Critical Review of Krochs Research Conducted among the Upper-Class Community - Case Study Example

Critical reading task Introduction This paper aims at conducting a critical review of Kroch’s research conducted among the upper class community. He conducts a study of speech of a local prestige community that consisted of the Philadelphia upper class community. He further compares the result with the works of Labov in regards to speech. Kroch study used specified method to obtain information from the study participants unlike Labov’s work, where the field workers approached the community participants from the blues. Kroch obtained an introduction from the upper class community through acutance and obtained an agreement to conduct research. He asked the study participants to identify the study participants with the same characteristics under study (Kroch, 1996). Kroch studied the vowel sound pronunciation by following the methods proposed by LCV project to maintain comparison in his study. His research instruments were restrained between 150 and 250 central vowel. His study uses the first inventiveness frequency, and then applied computerized linear predicate coding algorithm (Kroch, 1996). Labov’s research established the differences in the pronunciation of the vowel /oh/ and /eh/ of American in opposition to New Yorkers. The Americans are more likely to make use of the next variants of /oh/ and Italians are more prone to use the next variants of /eh/ than the other groups. In his interview, Labov states that the Irish derivation features are not up to standard. He further argues that the variation is insignificant and that European American classes communicate in more the same way using the applicable features (Kroch, 1996). Steady sociolinguistic variables have conventionally been identified as individuals that indicated that, no age discrepancy in the approach pattern of language occurrence in the society. There are very few research studies conducted in all the societies concerning any sociolinguistic variables. Though, studies of language, removal and gerund form have revealed that young youths tend to repeat the chances of the language differences, and problems recognized in the language structures of their own parents (Labov 1989).This research gives these illustrations, although it directs them in the way of constant dissimilarity for the language users over a given phase of time. This concept has to be evaluated and justified with more research studies. The study aimed at conducting an investigation of the study of speech of a local prestige community that consisted of the Philadelphia upper class community. The sample consisted of ten upper class adult, four men and six men. The class was chosen because the social isolation of the upper class had declined at a high rate. This was important because Kroch wanted to determine the speech patterns of the prestige class that had not been influenced by effects of Second World War (Kroch, 1996). He selected participants whose speech patterns were formed before the war, so as to get a characteristic of the upper class speech that is distinct from the others in the group of people. The members of exact Philadelphia explicit upper class belonging to the societal club, and lastly a once a year community club that mainly invited the upper class children in to a ball meant for the same social group (Kroch, 1996). A good research conducts investigations by making use of different techniques of obtaining data from the study participants. The procedures to methods fall into two broad categories specifically, quantitative methods and qualitative methods. Under qualitative method data obtained is the type that tends to concentrate on narration and title categories. Quantitative data looks for numerical data. Kroch’s research is mainly meant determine in depth data instead of span, and it needs the researcher to take part in the research process especially obtaining data from the participants (Kroch, 1996). The methodology section describes the procedures that have been followed in conducting research. At this state the techniques used in data collection are presented, and this assisted Kroch in awareness of his level of study. The study sampled out older members of the upper class community, by using purposive sampling procedure. The concrete sample range was not indicated by the researcher, though he indicated the target population, which was the upper class member and a few middle class members. The researcher failed to elaborate on the sampling procedure because the respondents identified themselves in the research process. The researcher developed the research instruments, and the research instruments used in this study were mainly interview guides developed and modified by the researcher. Data collection is an indispensable constituent in carrying out research. Data collection is a more difficult task in research and very difficult to conduct, therefore, it is also difficult to justify the best method to collect data in research (O’Leary, 2004). He adds that it is the task of the researcher to select the most appropriate method of obtaining data depending on the goals of research. In Kroch’s research Data was collected mainly through interviews where Kroch conducted interviews from the participants to obtain the right views (Kroch, 1996). Kroch interviewed primary sample to compare the results with the speech results of the upper class participants. The principal sample consisted of grown-up participants, three men and three women born in the year 1937 and 1949. He also used an additional sample of ten men from middle class men who had similar characteristics of the upper class community in terms of schooling, occupation and community background. Most of the selected additional sample consisted of lawyers and those who worked in commercial institutions. This participants attended privileged schools and all belonged to the protestant denomination. The respondents’ were also born