\\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Title-R1d.png LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS ROBERT HELÁN DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA STUDIES AND JOURNALISM FACULTY OF SOCIAL STUDIES, MASARYK UNIVERSITY \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png AGENDA 1.WHAT IS SOCIAL CLASS? 2.LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS 3.REGIONAL VARIATION VS. SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION 4.RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION 5.LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 1A. WHAT IS SOCIAL CLASS? •A LAYER OF A SOCIETY THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF WEALTH, PRESTIGE AND POWER •DEFINES AN INDIVIDUAL’S OR A GROUP’S STANDARD OF LIVING AND LIFE PROSPECTS •HOW IS SOCIAL CLASS MEASURED? OBJECTIVELY: ECONOMICS SUBJECTIVELY: PRESTIGE, STATUS, POWER AND PERCEPTION \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 1B. WHAT IS SOCIAL CLASS? DETERMINING SOCIAL CLASS •A PERSON MIGHT NOT HAVE A LOT OF INCOME BUT FOR SUBJECTIVE REASONS, CAN STILL BE IN A HIGHER SOCIAL CLASS •A PERSON’S OCCUPATION DOESN’T ALWAYS REFLECT THEIR INCOME •A PERSON’S FAMILY NAME CAN DETERMINE THEIR SOCIAL CLASS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 1C. WHAT IS SOCIAL CLASS? DETERMINING SOCIAL CLASS • •HOME ASSIGNMENT: DISCUSSION FORUM •ANALYZE THE SOCIETY THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN…. A. WHAT ARE THE SOCIAL CLASSES THAT EXIST? B. HOW ARE THOSE SOCIAL CLASSES DETERMINED? \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 1D. WHAT IS SOCIAL CLASS? HOW DO WE IDENTIFY SOMEONE’S SOCIAL CLASS? •AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE MAKE VERY QUICK FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR: CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, PERSONAL STYLE BEHAVIOR, NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE USE CAR, HOUSE, NEIGHBORHOOD EDUCATION •THE FIRST IMPRESSION SYSTEM ISN’T ALWAYS RIGHT! •WE CAN POSITION OURSELVES AS BELONGING TO ONE SOCIAL CLASS, WHEN WE ACTUALLY BELONG TO ANOTHER \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2A. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS •RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE IS A CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN SOCIAL CLASS AND LANGUAGE USE CHOICES. •SOCIOLECT: A DISTINCT VARIATION OF A LANGUAGE THAT IS USED BY MEMBERS OF A SPECIFIC SOCIAL CLASS •IN MULTILINGUAL SOCIETIES, MEMBERS OF DIFFERING SOCIAL CLASSES MIGHT CHOOSE TO SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES •FRENCH USE IN EUROPE (ARISTOCRACY) •ENGLISH USE IN INDIA (HIGHER SOCIAL CLASSES) \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2B. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2C. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS: SOCIOLECTS AND CULTURES •THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF HIERARCHICAL SOCIETIES HAVE VERY DISTINCT SOCIOLECTS •IN FLATTER SOCIETIES, THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOCIOLECTS IS NOT AS CLEAR •ASCRIBED STATUS: STATUS THAT IS ASSIGNED INVOLUNTARILY AT BIRTH OR LATER IN LIFE •ACHIEVED STATUS: STATUS THAT IS EARNED THROUGH HARD WORK • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2D. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS: SOCIOLECTS AND SOCIAL CLASS IN UK •THE UK IS A HIERARCHICAL SOCIETY WITH A LOT OF ASCRIBED STATUS BASED ON FAMILY NAME •THERE ARE A LOT OF SOCIOLECTS WITH DISTINCT DEGREES OF PRESTIGE AND STATUS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM •UPPER CLASS SOCIOLECT: RECEIVED PRONUNCIATION (RP) “THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH” \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2E. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS: SOCIOLECTS AND SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UK •A LOT OF HIRING DECISIONS ARE MADE BASED ON HOW SOMEONE SPEAKS •MARRYING FROM ONE SOCIAL CLASS TO ANOTHER IS NOT VERY COMMON •FOR AN EXAMPLE OF SOCIOLECTS AND SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UK, WATCH THE MOVIE: MY FAIR LADY \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2F. