An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

1 An Introduction to SociolinguisticsAITA015/9/05, 4:36 PM1 Blackwell Textbooks in LinguisticsThe books included in this series provide comprehensive accounts of some of themost central and most rapidly developing areas of research in linguistics. Intendedprimarily for introductory and post-introductory students, they include exercises,discussion points, and suggestions for further Liliane HaegemanIntroduction to Government and BindingTheory (Second Edition)2. Andrew SpencerMorphological Theory3. Helen GoodluckLanguage Acquisition4. Ronald WardhaughIntroduction to Sociolinguistics (Fifth Edition)5.

2 Martin AtkinsonChildren s Syntax6. Diane BlakemoreUnderstanding Utterances7. Michael KenstowiczPhonology in Generative Grammar8. Deborah SchiffrinApproaches to Discourse9. John Clark and Colin YallopAn Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology(Second Edition)10. Natsuko TsujimuraAn Introduction to Japanese Linguistics11. Robert D. BorsleyModern Phrase Structure Grammar12. Nigel FabbLinguistics and Literature13. Irene Heim and AngelikaSemantics in Generative GrammarKratzer14. Liliane Haegeman andEnglish Grammar: A GenerativeJacqueline Gu ronPerspective15.

3 Stephen Crain and DianeAn Introduction to Linguistic TheoryLillo-Martinand Language Acquisition16. Joan BresnanLexical-Functional Syntax17. Barbara A. FennellA History of English: A SociolinguisticApproach18. Henry RogersWriting Systems: A Linguistic Approach19. Benjamin W. Fortson IVIndo-European Language and Culture:An Introduction20. Liliane HaegemanThinking Syntactically: A Guide toArgumentation and AnalysisAITA015/9/05, 4:36 PM2An Introduction to SociolinguisticsFIFTH EDITIONR onald WardhaughAITA015/9/05, 4:36 PM3 1986, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2006 by Ronald WardhaughBLACKWELL PUBLISHING350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, AustraliaThe right of Ronald Wardhaugh to be identified as the Author of this Work has beenasserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act rights reserved.

4 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright,Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the published 1986 by Basil Blackwell LtdSecond edition (1992), third edition (1998), and fourth edition (2002) published byBlackwell Publishers LtdFifth edition published 2006 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd1 2006 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataWardhaugh, Introduction to Sociolinguistics / Ronald Wardhaugh.

5 5th cm. (Blackwell textbooks in linguistics ; 4)Includes bibliographical references and : 978-1-4051-3559-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)ISBN-10: 1-4051-3559-X (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Sociolinguistics . I. Title. dc222005019312A catalogue record for this title is available from the British in 10/12pt Sabonby Graphicraft Limited, Hong KongPrinted and bound in the United Kingdomby TJ International Ltd, Padstow, CornwallThe publisher s policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate asustainable forestry policy, and which has been manufactured from pulp processedusing acid-free and elementary chlorine-free practices.

6 Furthermore, the publisherensures that the text paper and cover board used have met acceptable environmentalaccreditation further information onBlackwell Publishing, visit our , 4:36 PM4 ContentsPrefaceviiAcknowledgmentsviii1 Introduction1 Knowledge of Language Variation Scientific Investigation Language and Society Sociolinguistics and the Sociology ofLanguage Methodological Concerns Overview FurtherReadingPart I Languages and Communities232 Languages, Dialects, and Varieties25 Language and Dialect Regional Dialects Social Dialects Styles, Registers.

7 And Beliefs Further Reading3 Pidgins and Creoles58 Lingua Francas Definitions Distribution and Characteristics Origins From Pidgin to Creole Further Reading4 Codes88 Diglossia Bilingualism and Multilingualism Code-Switching Further Reading5 Speech Communities119 Definitions Intersecting Communities Networks andRepertoires Further ReadingPart II Inherent Variety1336 Language Variation135 Regional Variation The Linguistic Variable Linguistic andSocial Variation Data Collection and Analysis FurtherReading7 Some Findings and Issues162An Early Study New York City Norwich and Reading A Variety of Studies Belfast Controversies Further ReadingAITA015/9/05, 4.

8 37 PM5viContents8 Change191 The Traditional View Changes in Progress The Process ofChange Further ReadingPart III Words at Work2199 Words and Culture221 Whorf Kinship Taxonomies Color Prototypes Tabooand Euphemism Further Reading10 Ethnographies242 Varieties of Talk The Ethnography of Speaking Ethnomethodology Further Reading11 Solidarity and Politeness260Tu and Vous Address Terms Politeness Further Reading12 Talk and Action284 Speech Acts Cooperation Conversation Further ReadingPart IV Understanding and Intervening31313 Gender315 Differences Possible Explanations Further Reading14 Disadvantage335 Codes Again African American Vernacular English Consequences for Education Further Reading15 Planning356 Issues A Variety of Situations Further Examples Winnersand Losers Further Reading16 Conclusion383 References387 Index415 AITA015/9/05, 4.

9 37 PM6 PrefaceThis book is intended to provide students with a sound, basic coverage of mostof the topics dealt with in courses described as either Sociolinguistics or TheSociology of Language. It assumes very little previous knowledge of linguistics,anthropology, or sociology, and so should prove to be most useful in a first-levelcourse. It may also be used as a supplementary text in a higher-level course thatdeals with a narrow range of topics but in which the instructor wants studentsto become familiar with topics not treated in that course. Each of the sub-topicscovered here concludes with a Discussion section.

10 The material in these sectionsis designed to encourage further discussion and research; it may also lead toassignments of various is obvious that a book of this kind draws on a variety of sources. Thebreadth of the published sources can be seen in the bibliographic informationthat is included. I owe a considerable debt to the sources mentioned the many years I taught, my students also provided me with numerousinsights into what works in the classroom and what does not. My thanks goonce again to Judy Morris and Angie Camardi for all their secretarial assistancewith the first edition.