Chapter 7 Linguistic Problems as Societal Problems
Chapter 8 Conclusions
References
Index
Description
Why have 1,500 separate languages developed in Melanesia?
Why do Danes understand Norwegian better than Norwegians understand
Danish? Why is a Cornish accent rated higher than Cockney speech but
lower than Oxford English? Linguistics tends to ignore the relationship
between languages and the societies in which they are spoken, while
sociology generally overlooks the role of language in the constitution
of society. Suzanne Romaine provides a clear, lively, and accessible
introduction to the field of sociolinguistics, emphasizing the constant
interaction between society and language. She discusses both traditional
and more recent issues such as language and gender, language in education,
pidgins and creoles, and language change. She shows how our linguistic
choices are motivated by social factors, and how certain ways of speaking
come to be vested with symbolic value. In her examples she draws on studies
of cultures all over the world, including her own extensive fieldwork in
Papua New Guinea. This new edition incorporates new material on current issues
in the study of gender as well as other topics such as the linguistic dimension
to the ethnic conflict in the Balkans, and the controversy over Ebonics in the
United States
From the jacket
"Refreshingly up-to-date, with a broad range of pertinent examples. It deserves
to become the standard introduction to that most basic of sciences,
sociolinguistics. Top marks!"-- John Perry, University of Chicago
"Indeed, one of the strengths of Language in Society: An
Introduction to Sociolinguisticsis its admirable eclecticism and
wide-ranging coverage of diverse languages, cultures, ethnic groups,
nations... the book reflects the impressive range of experience and
knowledge of its author, much of it first-hand... [it] is lively and
clearly written."-- Times Higher Education Supplement