in the year 1920 and 1940 (Kroch, 1996). Kroch conducted an interview using a tape recorder that was well developed to elicit accurate responses. The interview format followed the Labov project (Labov, 1964). Questions on childhood and death revealed accurate responses on speech. They were also very important in that they revealed the participants social contact within the social context in terms of providing family background information (Labov, 1964). Interviewing is a method used to obtain data as well as, obtain highly reached information from the participants. It can be clearly noted as the discussion of ideas between two or more individuals on the research topic. The concentration is on human communication of information and generation of knowledge. Interviews are ways in which the study participants can get occupied and speak giving their views. Furthermore, the study participants are in a position to present their views on awareness, and explanation in relation to the topic of study (O’Leary, 2004). The use of interviews was very appropriate in this research, in that respondents give very personalized information. The researcher is in a position to probe questions during the interview process. In this case, the researcher obtained a good rate of return from the respondents because the interview took place and responses obtained immediately. The researcher was also in a position to clarify issues concerning areas of research. It is also clear from the research that Kroch took part in the research process and that he was well prepared during the interview process, a factor that explains why he was able to get more information from his study participants as they were identified. The use of interview was very expensive as the researcher had to travel over a very long distance to conduct the study interviews. Information in the interviews can get distorted to get hold of factual information that could be obtained using other methods. This method of obtaining data requires high level of skill to be acquired by the researcher, and he needs to get proper training to avoid biasness. The use of interview guides introduces the notion of subjectivity and biasness. This is for the reason that, the participants might be too eager to please the researcher or the researcher may ask questions that are best to his interest to obtain results. This is known as the response effect; thus, Kroch’s research could highly be affected by response effect from the study participants. To conduct an interview the research needs to use a smaller sample and this can affect the results of the study. Lastly, responses might be influenced by the respondents’ reaction to the interview that seems very perfect in speech this could have happened to Kroch’s research. Kroch used snowballing method to obtain his study participants, where the participants identified other participants that had some information based on speech of words. This sampling procedure was most appropriate in that, Kroch was in a position to obtain the right information from the right group of people. He also noted that the method was successful since the respondents felt free, and responded positively giving him the right information (Kroch, 1996). This sampling procedure enables Kroch to eliminate unstable respondents and only select the most appropriate respondents to participate in the study. The respondents chose fellow respondents with similar characteristics thus Kroch research time was less overwhelming, and he was able to finish his research using limited time. Lastly, this technique makes Kroch trail the results from the participants (Kroch, 1996). The main challenge of using this method to obtain its sample is that snowballing is prone to high chances of biasness. This is because the idea of sample selection is based on individual responses, which may not be accurate to some continue building up errors and giving fake views. It was also very difficult for Kroch to support his sample representative. Well defined class of social people known as aristocrats- the upper class- that is self recognized, members meet in social recreation areas created for themselves. These classes exist in many areas of United Sates. This upper class separates itself from other classes mainly the middle class. Association in the upper class is restricted to families who can obtain their monetary, cultural, and spiritual values (Kroch, 1996). Money-wise, the upper class is based on hereditary wealth; racially, it is the white and the Anglo-Saxon, and because of the Civic War, religion was also introduced in these criteria. Ever since the end of the previous century, the community Catalog has displayed a directory of an association in the group all the upper class members are register in this directory, and telephone numbers are also put in the telephone guidelines (Kroch, 1996). From the social linguistic point of view the upper class was identified by their identification by its members the class can be identified by the type of education, and the class social interaction and this has resulted to creation of dialectal development in terms of speech. Children from members of the upper class in the early years of the language education had a wider contact to speech from external sources from their personal category (Kroch, 1996). The children had a close contact with house helps and servants and other workers who worked for their homes and neighborhood. The children would also play with other classes these contacts with age groups could influence speech. Ones the dialect entered the community then it would spread and grow this makes conducting an investigation based on class difficult to investigate and the results might turn to be untrue and biased. The class variable is problematic because it reveals responses that are not stationary. The community is also vibrant and changes from time to time making the variable unstable for speech investigation, and every class of people have their own ways of