- Social Identity
Language is more than just words. It's a powerful social behavior that
speaks volumes about who we are, where we come from and how we relate.
Walt Wolfram (North Carolina State University) explains how the field
of sociolinguistics has taken on new significance as a means of
understanding our world.
- Sociolinguistics Basics
Language is basic to social interactions, affecting them and being
affected by them. Connie Eble (University of North Carolina/Chapel
Hill) explains how sociolinguistics analyzes the many ways in which
language and society intersect.
- A Linguist's Journey
The founder of modern sociolinguistics, William Labov (University of
Pennsylvania) shares his personal reflections.
- Managing Language
In a global economy, the need to nurture, cultivate and manage
multilingual resources within the United States is more pronounced than
ever. John Baugh (Stanford University) explains how sociolinguists
plays a
role.
Suggested Reading/Additional Resources
- Chaika, Elaine. Language: The
Social Mirror. 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1994.
- Coulmas, Florian, ed. The
Handbook of Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997.
- Macaulay, Ronald K. S. The
Social Art: Language and Its Uses. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1994.
- Trudgill, Peter. Sociolinguistics: An introduction to language
and society. London: Penguin Books, 1995.
- Wardhaugh, Ronald. An
introduction to sociolinguistics. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell,
1992.
- Wolfram, Walt. Dialects and
American English. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991.
(reissued by Basil Blackwell in 1998 as American English: Dialects and
variation).
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Sociolinguistics Index
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