

•answers the question of to whom answers the question of to whom the speaker is communicating, the speaker is communicating, determines the level of formality of determines the level of formality of language use.language use.

Mode of discourseMode of discourse: :

•answers the question of how answers the question of how communication takes place ; spoken communication takes place ; spoken or written; spontaneous or non-or written; spontaneous or non-spontaneous.spontaneous.

IllustrationIllustration

• The register of a lecture on biology The register of a lecture on biology can be analyzed as:can be analyzed as:

• FieldField: scientific (biological): scientific (biological)

• TenorTenor: teacher-students/lecturer-: teacher-students/lecturer-audience (formal, polite)audience (formal, polite)

• ModeMode: oral (prepared) : oral (prepared)

AssignmentsAssignments

• Collect first-hand to show how males Collect first-hand to show how males differ from females in the use of differ from females in the use of language.language.

• PP. 198-199 No. 198PP. 198-199 No. 198