Style as Audience Design

Question 1

How is style related to audience design?

Answer 1

style shifting can be seen as an active responsive phenomenon, motivated by sociopsychological factors

Question 2

Give some sociopsychological factors that influence style shifting

Answer 2

identity of addressee (personal characters)
asses general style level
addressees level for specific linguistic variable

Question 3

Explain Bell’s study of NZ News Readers

Answer 3

2 stations with the same studio and some presenters, aimed at different listeners
phonetic and stylistic differences - contracts, simplification of consonant clusters and omission of def articles

Question 4

What is accommodation theory?

Answer 4

sounding more like your addressee

Question 5

How does accommodation theory influence style shifting?

Answer 5

higher use of vernacular with peer groups
less with unfamilars such as interviewer
-Trudgill noted interviewers also respond to their addressees