Labov, vernacularity and sociolinguistic change

TY - JOUR

T1 - Labov, vernacularity and sociolinguistic change

AU - Coupland, Nikolas John Robert

PY - 2016/9/1

Y1 - 2016/9/1

N2 - Despite some well-known problems in its early formulation, Labov's concept of ‘the vernacular’ has enduring relevance in sociolinguistics. This is even more the case if we recast it more abstractly – as ‘vernacularity’, ideologically contrasted with ‘standardness’. Following Labov, class-associated vernacular practices have been a major empirical focus of the discipline; they have also locked in the discipline's political consciousness. The paper traces some different ways in which sociolinguistics has positioned itself in relation to vernacularity. Taking the U.K. as a case in point, the paper then asks how large-scale changes in social class experience may be shifting the bases on which we have defined and researched vernacular language. It considers vernacularisation as a sociolinguistic change running counter to the better-established process of linguistic standardisation.

AB - Despite some well-known problems in its early formulation, Labov's concept of ‘the vernacular’ has enduring relevance in sociolinguistics. This is even more the case if we recast it more abstractly – as ‘vernacularity’, ideologically contrasted with ‘standardness’. Following Labov, class-associated vernacular practices have been a major empirical focus of the discipline; they have also locked in the discipline's political consciousness. The paper traces some different ways in which sociolinguistics has positioned itself in relation to vernacularity. Taking the U.K. as a case in point, the paper then asks how large-scale changes in social class experience may be shifting the bases on which we have defined and researched vernacular language. It considers vernacularisation as a sociolinguistic change running counter to the better-established process of linguistic standardisation.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1360-6441

VL - 20

SP - 409

EP - 430

JO - Journal of Sociolinguistics

JF - Journal of Sociolinguistics

IS - 4

ER -