This introductory book considers the question "What is sociolinguistics?", and explains sociolinguistic concepts through a wide range of examples. It draws from both 'classic' approaches to the subject as well as from more recent research, introducing terms like 'code-switching' and 'social dialect'. It is conveniently divided into three sections. In the first, Janet Holmes shows how language is used in multilingual speech communities and explains how and why languages change within society and highlights the factors that lead to the displacement of one language by another, and sometimes the death of a language. The central section gives a comprehensive and well-illustrated exploration of social reasons for language change, exploring language change in monolingual communities and the features of a variety of dialects. The author shows how and why differing racial and social groups develop and maintain speech variations. In the final section, Janet Holmes assesses how attitudes to language affect speech and shows that linguistic responses depend upon a variety of contextual factors - for example, the status of the person being addressed and our reasons for speaking. Our attitudes to language have strong implications for our community. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics describes how language usage reflects the values of society, how society's view of women is reflected in language and how women are linguistically more polite than men.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
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"xxx; a welcome addition xxx; comprehensive in its coverage and lucid in its style."Language and Education
From the Back Cover
learning about language
General Editors: Geoffrey Leech and Mick Short, Lancaster University
What is sociolinguistics?
This introductory textbook provides a penetrating answer to this question, explaining basic sociolinguistic concepts through a wide range of examples, and by drawing on 'classic' approaches to the subject as well as from the most recent research.
The book is conveniently divided into three sections:
* Section one shows how language is used in multilingual speech communities and explains the varying patterns of language use. Janet Holmes examines how and why languages change within society and highlights the factors that lead to the displacement of one language by another and sometimes the death of a language.
* Section two explores social reasons for language change, looking at language change in monolingual communities and the features of a variety of dialects. The author shows how and why differing racial and social groups develop and maintain speech variations.
* The final section assesses how attitudes to language affect speech and shows that linguistic responses depend on a variety of contextual factors - for example, the status of the person being addressed and our reasons for speaking.
This new edition has been updated thoroughly throughout, and adds new sections on social constructionist approaches to language and gender, and the concept of community of practice. There is also a completely new chapter on language, cognition and culture, which introduces students to the ideas of Benjamin Lee Whorf, as well as to the wider implications of the important concept of linguistic relativity.
Containing a series of student exercises and suggestions for further reading, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics is an essential introductory text for students of sociolinguistics and anyone interested in the study of language.
Janet Holmes holds a personal Chair in Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, where she teaches a variety of sociolinguistics courses.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not half bad,
By A Customer
This review is from: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (Learning About Language) (Paperback)
It's hard to find an entry-level book about sociolinguistics. Holmes is probably one of the few people who've ventured to give it a go and didn't do very bad. The realistic and colorful examples of every theory are both this book's flaw and its forte. As a New Zealander, Holmes knows what it's like to live in a multilingual society and this shows in her choice of examples. They help to bring the theories alive, but at times they blur your view of the central theories and technical terms. All in all a pretty good effort, and actually rather pleasant to read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Introduction to Sociolinguistics by Janet Holmes,
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This review is from: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (Paperback)
I am currently using this book as an undergraduate and graduate course book for a Sociolinguistics class in a program in Applied Linguistics and I feel that it is appropriate for that level and only had to suppliment the contents with a few other chapters from some other books. The students like the material and find it easy reading and understandable even though I teach in Mexico with native Spanish speakers.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sociolinguistics sounds like linguini....,
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This review is from: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (3rd Edition) (Learning About Language) (Paperback)
Janet Holmes is a New Zealander who teaches upper division courses, is a language expert, is interested in gender studies, social-cultural changes in society, and in the English language as an expression of who we-you-are. Most recently, I used the book to gain clarity about the difference between a national language and an official language. If you have any interest in the English Only movement, this book is for you. How can you fight EO? By learning about what it means to have a national and official language. Enjoy this book. Knowledge is power. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (Learning about Language)If you want to look deeper at forces behind language use and disuse, this is a book for you. Invaluable, and now that I have reading investment in the book, I feel it is an invaluable resource. It can be read by anyone. It is a pleasure to read about the social implications of languages, and get a glimpse of languages from the views and perspectives of the real users, you-me.
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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critical discourse analysis, more standard speech forms, social dialect data, majority group language, social dialectologists, social dialect survey, more vernacular forms, lexifier language, contextualisation cues, politeness devices, sociolinguists study, referee design, diglossia situation, diglossic communities, multiple negation, downward convergence, more standard forms, syntactic reduction, solidarity dimension, casual contexts, monolingual community, language planners, overt prestige, vernacular varieties, monolingual communities Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Zealand, Tok Pisin, New York, African American, West Indian, United States, Papua New Guinea, Ron Trotter, British English, Cliff Whiting, Haitian Creole, Singapore English, Robyn Kina, Milton Keynes, Jamaican Creole, Quotations Example, British Black, Swiss German, Peter Trudgill, Martha's Vineyard, Mandarin Chinese, Black British, Australian Aboriginal, Australian English, Zairean Swahili Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
critical discourse analysis, more standard speech forms, social dialect data, majority group language, social dialectologists, social dialect survey, more vernacular forms, lexifier language, contextualisation cues, politeness devices, sociolinguists study, referee design, diglossia situation, diglossic communities, multiple negation, downward convergence, more standard forms, syntactic reduction, solidarity dimension, casual contexts, monolingual community, language planners, overt prestige, vernacular varieties, monolingual communities Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Zealand, Tok Pisin, New York, African American, West Indian, United States, Papua New Guinea, Ron Trotter, British English, Cliff Whiting, Haitian Creole, Singapore English, Robyn Kina, Milton Keynes, Jamaican Creole, Quotations Example, British Black, Swiss German, Peter Trudgill, Martha's Vineyard, Mandarin Chinese, Black British, Australian Aboriginal, Australian English, Zairean Swahili Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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