SOCIOLINGUISTICS SOCIOLINGUISTICS AND THE ESL AND THE ESL CLASSROOMCLASSROOM

PhD CoursePhD Course

Assoc.Prof.Dr.Azamat Assoc.Prof.Dr.Azamat AkbarovAkbarov

SociolinguisticsSociolinguistics

An exploration into An exploration into the relationship the relationship

between language between language and cultureand culture

Fundamental QuestionFundamental Question

What is the relationship What is the relationship between language and culture?between language and culture?

b.b.  Humans are the only creature Humans are the only creature to have cultureto have culture..

c.c.  Humans are the only creature Humans are the only creature to have language.to have language.

d. d. How do the two connect?How do the two connect?

e. What is language? “what e. What is language? “what members of a particular members of a particular society speak”society speak”

What is sociolinguistics?What is sociolinguistics?

It studies why people speak It studies why people speak differently according to: differently according to:

- Whom they are talking to?- Whom they are talking to?

- What they are talking - What they are talking about?about?

- In what kind of context - In what kind of context they are talking? they are talking?

More specificallyMore specifically……1. 1. Social motivation for language Social motivation for language

variation:variation: - socio-economic status- socio-economic status - gender- gender - ethnicity- ethnicity - region - region etc. etc. 2. 2. Language contact Language contact - Pidgin language - Pidgin language - Creole language - Creole language

Basic concepts you should Basic concepts you should know:know:

Dialect vs. language: Dialect vs. language: Mutual intelligibility: Mutual intelligibility: Situation in which speakers Situation in which speakers of different language of different language varieties are able to varieties are able to understand and understand and communicate with the other. communicate with the other.

- Chinese dialect, a - Chinese dialect, a special casespecial case

Basic concepts you should Basic concepts you should know:know:

Dialect continuum: Dialect continuum: (bütün)(bütün) Situation in which a large Situation in which a large number of contiguous number of contiguous dialects exist, each mutually dialects exist, each mutually intelligible with the next, but intelligible with the next, but with the dialects at either with the dialects at either end of the continuum not end of the continuum not being mutually intelligible. being mutually intelligible.

A A dialect continuumdialect continuum, , or or dialect areadialect area, was defined by , was defined by Leonard BloomfieldLeonard Bloomfield as a range as a range of dialects spoken across some of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ geographical area that differ only slightly between only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these travels in any direction, these differences accumulate differences accumulate such such that speakers from opposite that speakers from opposite ends of the continuum are no ends of the continuum are no longer mutually intelligible. longer mutually intelligible.

In sociolinguisticsIn sociolinguistics, a , a language continuum language continuum is said to exist when is said to exist when two or more two or more different language different language or dialects merge or dialects merge one into the other(s) one into the other(s) without a definable without a definable boundaryboundary

Three Views of Three Views of LanguageLanguage

oLanguage as Language as Grammar:Grammar:

oLanguage as Language as communication:communication:

oLanguage as thing:Language as thing: