Sociolinguistics examines the relationship between language and society. It studies how society influences language and how language influences society. Over time, languages evolve through changes in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and meaning. Sociolinguistics also analyzes language differences between individuals based on factors like age, status and gender, as well as cultural differences in language use between groups.

1. Sociolinguistics
What is it?

2. What is sociolinguistics?
• Made up of two words
 socio  society
 linguistics  language
• Relationship between the two
▫ How society affects language?
▫ How language affects society?
• The interaction between the two creates changes
language and the way we use language

3. Over time – Language birth
• Tok Pisin
▫ Language of Papua New Guinea
▫ Combination of English & tribal languages in PNG
• Languages can be revived
▫ Hebrew was revived to be the national language of
Israel.

4. Over time – Language death
• Languages evolve and disappear all of the time
• English, French, Italian, and Spanish all evolved
from Latin the language of ancient Rome.
10,000 years ago 20,000 languages
Today 6,000 languages
3,000 languages are in
Today
danger of disappearing

5. Over time - Vocabulary
Old Words New Words
Groovy (1960s) Cool
floppy disk (no longer exists)
cellular /mobile
phone

6. Over time - meaning
Original meanings Present meanings
Jazz – to have sex Jazz – a kind of music
Master & Mistress – titles used by Master – a person very skillful in
servants something
Mistress – a female lover
Bad – not good Slang meaning of both bad and sick is
Sick – to be ill great

7. Over time - Grammar
First half of 1900’s Today
Shall: I shall go to London next week.
I shall go London next week. We shall go to London next week.
We shall go to London next week. Shall we go to London next week.
Who / Whom:
Tom gave Sue the flowers.
Who gave Sue the flowers? Who gave Sue the flowers?
To whom did Tom give the flowers? Who did Tom give the flowers to?

8. Over time - pronunciation
• The words such as leisure, pleasure, treasure,
and measure have gone through two changes
• [s] [z] [ʒ]

9. Between individuals
• Ways to address
▫ Hey you
▫ Alan
▫ Alan Bessette
▫ Mr. Bessette
▫ Bessette-sensei
▫ Sir

10. Between individuals
• How we address other people depends on
• Age
• Status
• Power
• Situation

11. Between individuals - gender
Females Males
Goal: Get control and show
Goal: Maintain relationships
independence
Characteristics: dominate
Characteristics: tentative & inclusive
conversations & interrupt more

12. Between cultures
• In the case of a host offering a guest something
to drink, how many times should the host offer?
How many times should the guest refuse?
▫ Japan ?
▫ The United States?
▫ Denmark?
▫ Saudi Arabia?

13. Between countries
• Is English one language or many languages?
Australian English American English
Pronunciation
/die/ /day/
British English American English
Vocabulary
lorry truck
British English American English
Grammar
I’ve two sisters. I’ve got two sisters.