What is Sociolinguistics - Term Paper Example

The speakers of any given language possess a broad linguistic base, unless of course they are somehow challenged linguistically, or if they are ESOL beginners. A command of a language empowers the speaker to use the language in an assortment of ways, to accommodate the situation in which they are in. The type and level of language which an individual engages are also dependant upon their social background, age, gender, geographical location, and social identity.

When one advances the idea, that language actually influences people, there are two inherent ideas contained therein, and one is doubly more profound than the other. That idea is that language can be so profound until it can assist and affect the manner in which one views the world. The other is that language actually has an influence on the manner in which we think and act. As espoused by Whorf, and presented metaphorically, language is tantamount to a pair of glasses, from which we view our surroundings.

 What is Sociolinguistics?

According to Wisniewski,(2007), Sociolinguistics is a practical scientific discipline researching the language that is actually used by native speakers, or foreigners, in order to formulate theories about language change. Sociolinguistics looks into the manner in which language changes in accordance with the area of the country where it is being spoken. It deals with a variety of languages, which has variances in grammar, Alexis, and the manner in which it is pronounced from others, the term which is used in this instance is dialect. It is a given that each individual in a community has a distinct manner of speech, and this is primarily due to an individual's life experience, educational attainment level, age, and aspiration. The personal variation of an individual’s language usage is known as idiolect. Influences which affect idiolect are numerous;

• Social class: is measured by an individual's educational attainment, a background of parents, one's profession, and their effect on syntax and the words which the speaker uses.
• Social context: the recording of the language being used in transitional circumstances, this has to do with the adaptability of the speaker. From formal to informal.
• Geographic origins: highlights the varying differences which are reflected in individuals who hail from different regions.
• Ethnicity: the variances which are reflected in any given language being spoken by its native speakers and those of different ethnicity.
• Nationality: This is striking when we make simple comparisons between American English, British English, and Canadian English.
• Gender: This is particularly apparent when one compares the differences between men and women, due to the quantity, and intonations.

There is a deeply rooted relationship that exists between language and culture. Language is the conveyor of culture and cultural ties. Different language use produces different ideas within a particular culture and this entire process commences at birth. The onset of individuality is not firmly established at birth, as a matter of being, the infant is quite similar to any other infant at this stage of development. However, once the infant is exposed to their environment, they began to evolve into individuals and are then being shaped or molded by their individual cultural groups.

According to Fries (2007), It is essential to bear in mind that culture as an entity is a learned process, it is not something of which one is inherently endowed. A salient example of this reality is, if a child is adopted, it will inevitably have the culture of its adoptive parents and their accepted society. Of course, one can not totally dismiss the impact of their initial experiences, such as those of their birth mothers' voice, while still in the womb. An African child who has been adopted by non-black parents, who reside in Europe, will be compelled to explain and deal with the difference between their true culture that outsiders may expect, based on their appearance.

As a consequence, culture is learned through interaction and is ultimately shaped by its interactors. This definition represents an ongoing process, which places culture as a group creation, versus a solidified object. The concept which depicts all individuals as having common traits when they are born has been a prevailing argument for thousands of years and was introduced by Confucius as mentioned in a book by his followers, Analects. (Xu, 1997). In keeping with the point made above, it follows that at birth, the infant's life, ideas, and of course language are shaped by their most immediate environment.

Brooks, (1968), presents the argument that mentally and physically everyone is the same, it is the dealings that take place and are different, as are the places. The behavioral patterns of groups which emerge in places of different locations tend to transmit different messages, as some will be acceptable and some will not. Behaviors in one place which are acceptable, may not be acceptable in another. (Brooks 1968). In essence, this forms the premise for different cultures. It is within the core of these differences where an individual’s worldview is formulated.

Hantrais (1989) projects the argument that culture consists of the mores and perceptions which govern a society where a specific language is the mode of expression. As a consequence, the beliefs of everyone are influenced by that culture, including the use of the acceptance of the predominant language of that place. Emmitt and Pollack (1997), put forth the argument, that even though individuals may be reared in backgrounds and cultural situations which appear to be similar, the fact that they speak a different language, can have a determining influence on the variances in their world view.

It has been put forth by Sapir-Whorf, that all languages produce a different trend of thought. There are inherent differences in some language forms, and limitations in some languages place limitations on how some individuals might express themselves, and develop ideas. Language has its basis in culture, and culture is reflected, practiced, and transmitted through language, from generation to generation.(Emmitt & Pollack 1997).According to Tonkin (2008), Language is a principal vehicle of culture – another highly slippery term.

If culture is a collection of shared behaviors, which themselves constitute a form of meta-language, then language is fundamental to the culture. A given “culture” may have its own language or languages, or it may share a language with others, in which event it may seek to make that language it's own in various ways, even to the extent of defining it as a separate entity.