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8.1 Introduction
Definition: Sociolinguistics is the study of language in relation to society. It studies how social factors influence the structure and use of language.
Thus, language varieties cover: Standard language Dialects Registers Pidgins creoles
Nature of SL
It is so called standard literally, but just as what the definition suggests, it is a variety of language, so it is also termed as standard variety /dialect. Linguistically, SL has no prestigious or dominant status; nothing special with it. When socially interfered, a variety of lge has the luck to rise to be SL.
8.2.2 Dialects
A variety of a language used recognizably in a specific region or by a specific social class is called a dialect. The study of dialect is called dialectology. Dialect and accent: language and pronunciation and vocabulary.
8.2.3 Registers
Registers are varieties of language used in different situations, which are identified by the degrees of formality. The addresses on the NPC is a formal register; a talk between friends is an informal register. The intentional mixture of different registers arouses conversational implicatures. Registers can vary from vocabulary, phonology, grammar to semantics.
Creole:
When a pidgin begins to acquire native speakers who use it as their primary lge, the pidgin turns to be a creole. The process by which a pidgin develops is called pidginization; the process by which a pidgin becomes a creole is called creolization.
Black slaves speaking African dialects communicated with the people speaking French or English in the plantations in the South America. The linguistic means of communication is called a pidgin. Pidginization happens there, and later the pidginization is widely accepted, then creolization happens. That is the Haitian Creole.
Lingua franca
When more and more speakers of a creole adopt it as their everyday lge, the creole becomes standardized, or a lingua franca. The process is termed as decreolization.
Language Planning
There are various regional or social varieties in a country, which needs a systematic attempt to solve the communication problem. The policy designed for the proper selection and appropriate use of these varieties is called lge planning. Putonghua is one of the results of lge planning. Yuwen course set in the Chinese schools is another.
2. Corpus planning seeks to develop a variety of lge, usu. to standardize it. There are many lges in Canada, but only english and French were standardized. There are many dialects in China, only the mixture of Beijing and NE dialects is corpus planned.
Exercises:
Question 3 and 4 on Page 212
Thank you!