Sociolinguistics of Linguistic Perception

Conceptual Framework

Exploration of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dispositions individuals and groups hold towards different linguistic varieties, features, and speakers. This field examines how societal values, biases, and stereotypes influence the perception and judgment of language.

Theoretical Perspectives

• Social Identity Theory: Explores how individuals categorize themselves and others based on language, contributing to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.
• Communication Accommodation Theory: Examines how individuals adjust their speech patterns to converge with or diverge from others, reflecting relational dynamics.
• Matched-Guise Technique: A research methodology used to elicit subjective reactions to different language varieties by having listeners evaluate the same speaker using different linguistic guises.

Dimensions of Linguistic Evaluation

• Status: Perceptions of competence, intelligence, and social standing associated with specific dialects or accents.
• Solidarity: Judgments of warmth, friendliness, and trustworthiness linked to particular ways of speaking.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Subjective evaluations of the pleasantness or attractiveness of different linguistic features.

Social and Cultural Influences

• Social Class: How socio-economic status shapes and is reflected in language use, contributing to linguistic stratification.
• Ethnicity and Race: The intersection of language and ethnic identity, leading to linguistic profiling and discrimination.
• Gender: Societal expectations and norms that influence language use and perceptions of male and female speech.
• Age: How language use and perception vary across different age groups, reflecting generational shifts and social change.

Consequences of Linguistic Bias

Discussion of how biases related to linguistic variation can impact educational opportunities, employment prospects, legal proceedings, and social interactions. Explores the role of language in perpetuating social inequalities.

Language Attitudes and Language Policy

Examination of how societal beliefs about language inform language planning and policies, including decisions about language standardization, language education, and language rights.

Research Methodologies

An overview of various approaches used to study the field, including surveys, interviews, experimental designs, and corpus linguistics.