Variation by Class

Question 1

What is social class?

Answer 1

hierarchal stratification of society’s embers into different strata
-a fluid system, unlike rigid strat systems according to race

Question 2

Is social class a universal sociolinguistic variable?

Answer 2

No, not all societies are stratified by this

eg. egalitarian tribe systems

Question 3

How does class influence language in England?

Answer 3

WC and UC = more conservative
Both stick to their own groups to protect each other
WC in the face of economic hardship
UC to protect their privelages

Question 4

How does mobility between classes affect language?

Answer 4

WC + UC are the least mobile
physically: live close and where they grew up
socially: similar jobs
MC = most mobile, maintain looser network ties leading to more ling variation

Question 5

Which class leads linguistic innovations?

Answer 5

many originate in MC, they are the least secure linguistically

Question 6

Explain social class as a variable

Answer 6

those of the same class lead the same lifestyle, and people socialise with their own class more which leads to social dialects

Question 7

Explain Trudgill’s findings relating to class

Answer 7

linguistic innovations starting in a certain class are more likely to be adopted by that class before spreading