8.Social variation in English language use

The term social variations in language refers to the differences in language use within a social group that do not relate to linguistic differences. These variations are influenced by several elements, such as social class, region, educational level, societal norms, and cultural background. These variations can manifest in various aspects of language, including vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and even discourse patterns.

 Different social groups may use specific words or expressions that are associated with their cultural or social identity (e.g., guys, freaks).

 Some factors can influence how individuals pronounce words (e.g., in the US and UK, the dog is the same, but the pronunciation matters). The way people structure conversation, the use of politeness markers, and the level of formality can vary based on social context and relationships.

 It is important to note that these variations do not indicate the superiority or inferiority of one form of English over another. Instead, they reflect the rich diversity and adaptability of this gorgeous language in response to social and cultural influences. Maybe that's what prompted William Labov to say that “language is not just a system of arbitrary symbols; it is deeply intertwined with the social and cultural aspects of a community.”. Linguistic diversity should be celebrated and understood in its cultural context.

 -Submitted  by Amalnath PV.

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Social variation in language is a wide topic that is   concerned with how social factors impact the   people’s language use and difference in language     use within the   society. Sociolinguistics is the  branch used generally for the study of relation   between language and society with factors such as ethnicity, age, education, gender, slang, regional locations. People change their speech in different    situations to account social factors. That   variations is not with how people ought to speak   people ought to speak but how they actually do   speak. Social factors can dictate whether the   person uses standard language, colloquial or mix   of two or three language. And it also effect the   choice of words, accent, pronunciations and pace  of language.

     

  “Language changes and moves in a   different direction evolving all the time

        Where a lot of people see deterioration,  I see expressive development.”

                                                                                    -David Crystal

 -Submitted by Ardra M. Dinil