SOCIOLINGUISTICS
UNIT 5
TRƯƠNG VĂN ÁNH
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SÀI GÒN
UNIT 5: DIALECTS, IDIOLECTS, SOCIOLECTS
I. INTRODUCTION
Dialects, idiolects and sociolects - some aspects of language use in society- are the objectives in this unit. Each of three lects has its prefix to show the general and the individual application of acceptable language norms in a specific society. A dialect is a language used in a state or a region in a country or a language of a global one used in a country of the world while idiolects and sociolects are limited to specified groups and individuals. Linguists study these notions in order to know their relationship in sociolinguistics.
II. GENERAL OVERVIEW
Language is composed of different factors in the social networks. If linguists want to study language, they have to understand these factors. The social networks have two levels: the macro level of a country or a city and the interpersonal level of neighbourhoods or a single family. Sociolinguists should study the relationship between language and society, language variation, and attitudes about language. Language variation may appear at all grammatical levels. Language variation shows that no two speakers of a language
speak exactly the same way. The language variation between groups is called intergroup variation. In the group no individual speaker uses the same language all the time. Two speakers who are affected by language variation are called intraspeakers of language variation. Whereas, a lect is a language variety of speakers in a region where language variation is characterised by systematic features (e.g., phonological, lexical, grammatical) that differentiate it from other varieties of that same language in a country or a state. The speech variety of an individual speaker is called an idiolect. Sociolinguists think that an idiolect is a continuum of dialects.
Lects are the varieties of language use. When there is isolation or long term separation of groups, lects appear. Linguists are sure that isolation can be across time, geography or social barriers. When individuals perform and use variations, idiolects exist. Dialects exist as clusters or groups of people share common linguistic behavior in a region of the country. An official language is in use first and then in a specific region the language changes and becomes a dialect. The two following types of “dialects” have been recognised by sociolinguistics:
(1) Sociolects or “social dialects”: are based upon on membership in a longstanding socially-isolated or separate group
(2) Regional dialects: are based upon on membership in a longstanding geographically-isolated or separate group
People live in the same region share the same language variation so that they can understand each other better and show their greater solidarity. The variation may tend to be ‘male’, ‘female’, ‘older’, and ‘younger’. The language variation brings people together when language is used in the common way.
speak exactly the same way. The language variation between groups is called intergroup variation. In the group no individual speaker uses the same language all the time. Two speakers who are affected by language variation are called intraspeakers of language variation. Whereas, a lect is a language variety of speakers in a region where language variation is characterised by systematic features (e.g., phonological, lexical, grammatical) that differentiate it from other varieties of that same language in a country or a state. The speech variety of an individual speaker is called an idiolect. Sociolinguists think that an idiolect is a continuum of dialects.
III. CONCEPTS OF DIALECTS AND DIALECTOLOGY
A dialect is any variety of a language characterised by systematic differences in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary from other varieties of the same language. In a region everyone speaks a dialect which is different from standard language and from many other dialects in other regions. A speech community includes people speaking a certain dialect. English becomes popular in the world. In different regions English is used in different ways: British English vs. American English vs. Australian English vs. Canadian English vs. Southern American
English vs. Indian English vs. South African English, etc. An idiolect is spoken by one individual.
People create a “minimal dialect” when there are small differences between the way they talk and the way even their family and best friends talk.
Everyone has his/her own accent, just as everyone speaks a dialect. It is important that people speak language with an accent or a dialect in their own region. People in other regions speak language with different accent and dialect. For example, people in the North,
in the Central and in the South of Vietnamese speak with different accents and dialects.
i) How Do We Differentiate a Language from a Dialect?
People living in the same country often use different dialects to communicate with each other, but they can understand each other. When people do not understand each other, that is, they speak two different languages. In China, there are different parts of the country that are mutually unintelligible.
People have very cohesive cultural history, but there are various dialects.
Standard English is just a variety or dialect of English. We should not consider it better than other varieties. Linguists think that all languages and all dialects are equally “good” as linguistic systems. For communication all varieties can meet the need of their speakers. It is accepted that value judgment of languages is social rather than linguistic. A language which is called standard is used at schools and by the media, etc. For example, British English which is a dominant dialect is used in school, print, mass media, taught to the non-native speakers in other countries as a second language. When people live in a remote
isolated place, they will develop unique linguistic characteristics which will finally become distinguishing elements of their dialects.
ii) Dialectology
Dialectology is a branch of linguistics in which linguists study regional dialects, or dialects defined by geographical regions. They study varieties of a language in different regions, parts of the country, countries in the world. People living in various locales use different varieties of a language to communicate with other people in their local communities. For
example, people in Hong Kong use common or standard English and their own varieties; people in Singapore do the same; people in other places do the same, etc.
