ANTH1102Lecture 5Outline of Last Lecture I. Language (continuedA. Findings (Primate Communication)B. Nonverbal CommunicationC. Nature vs. NurtureD. Chomsky’s Universal GrammarE. Sapir- Whorf HypothesisF. Cognitive AnthropologyG. Color PerceptionOutline of Current Lecture I. SociolinguisticsA. Linguistic DiversityB. Gender-Speech ContrastsC. Status PositionD. Prestige vs. StigmaE. Black English VernacularCurrent LectureSOCIOLINGUISTICS- study relationships between social and linguistic variation, or language in social context:> language use> language and social stratification (class, ethnicity, gender)> language and power (gaining, expressing, reinforcing, resisting power)- premise: Linguistic features correlate with social, economical, and political differences; historical aspect (can change throughout time)Linguistic Diversity- style shifting/code shifting- varying one’s speech in different social contexts [to accommodate person(s) being spoken to]- disglossia- when language has both “high” and “low” dialects, e.g. German, Flemish (written is “high” [formal] , speaking is “low” [informal])Gender-Speech ContrastsW: relational communicators- higher ability to generate relational word listM: vie for a position in social hierarchyW: multi-taskers- W: both sides of brain; M: left side of brain to speak- W: can listen and comprehend at the same timeM: directed, single focus communicatorsM: public speakers; W: private mediators- public vs. private domains (ease and confidence); men are more confident speaking in public than women are- online- M: longer, confrontational messages; W: shorter, more sensitive messagesStatus Position- honorifics: terms of respect, used to honor people; e.g. Mr./Mrs., Dr., Reverend, President, Sir, Ma’am- stratification: classification of people into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions> stereotypes: Southern, New York City, Boston, California: valley girl, surfer dude, and Canadian accentsPrestige vs. Stigma- SE (Standard English)= prestige dialect; closest to this is the Ohio accent- “proper” language= prestigious resource in “linguistic market”> Pierre Bourdieu’s symbolic capital-> social and economic capital; how you speak affects how you fare in society- legitimation of formal institution (school, church, media)- “symbolic domination”- American education system’s denial of linguistic diversity (teaching everyone standard/proper English)Black English Vernacular (BEV)- William Lebov- vernacular: ordinary casual speech- BEV: relatively uniform dialect> complex linguistic system with rules- e.g. copula deletion= dropping verb “to be”: “You tired” instead of “You are tired”> phonology and syntax similar to Southern
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