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS: SOCIAL CLASS IN INDIA •INDIA IS A HIERARCHICAL SOCIETY WITH MANY DISTINCT LAYERS •THE CLASS THAT YOU’RE BORN INTO IS THE ONE THAT YOU STAY IN FOR LIFE (OFTEN DECIDED BY FAMILY NAME) •SOCIAL CLASS INDICATORS: ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE DIALECT CHOICES LANGUAGE CHOICES \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 2G. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS: SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION IN CANADA •NOT A HIERARCHICAL SOCIETY •ONLY THREE SOCIAL CLASSES (UPPER, MIDDLE AND LOWER) •NO DISTINCT SOCIOLECTS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 3. REGIONAL VARIATION VS. SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION •REGIONAL VARIATION: LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES DEPENDING UPON THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA THE USERS LIVE IN •WHICH IS MORE POWERFUL? SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION OR REGIONAL VARIATION THE UK: UPPER CLASSES – SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION (SOCIOLECT) LOWER CLASSES – REGIONAL VARIATION INDIA: ALL CLASSES – SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION (SOCIOLECT) \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 4A. RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION •WILLIAM LABOV (1960’S) THIS RESEARCH FOCUSED ON THE LANGUAGE THAT SALES STAFF CHOSE TO USE WITH CUSTOMERS IN THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT STORES, EACH CATERING TO DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASSES RESULTS: THE SALES STAFF ADJUSTED THEIR LANGUAGE USE TO THAT OF THEIR CLIENTELE, ALLOWING RESEARCHERS TO IDENTIFY CLEAR SOCIOLECTS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 4B. RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION •PETER TRUDGILL (1960’S/1970’S) RESEARCHERS CREATED A SOCIAL INDEX, HAD PARTICIPANTS SELF-IDENTIFY AS BEING PART OF A PARTICULAR SOCIAL CLASS, AND THEN ANALYZED THEIR LANGUAGE USE RESULTS: THE HIGHER THE SOCIAL CLASS THE PARTICIPANTS SELF-IDENTIFIED WITH, THE CLOSER TO THE PRESTIGE VARIATION OF THE LANGUAGE THEY SPOKE. FIVE DISTINCT SOCIAL CLASSES WERE IDENTIFIED BY ANALYZING LANGUAGE FEATURES OF THE DIFFERENT SOCIOLECTS. \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 4C. RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION •LABOV AND TRUDGILL SPEAKERS CAN STRATEGICALLY CHOOSE TO USE ONE SOCIOLECT OVER ANOTHER IN ORDER TO ASSOCIATE THEMSELVES WITH A PARTICULAR SOCIAL CLASS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 4D. RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION •CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUSES ON INDIVIDUAL LANGUAGE CHOICES THAT PEOPLE MAKE, IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, DEPENDING UPON HOW THEY WANT TO BE PERCEIVED \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 4E. RESEARCHING SOCIAL CLASS LANGUAGE VARIATION •MATCHED GUISE TESTING: PARTICIPANTS RATE SPEAKERS ON THEIR SOCIAL CLASS, WEALTH, INTELLIGENCE, ETC., BASED ONLY UPON HOW THEY SPEAK RESULTS: IF A PERSON CHANGED HOW THEY SPOKE, PARTICIPANTS WOULD RATE THEM IN A DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5A. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: STYLE •STYLE: INDIVIDUAL LANGUAGE USE CHOICES, ON A SCALE OF FORMAL TO INFORMAL, BASED UPON CONTEXT OR HOW WE WANT TO BE PERCEIVED FORMAL LANGUAGE: PERCEIVED AS BEING “THE STANDARD” INFORMAL LANGUAGE: FOCUS IS ON EQUALITY, NOT POWER •STYLE IS CLOSELY RELATED TO SOCIOLECTS, SOCIAL CLASS AND LANGUAGE USE CHOICES UPPER CLASS SOCIOLECTS ARE TYPICALLY MORE FORMAL LOWER CLASS SOCIOLECTS ARE TYPICALLY MORE INFORMAL \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5B. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: REGISTER •REGISTER: COMMUNICATION SHORTCUTS DEVELOPED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY COMMUNICATE TOGETHER TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE •REGISTER DEPENDS ON: THE TOPIC WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO WHERE YOU’RE TALKING WHY YOU’RE TALKING \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5C. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: REGISTER •THERE ARE 5 MAIN CATEGORIES OF REGISTER: 1. STATIC 2. FORMAL 3. CONSULTATIVE 4. CASUAL 5. INTIMATE \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5D. