Studying Variation

Question 1

What is a variable? (Labov)

Answer 1

Two or more ways of saying the same thing that have referential equivalence

Question 2

Chomsky - competence vs performance

Answer 2

Hymes (1974) communicative competence is the combination of the two

Question 3

External constraints

Answer 3

Social constraints

Question 4

Internal constraints

Answer 4

Linguistic constraints

Question 5

Stereotype

Answer 5

Widely recognised and strongly associated with a speech variety

Question 6

Markers

Answer 6

Feature of which speakers are aware and may style-shift

Question 7

Indicators

Answer 7

Features that are socially stratified but used consistently by speakers

Question 8

Significance of linguistic conditioning, the need to properly define variables

Answer 8

Macaulay 1977
T-glottaling in Glasgow
- more in lower class
- stratification more apparent in word-medial position

Question 9

Dialect chain (Holmes)

Answer 9

Language similar to that of the next area, the link up with overlapping features