Language and society has always been interconnected. Language is dynamic, so too is society.

Both have
always been subjected to evolution. This means that language changes and evolves from time to time,
depending on societal evolution. It is interesting to note that this change is also influenced by society’s
social classes- groups of people divided by wealth, influence, and capacity to purchase. Studies, such as
this by William Laboy in the 1960s have shown this: people who wish to be associated with a certain
class adjust their speech patterns to sound as such. We can observe this in movies with English
aristocrats; even the Queen of England and her family have different accents and speech patterns. This
can also be observed in the Philippines. Most people from the south, especially those who speak
Cebuano, tend to neutralize their accents in Metro Manila to avoid derision. This happens because most
people with Cebuano accents are commonly associated with domestic helpers in Manila, which as
society deems them to be, belong in the lower social class. This happens regardless of the speaker’s
social class. What is more important is the speaker’s class aspirations. This is also true with occupations.
As has been said, class and language variety are related.

Another interesting point to note other than social classes is the variety offered by gender differences.
Although the studies were conducted before 2000s, which was a time frame marked by gender
inequality and stereotypes, the results are still noteworthy. One, for example, is how women treat
conversations and the importance of listening. One of studies has shown that women normally have
lower rates of interruption and increased used of minimal responses in conversations than men, thereby
reducing the disruption of the flow of conversation. Another difference is the tendency towards self-
disclosure. Men, as the study purported, tend to offer professional advice or solution and women tend
to share their problems and experiences. This study has not conclusively proven in the perspective of
psycholinguistics that this difference is marked by biological difference. Hence, it is extremely important
to avoid stereotyping. This is especially true in an environment where the call for gender equality and
women empowerment must be emphasized, as patriarchy hurts both men and women.