What Is Sociolinguistics Gerard Van Herk Pdf Full -

Subject: Analysis of Key Themes, Structure, and Pedagogical Approach Author: Gerard Van Herk (Memorial University of Newfoundland) Target Audience: Undergraduate students, introductory linguistics courses, general readers.

Van Herk introduces the cornerstone of quantitative sociolinguistics: the linguistic variable. This is a way of saying the same thing (e.g., "running" vs. "runnin'"). By counting how often different people use different variants, sociolinguists can map social patterns. what is sociolinguistics gerard van herk pdf full

For example, Van Herk discusses the famous study of post-vocalic /r/ in New York City department stores (Labov, 1966). The higher the social class of the store (Saks vs. Macys vs. S. Klein), the more frequently salespeople pronounced the /r/ in "fourth floor." Subject: Analysis of Key Themes, Structure, and Pedagogical

Van Herk shines in his discussion of creole languages (like Haitian Creole or Jamaican Patwa). He explains how, when speakers of different languages are forced together (e.g., during colonization or the slave trade), they create a pidgin (a simple trade language), which, when children learn it as a native language, becomes a full-fledged creole. during colonization or the slave trade)