Milroy Flashcards
Milroy Theory
Social Networks Theory
BELFAST STUDY
- demonstrated that people integrated into close-knit communities use more non-standard language forms & men use more vernacular than women
Milroy - What he studied
Social groups and how their individual dynamics impact the transmission of information, behaviour and language changes within a community
- Information = anything from a casual conversation between friends to the news relayed by different sources
- Focus is not what the information is but HOW it is PASSED from person to another
Milroy - Social Network
A community of language users
- sometimes knows as a speech community
- groups of language users who interact with one another
E.g. Colleagues / different friendship groups / family / etc.
Milroy - Network Types
Closed networks: High density - more power over language use
Open networks: Low density - weaker links
Milroy - Closed Networks
HIGH DENSITY
The closer the contacts in a group, the more power the group will have over language use
E.g.
Close-knit group of friends may experience language change whereby they adopt each others’ mannerisms and linguistic choices which SETS A NEW NORM
Milroy - Open Networks
LOWER DENSITY
- Have weaker links
The contacts within the network have much less influence over each other’s language use
- Tend to be under less pressure to conform to the group
- Language is typically more varied
Milroy - Weak Tie Theory
Suggests that language change occurs due to these language variations which are spread between weak links
Milroy - Multiplexy
(an important factor determining the structure of a particular social network)
When contacts in a social network know each other in more than one way (i.e. multiple social groups)
E.g.
A pair are both colleagues and personal friends: multiplexy
- More multiplexy relationships = denser and network is more closed
Milroy - Study Results
CORRELATIONS
- Higher network strength scores = more non-standard language forms
- The more integrated people were in their community, the more casual their linguistic choices
Milroy - Key Variables
Lower social classes used more non-standard forms of the /θ/ and /æ/ variables
Milroy - Men vs Women
Men used more vernacular than women
- Positively correlated with each group’s network strength score
- Demonstrated that men generally belonged to tighter-knit groups and had higher social network strength scores than women
Milroy - Exception
Exceptions in high unemployment areas
CLONARD & HAMMER area
- Men are required to look for work outside of their normal communities
- Men are a part of less dense social networks
- Resulted in fewer instances of vernacular forms in English being used