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: REGISTER •STATIC REGISTER: A SET OF LANGUAGE USE THAT NEVER CHANGES THE LORD’S PRAYER CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS LEGAL DOCUMENTS •FORMAL REGISTER: VERY FORMAL, ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION SPEECHES LECTURES PRONOUNCEMENTS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5E. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: REGISTER •CONSULTATIVE REGISTER: USED IN GROUPS OF TWO OR MORE PEOPLE, WHERE ONE PERSON, THE “KNOWER”, PROVIDES INFORMATION OR ADVICE DOCTOR-PATIENT LAWYER-CLIENT •CASUAL REGISTER: AN INFORMAL STYLE OF COMMUNICATION USED AMONGST PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIALLY EQUAL (FRIENDS/PEERS) INSIDE JOKES VOCABULARY IS UNIQUE TO THE GROUP COMMON SPECIFIC PHRASES \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5F. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: REGISTER •INTIMATE REGISTER: AN INFORMAL STYLE OF LANGUAGE USED BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY CLOSE (FAMILY MEMBERS, SPOUSES, ETC.) THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY EMOTIONAL COMMUNICATION INTONATION PET PHRASES AND NICKNAMES NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION • •THE HIGHER SOCIAL CLASSES TEND TO USE MORE FORMAL REGISTERS •THE LOWER SOCIAL CLASSES TEND TO USE MORE INFORMAL REGISTERS • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5G. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: POLITENESS •POLITENESS: LANGUAGE CHOICES THAT WE MAKE WHEN WE’RE SPEAKING WITH SOMEONE, TO MAKE HIM OR HER FEEL COMFORTABLE NOT IMPOSING ON SOMEONE NOT DIRECTLY ASKING SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING •FACE THREATENING ACT (FTA): SOMETHING THAT A PERSON DOES OR SAYS THAT MAKES THE OTHER PERSON FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, EMBARRASSED OR THREATENED USED WHEN DELIBERATELY TRYING NOT TO BE POLITE \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5H. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: POLITENESS •POSITIVE POLITENESS: “I RESPECT YOU AND I WANT YOU TO RESPECT ME.” COMPLIMENTARY, PROFESSIONAL •NEGATIVE POLITENESS: “I WANT SOMETHING FROM YOU.” INGRATIATING PUTTING THE OTHER PERSON ABOVE YOURSELF \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5I. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: POLITENESS •LANGUAGE USE STRATEGIES FOR NEGATIVE POLITENESS: HEDGING – HESITATING, SHOWING LITTLE CONFIDENCE PESSIMISM – USING NEGATIVE LANGUAGE INDICATING DEFERENCE – PUTTING THE OTHER PERSON ABOVE YOURSELF IN TERMS OF POWER APOLOGIZING – EXCUSING YOURSELF FOR IMPOSING IMPERSONALIZATION – TAKING YOURSELF OUT OF THE PICTURE \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5J. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: BROWN AND LEVINSON’S POLITENESS STRATEGIES •BALD ON-RECORD STRATEGY: THE SPEAKER DOESN’T CARE IF S/HE USES FACE THREATENING ACTS, EMBARRASSES OR MAKES THE HEARER UNCOMFORTABLE URGENT SITUATIONS TASK-ORIENTED SITUATIONS MAKING STRONG REQUESTS GIVING WARNINGS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5K. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: BROWN AND LEVINSON’S POLITENESS STRATEGIES •POSITIVE POLITENESS STRATEGY: THE SPEAKER ASSUMES THAT A FRIENDLY, RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP EXISTS WITH THE HEARER ATTENDING TO THE HEARER AVOIDING DISAGREEMENTS ASSUMING AGREEMENT HEDGING AN OPINION \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5L. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: BROWN AND LEVINSON’S POLITENESS STRATEGIES •NEGATIVE POLITENESS STRATEGY: THE SPEAKER KNOWS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT S/HE IS IMPOSING ON THE OTHER PERSON BEING INDIRECT APOLOGIZING MINIMIZING THE IMPOSITION PLURALIZING THE RESPONSIBILITY \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5M. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: BROWN AND LEVINSON’S POLITENESS STRATEGIES •OFF-RECORD INDIRECT STRATEGY: A COMPLETE AVOIDANCE OF ANY FACE THREATENING ACT GIVING HINTS BEING VAGUE BEING SARCASTIC/MAKING JOKES \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5N. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png 5O. LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS •STUDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF ANY LANGUAGE VARIATION THAT EXISTS IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY ARE LEARNING: •SOCIOLECTS •STYLE •REGISTER •POLITENESS