In Vietnam, people in the Mekong river use common Vietnamese. Besides, they use their local words in their conversations. For example, cá gô, đi dề, bà quại, etc.
IV. CONCEPT OF IDIOLECTS
An individual uses a unique language as a variety which is called an idiolect. This individual uses his own patterns of word selection and grammar, or words, phrases, idioms, or pronunciations. As a result, each individual has an idiolect; the grouping of words and phrases is unique, rather than an individual using specific words that nobody else uses. Later an idiolect can easily develop into an ‘ecolect’ – a kind of dialect used in a household.
To identify the identity of an individual, forensic linguists can use idiolects to decide if a certain person did or did not produce a given piece of writing (or transcribed speech). To recognize individual idiolect has recently become popular in investigation of the police. Thanks to this kind of identity, the police can finish some investigations soon.
However, idiolects change through contact with other idiolects, and change during an individual lifetime. Idiolects also change from generation to generation. In general, the changes of idiolects are continuous when people contact each other. The study should be constantly in flux.
‘Idioglossia’ refers to an idiosyncratic language which is invented and spoken by only one or a very few people. Idioglossia often refers to the private languages of young children, especially twins whose language is known as cryptophasia, twin talk or twin speech. At early age, children are exposed to multiple languages and are inclined to create idioglossias.
V. CONCEPT OF SOCIOLECTS
When people of so many races live in a place, the issue of social dialects is extremely complex. For example, social dialect is regarded as a functional and effective variety of English in the United States, where there are so many ethnic groups. There is strong evidence that many of the features of White English represent linguistic Europeanisms, and Black English represent linguistic Africanisms. However, the American society has adopted the linguistic ideal model that Standard English (American English) is the linguistic archetype.
In many countries, for example Singapore, the Philippines, India, etc., besides dialects or varieties, standard English is used by governments, the mass media, business, education, science, and the arts. Those who use varieties of English have to improve their English or practice understanding academic or standard English.
Therefore, a sociolect is the variety of language characteristic of a social background or status. A sociolect which evolves from regional speech may also have sociolectical implications. For example, Standard American English is a dialect in that it is
particular to America; Standard Australian English is a dialect in that it is particular to Australia.
V. CONCLUSION
Linguists call variations lects in the use of the same language by groups and by individuals. Social status which indicates an individual’s social position in a society creates lects. The social status is based on rank, prestige and social class, along with the associated rights and duties. For example, in China, lects of mandarins or officials are different from the ones of the common. Idiolects can distinguish an individual from other members in a community. In society, for different reasons, lects may be changed differently or similarly to
serve various goals. Lects are more flexible than status and varies also according to the speech situation.
VI. SUMMARY
Lects, including idiolect, dialect or sociolect, are different linguistic forms -varieties that mark them out wherever they are used. Everybody of a language has his/her own linguistic mannerisms no matter where he/she uses a language. Living in a community, he/she must belong to a community speech which has another identifiable linguistic behaviour. Each member in the community expresses a linguistic code restricted or elaborated within the confines of its application. He/she has the right to choose the type of code from a particular national language (e.g., the Vietnamese language). The language is not a monolithic
structure but a sum of all its dialects of which one may be considered as the standard variety (Standard Vietnamese) and the other are dialects (Northern Vietnamese, Central Vietnamese and Southern Vietnamese). Among the varieties, standard variety holds the highest status in the community because the highest social classes and the most educated people use it (e.g., the mandarin Chinese language). Standard variety is used in public life and at schools or colleges. Besides standard variety, the other minor varieties are used everywhere with variation of national language manifested in pronunciation (accent),
grammar and vocabulary. Developed with the official language, other languages such as social dialects, sociolects, also genderlects, jargon, slang, argot, etc. have also evolved and have been recognised.
VII. EXERCISES
1. What is the difference between dialect and dialectology?
2. Are idiolects regarded as individual style of usage?
3. Why is sociolect used as a product of class and status?
4. How many major dialects are there in Vietnam?
5. How many major dialects of English are there in the world?
Good luck!
nguon VI OLET
