Identity & Community

Question 1

What are the three waves of sociolinguistics?

Answer 1

1) Correlation of linguistic variation with demographic category
2) Correlation of linguistic variation with local community ties
3) Correlation of linguistic variation with local identity categories; social meaning

Question 2

Define the first wave of sociolingustics

Answer 2

Correlation of linguistic variation with demographic category

Question 3

Define speech community

Answer 3

Participation in shared set of linguistic norms; uniformity in usage of variants. Variation measurable by demographic category (somewhat). Can be local norms within a wider speech community

Question 4

What are the issues with explaining variation through speech community? (4)

Answer 4

• Assumes all speakers share same norms (forgets other influences)
• Focuses on speakers who are typical members of speech community (ignores those who are different)
• Only looks at groups, not individuals (only conclude social norms, not local styles)
• Assumes meaning of demographic categories (doesn’t account of heterogeneity)

Question 5

Define the second wave of sociolinguistics

Answer 5

Correlation of linguistic variation with local community ties

Question 6

Define social networks

Answer 6

Assumes we use language differently because of who we interact with and who matters to us, not because of any inherent difference between us

Question 7

What are the 2 types of networks?

Answer 7

Dense and loose. The more people in a community a person knows, the more they engage with community, the more dense the social network. Dense network = more speakers found to use non-standard vernacular

Question 8

Define multiplexity

Answer 8

The more ways speakers know one another, the more multiplex the ties between them. The more ways speakers know one another, the more likely they are to share local community norms of language use

Question 9

What is the opposite approach to multiplexity

Answer 9

Uniplexity

Question 10

What must be remembered as social network studies are enacted?

Answer 10

The local context of language use; people engage in multiple communities thus result in having multiple identities

Question 11

Define the third wave of sociolingusitics

Answer 11

Correlation of linguistic variation with local identity categories; social meaning

Question 12

What are communities of practice?

Answer 12

Mutual engagement, jointly negotiated, shared repertoire

Question 13

What does practice mean

Answer 13

Shared way of doing things

Question 14

What is the difference between communities of practice and social networks

Answer 14

Whereas social networks = who is connected to who in a community, communities of practice = who shares social practice with who in community. About quality of connectivity that exists; requires ethnography

Question 15

Define ethnography

Answer 15

Systematic study of people and cultures via their customs/habits/mutual differences

Question 16

What are the two approaches of study to identity?

Answer 16

Essentialist (identity = something we’re born with, e.g. ethnicity, gender); constructionist (identity = something we do)

Question 17

What does linguistic theory claim about identity?

Answer 17

Produced and sustained by human interaction; social positioning of the self and other

Question 18

How can speakers index an identity related to a particular social group?

Answer 18

Through the use of culturally-meaningful language connected to that group

Question 19

“______” is the link between stereotypes and actual language use.

Answer 19

Indexicality

Question 20

What could ‘acts of identity’ mean?

Answer 20

Language style-shift to resemble that of those in groups you wish to be identified with (or be unlike those you wish to be distinguished from): identity as social achievement

Question 21

What are the 2 types of indexicality

Answer 21

• Direct index: the characteristic that language use indicates
• Indirect index: the social identity that the characteristic is associated with

Question 22

In order for effective discourse analysis, what must we remember regarding the types of indexicality?

Answer 22

Because discourse features are multifunctional - aka can point to various characteristics (thus identities) - context is key for establishing meaning