Week 5

Question 1

Real time

Answer 1

Augustinian time, which we mark with clocks and calendars

Question 2

Apparent time

Answer 2

time measured by how speakers across generations speak. Based on the assumption that people will speak the same as they grow older. If that’s true, sociolinguists can see the future of language.

Question 3

Panel studies

Answer 3

Studies of variation across real time, where participants are constant.

Question 4

Trend studies

Answer 4

Comparing speech from members of the same community at different points in time.

Question 5

Critical period

Answer 5

The period during which language learning seems to be easiest, that is, in childhood and for some people going into early adolescence

Question 6

Acquiring language

Answer 6

Acquiring an L1

Question 7

Learning language

Answer 7

Learning a language in a classroom. Distinguished from learning L1

Question 8

Generational change

Answer 8

Each new generation shows more use of a variant. Generational change gives evidence of apparent time.

Question 9

Lifespan change

Answer 9

Change in speaker’s grammar or pronunciation after critical period. Term introduced by Gillian Sankoff. Rare for pronunciation, common for vocabulary.

Question 10

Age-grading

Answer 10

When speakers use more tokens of one variant at a certain age and more of another at a different age, this variable is age-graded.

Question 11

Stable variable

Answer 11

When there is no evidence that one variant is pushing out another. Eg. -ing variable.

Question 12

Linguistic marketplace

Answer 12

The extent to which an occupation or activity is associated with use of the standard language.

Question 13

Community-wide change

Answer 13

An entire group or community switch to use of a new variant at about the same time.

Question 14

Ageing deficits

Answer 14

Changes in individual’s performance later in life, eg recall, hearing.

Question 15

Core network member

Answer 15

Term by Jenny Cheshire. Describes members centrally involved and actively participating in a friendship network

Question 16

Peripheral network members

Answer 16

Less involved than core network member in a friendship network

Question 17

Secondary network members

Answer 17

Less involved than peripheral network members

Question 18

Dense networks

Answer 18

Everyone in the network knows each other

Question 19

Loose networks

Answer 19

Not everyone in the network knows each other

Question 20

Uniplex tie

Answer 20

A network tie between individuals that expresses one role or basis for contact and interaction, eg just coworkers

Question 21

Multiplex tie

Answer 21

Individuals in a social network are linked though several social relationships, eg business partners and married.

Question 22

Life-modes

Answer 22

Different modes of production and comsumption. Social class may be seen as a process giving rise to these distinctions.

Question 23

Community of practice

Answer 23

Group of people with a set goal. For example, union members in an organisation. term by Eckert. Defined by three criteria: 1. Shared purpose 2. Mutual engagement 3. Shared repertoire.

Question 24

Brokers

Answer 24

People who introduce innovations into social networks