Sociolinguistics - Measuring Variation: Class and Age

Question 1

Style (Labovian sense)

Answer 1

The amount of attention one pays to his or her own speech

Question 2

Joos 5 styles

Answer 2

Intimate style (pillow talk)

Casual style (informal conversation between friends)

Consultative style (informal conversation between strangers)

Formal style (more determined by setting than people)

Frozen style (hyper-formal style designed to discourage friendly relations between people)

Question 3

Indicators (as a sociolinguistic variable)

Answer 3

Show differentiation by age or social group but not stylistically

Question 4

Markers (as a sociolinguistic variable)

Answer 4

Show stratification according to style and social class

Question 5

Stereotypes (as a sociolinguistic variable)

Answer 5

Socially marked forms which are promo steely labeled by society. They have become so well known and remarked on that people use them to characterise the speech of other groups.

They make be inaccurate or based on an archaic usage.

Question 6

Apparent time

Answer 6

The apparent passage of time is measured by comparing speakers of different ages in a single speech community at a single time.

If younger speakers behave differently than older speakers then a change is assumed to have taken place

Question 7

Real time

Answer 7

The passing of years, hours and seconds. Studying s specific speech community, speaker or set of speakers at two different points in history.

Question 8

Observers paradox

Answer 8

People alter their speech styles to accomodate for the idea that they are being observed.