Dialect Is a Modified Synonym for Language - Essay Example

?Linguistics Assignment Chapter 9 - Dialect Variation Dialect is modified synonym for language. It signifies the various forms of language influenced by geographical, political and socio-cultural factors. Often used in opposition to a language, it is a highly subjective term. Many linguistics consider both dialect and language as interchangeable and do not assign any superiority to either. The masses however, I understand give a certain authority to language. According to me, a possible cause would be that dialect pertains to the spoken language often confusing it with accents. Hence, the “written” language enjoys the superiority of being official and acceptable everywhere. The difference between jargon, accents, slang and dialect is also important. Dialects keep changing since language is made and modified by the times people live in, which of course are incessantly in a flux. Some legitimacy is also enjoyed by different dialects depending on who speaks it, mainly subscribing to the various strata of society. Usually the choices of the elite determine the stratification of dialects and languages; via which many other stratification can also be explained for example fashion etc. 2. Non-standard dialects and its usage is quite political if you come to think of it. The chapters elaborates about how standard versus non-standard is largely a matter of what is in vogue at that particular point in history. For example, the r-lessness that suffers changing connotations on either side of the Atlantic is simply a matter of fashion. At the same time it is not so simple because it has serious implications for the members who speak in it as the way of talking is a very important judgment factor, voluntarily and involuntarily. This kind of stratification of language relegates communities to the periphery by defining ‘popular’ dialect etc. The chapter also talks about the importance of the same when the non-standard dialects are used as a symbol of belonging to a community. Language is an important component of any culture, the various idiosyncrasies of the language specific to a community give a sense of oneness. This is as cultural as political. Talking non-standardly helps people “fit in” and to exhibit a sense of toughness. Also it has nothing to do with laziness or intellectual capability. The politicians and well-educated might also talk in the same vernacular dialect to portray a sense of belonging to their local community. 3. Linguistic variability is important because it represents the variety of cultures and styles. They are of many levels and types. The various levels are lexical (vocabulary and meaning), phonological (pronunciation), morphosyntactic (syntax and usage of words), and pragmatic (way of talking, pausing, and pacing). The various types are those of social class and social networks, gender, and ethnicity. Social status has varied influences on language, with no easy one on one relation. In some places, (Arabic speaking nations), the level education defines status and not the profession (unlike America, where occupation is the general parameter). Also, the high or correct Classical Arabic is not spoken in daily use. In America, and other western countries however, standard language is preferred over nonstandard by people who are of upper class, so to say. Loose social ties (usually in lower class groups) tend to be more open to language change as compared to people belonging to dense social ties who maintain vernacular speech features and are less likely to language change (Milroy and Milroy). Like Labov suggested, that the lower class are also more open to language change because they are the ones who are most upwardly mobile of all class groups. 4. Language variation and gender researches show markedly concrete inferences. In case of stable language features, women tend to use standard language more than men. For example, swimming instead of swimmin’. Interestingly, women are more subject to language change than men in many western countries. In another example, Labov observed that in New York City, women used more standard language than men in careful speech or formal speech, while in casual they are more informal than men. The important point explained through various examples in the chapter lead to the conclusion that generalizations can not be afforded because language and gender suffer from highly localized variations and hence rapid conclusions will certainly be faulty. 5. The exercise was not uploaded. Sorry. Assignment Chapter 10 1. Language and cultures are intertwined because the way language is influenced by culture. Language exists in culture, and the culture cannot exist outside of language. For example, in some cultures it is considered affectionate to touch while talking. They consider it a sign of love to be in close proximity, and they talk the same way whereas in America, a distance of an arm is at least expected from anybody to have comfortable conversation. The habit of staying in close proximity or being touchy-feely seeps into language and hence affects it. Hence culture defines attitudes and beliefs which are further manifested through language, why? Because there is simply no other way. Language is how attitudes are manifested choices are manifested and that is how we know people. Some language are ‘poetic’ or ‘prosaic’ depending not the metrical verse form but the way words are said or the kind of vocabulary used. For example the most prosaic form of language of 15th century might seem to be poetic now, hence it is pretty difficult to dissociate language from culture. 2. Cross-cultural differences in linguistic behavior can become problematic because of the misinterpreted implications of speech. Since, every culture have their own idiosyncrasies which a different culture might or might not be receptive about. Another major problem would be “complimentary schismogenesis” in which participants tend to move further on the plane of understanding because they simply don’t understand the “cues” given by each other. Further, the accents and drawls can lead to different meanings. The shifting vocabulary also influences interaction between cross-cultures quite a bit.For example, in India a flashlight is called a torch. While in the US, operating on a patient, an American-Indian surgeon asked for a torch by which he meant a flashlight and the whole crew was greatly puzzled at his demand as to what he’d do with a ‘torch’ in an operation theatre. He was immediately summoned out of the room and questioned to account for his apparently bizarre needs. It was obviously a major misunderstanding and could have had serious consequences for the patient and the doctor’s career, had the issue blown out of proportion. 3. Indirectness in communication is important because saying things directly can be of consequences. It is usually a case of being subtle and avoiding head-on arguments when people are indirect. For example, while flirting. Flirting is a classic case of being indirect. Its basis is that, because saying things out loud would mean exposing one’s feelings which might lead to outright rejection. Flirting is a kind of ground testing in which one can foresee and perhaps attract the other person’s interest in a liaison. Indirectness is also being considerate of the other person’s feelings. For example, if any of my friends uses a bad perfume, I might not want to say that to her directly. Instead I could gift her a new perfume or suggest something else. It also leaves space for changing opinions, as we see the diplomats do on television. They can say what they want to in not so many words and if “misinterpreted” , they can always say that that is not what they meant at all. Being direct in such situations could land them in trouble right away. 4. Ex 10.3 - My roommate and I were having issues regarding washing dishes for the longest time. So, I fixed up a timetable and stuck it on the fridge. I took the mornings and gave her the evenings. She took it quite receptively and thought it fair. I could have confronted her about it, but I wanted to arrive at a solution so I did that without getting into an argument. My message was clear and so was the solution. 5. Ex 10.4 - While talking with a friend, I leaned in closer and closer for a while and found it difficult to concentrate on what he was saying because as his face got focused in my vision, it felt like he was losing context (the surroundings). He, on his part kept moving back until he got annoyed and questioned my intrusion in his space. Each of us found it difficult to talk in too much of proximity. 6. Ex 10.5 - In this one, I talked before my friend finished her case and she went mute the instant I started talking. She is too polite to talk while the other person is talking, but after a while, she told me to shut up and listen because she found it quite impossible for us to talk simultaneously. 7. Languaculture is term used my Michael Agar, a linguist anthropologist to refer to language and culture collectively. It was because of the inseparability of both, and the mutual dependence of each other. As I have already mentioned, culture shapes language and language is a manifestation of the culture anyone would live in. The way of living, usage, requirements effect language immensely. For example, in Canada, there are multiple words for the various kinds of snow whereas in America, we just have snow. This is because they have so much snow that they need to have words to describe it. Similarly, while translating, translators come across terms which are impossible to translate simply because the other language would not need them. 8. Works Cited - Fasold, Ralph W., and Jeff Connor-Linton. "Dialect Variation, Language and Culture ." An Introduction to Language and Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Print. Read More