Chapter 1- What do sociolinguists study

Question 1

Style

Answer 1

Variation in speech features according to a range of possible aspects of the social context, including features of the setting and addressee(s).

eg: Conversation with friends is typically informal, while a lecture is usually more formal in style.

Question 2

Speech community

Answer 2

Linguistic feature with more than one realisation (or variant).

eg: Pronunciation of the consonant in -ing as either a velar nasal [ŋ] or as an alveolar nasal [n] at the end of words such as running, hopping; pronunciation of t as either [t] or as a glottal stop between two vowels in words such as butter, matter.

Question 3

Dialect

Answer 3

Variety with distinctive regional or social features of vocabulary and/or grammar, as well as differences in pronunciation.

Question 4

Speech function

Answer 4

Purpose of utterances; reason for saying/writing something.

eg: Communication might be expressive, directive or persuasive

Question 5

Variety/code

Answer 5

Any set of linguistic forms which patterns according to social factors, i.e. used under specific social circumstances. The term includes different accents, different linguistic styles, different dialects and even different languages which contrast with each other for social reasons.

Question 6

Verbal/linguistic repertoire

Answer 6

The range of codes or varieties available in a community from which an individual selects according to the social context.