THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF VARIATIONIST SOCIOLINGUISTICS
Keywords:
variationist sociolinguistics, social stratification, speech communities, linguistic variation, William Labov.Abstract
This article examines how linguistic diversity is distributed across
society. It explores the evolution of variationist sociolinguistics, from Georg Wenker’s
early maps to William Labov’s empirical research. By analyzing factors like social
class, age, and gender, the study indicates that language change is systematically tied
to social structure. Specifically, it highlights how /r/ pronunciation reflects social
prestige within speech communities. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that
language is a dynamic social phenomenon rather than a static entity.
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