Language diversity Flashcards
Which locations were used in Labov’s New York study?
High ranking - Saks, fifth avenue
Middle ranking - Macy’s
Low ranking - S Klein, lower east side
What were the findings of Labov’s New York study?
high ranking - /r/ pronounced more frequently in both forms of speech.
Middle ranking - /r/ pronounced more frequently in careful speech, but less in casual.
Low ranking - /r/ used less frequently but still showed an upward shift between casual and careful.
What method was used in Labov’s New York study?
He asked the staff a question which elicited the response “fourth floor” where they would use the prestige pronunciation, the post vocalic /r/ or not.
He asked them twice, the second time leaving in saying “Excuse me?”, and most then spoke in a careful style and emphatic stress.
They changed their speech from spontaneous to careful.
Howard Giles Capital Punishment experiment
Found people find regional accents more persuasive than RP/text. People found regional speakers least impressive in their presentations.
AC Gimson divisions
Conservative, general, advanced
John wells
Upper crust
Mainstream
adoptive
Lynne tuss on apostrophe
“Apostrophe catastrophe”
John humphries as prescriptivist
Compared misuse of apostrophe as vandalism
Jean Aitchinson damp spoon
Suggests bad English is used by lazy and passive.
Only drunken speech is lazy
Crumbling castle
Suggests English was once great but is now decayed.
False as language is constantly changing and evolving
Infectious disease
Bad English spreads like germs
People pick up accents as they please
David crystal on language change
David crystal created a tide metaphor to explain language change. To show its constantly changing. Bringing in new words whilst taking out others
Cheshire on teen language
It’s becoming recognised… That adult language as well as child language envelops in response to important life event that affect social relationships and social attitudes of individuals.
Zimmerman on teen language influences
Street art/graffiti
Media and press
Music
New means of communication
