Introduction to Sociolinguistics Dialects Introduction to Sociolinguistics
What are dialects? The varieties of one language Systematic linguistic differences They are mutually intelligible.
dialects Regional dialects Social dialects
REGIONAL DIALECTS
Regional dialects International varieties Intra-national variation Cross-continental variation
International varieties Pronunciation English [e]-Australian [ai] Vocabulary Pavement vs. sidewalk Petrol vs. gas (car) trunk vs. boot
Chinese: 台灣 vs. 大陸 打火機(台灣)--火機(大陸說法) 網路(台灣)--互聯網 (大陸說法) 瓦斯(台灣)--煤氣(大陸說法) 雷射(台灣)--激光 (大陸說法) 吹風機(台灣)--電風機(大陸說法) 洗面乳(台灣)--洗面奶(大陸說法) 行動電話(台灣)--移動電話(大陸說法) 便當(台灣)--盒飯(大陸用語) 公德心(台灣)--精神文明(大陸用語) 水準(台灣)-- 水平(大陸用語) 超音波(台灣)--超聲波(大陸用語) 撞球(台灣)--台球(大陸用語) 大廈(台灣)-- 塔樓(大陸用語) 卡通片(台灣)--動畫片(大陸用語)
聽說貴公司最近流水線有大票的合同工流失? 是在進行消腫嗎? 聽說貴公司最近生產線有大學文憑的聘僱人員流失?是在進行精簡人事嗎?
Intra-national dialects
Cross-continental dialects: dialect chains A string of dialects such that the adjacent dialects are readily mutually intelligible, but dialects from the far ends of the chain are not mutually intelligible. Examples German-Dutch Swedish-Norwegian Italian-French
What is a ‘language’? A language A collection of linguistically similar dialects A reflection of sociolinguistic reality
SOCIAL DIALECTS
People from different social classes speak differently Language patterns
A case study: [r] variation New York City, 1972 In three different department stores ‘where are the women’s shoes?’ They are on the fourth floor. ‘Excuse me, what floor is this?’ It’s the fourth floor.
lack of [r] = low prestige. In New York speech [r] pronunciation = high prestige. lack of [r] = low prestige.
New York City, 1972 Saks = high prestige Macy’s = mid-prestige S. Klein = low prestige
A case study: [r] variation In three different department stores ‘where are the women’s shoes?’ They are on the fourth floor. ‘Excuse me, what floor is this?’ It’s the fourth floor.