communicating within the group (Kroch, 1996). The speaker used this age constraint on the participants, for the reason that the participants social segregation of the upper class had reduced gradually in Philadelphia. This was observed at least once in a year. With the selection of participants whose dialect patterns were created before begun to reduce, the speaker actually hoped to differentiate upper class speech as distant from the rest of the speeches found in the city. This would be more useful as a complement of Labov research as the study was mainly meant to complement the general study of the Philadelphia speech society (Kroch, 1996). The age groups were selected by the researcher so as to answer two main research questions. The researcher aimed at establishing whether some social state line characterizes the social speech in a community. Therefore, the researcher hoped to find out if exclusive isolation of the upper class community would lead to formation of a specific dialect. The next question was to determine what makes the upper class speech most distinctive as compared to other classes (Kroch, 1996). The respondents might have gotten surprised because they were the core grounds of research, hence the study respondents will be anxious and aggravated to provide responses giving clear illustrations. The participants were quite interested in knowing the results that obtained from the two research studies. Some of the findings of this research could be used to educate the upper class, and improve their sound articulation of vowels in their dialect (Kroch, 1996). The participants could use the findings to understand how some of their speech structures originated and got modification. This understanding could generate new knowledge of language usage among the upper class group of people. The conclusion might be used by the researcher and the upper class community to determine areas of weakness; thus, improve them for better language use. The findings of the study could be used to solve existing challenges the class experience within the society hence developing unity. Therefore, the participant could have developed a sense of proper making of recommendations (Kroch, 1996). The most important rationale behind carrying out this research is come up with information, beneficial for studying the participants. Consequently, this research is much more inclined to putting its results on a wide-ranging understanding of examination. It is also valid to come up with facts in the areas of speech; thus, the participants from the upper class will have a sense of morale and enthusiasm to take part in this investigation, an aspect that will be beneficial to the youth as a way of improving their status (Kroch, 1996). This was an important strategy that the researcher used to make his study known by several individuals around the community. The upper class members were given information about their dialect and how it varies from the rest of the community, and how it deviates from the normal structure of language. The findings in the research were used to elaborate what had already been done by other researchers about speech in the upper group of people (Kroch, 1996). The research was meant to describe speech phenomena in the context that consists of only the upper class members. This is because accurate identification of events could be done through description of speech sounds in terms of vowel articulation and pronunciation of other sounds. As a result, the respondents would sense that the existing of research would be described to them in details (Kroch, 1996). It should be recognized that the main purpose of research is to control and control is concerned with the ability to regulate the phenomena under investigation normally one phenomena is controlled, and manipulated over the others to determine the current state of the surroundings. Correspondingly, Kroch’s study would be used to manipulate the speech phenomena within the group of people (Kroch, 1996). The results of Kroch’s research would be used to provide justifications for the existing speech phenomena, where the explanation would involve precise observations and measurements of a given observable fact; in that for Kroch to explain the speech phenomena, he has to illustrate it, envisage its occurrence and observe factors that cause variance in speech with certainty and accuracy. The community must be involved and explained to, the areas of interests. The community members will feel contented, as the results of this research can be used in developing theories based on the research findings. The findings could also be used to authenticate the current theories on speech among the upper class group of people (Kroch, 1996). Kroch’s study found that the vowel articulations of upper class language users was conducted well, while using the speech sounds was very concentrated in their local class than the articulation of working class participants, potted the same word class differentiation. Fundamentally, the upper class and the middle upper class do use a solitary dialect (Kroch, 1996). The upper class participants used prosody in a distinctive way as compared to the others classes of study participants, and this is more evident on expose activities, but no distinction is made where the difference actually occurs. The observation reveals that most of the prosody maker’s upper class is mainly stress used to emphasize points. This stress originates from the every use of language by the upper class group (Kroch, 1996). The upper class category are specific, and are categorized depending in a specific indent and linguistically it remains the most important geographic language identity. The linguistic level depends on societal structures created by the social identity. This could lead to research biasness, because the class level keeps on changing among the members. In that if one marries from another class then he is dropped from the upper class. The findings reveal that dialects are mainly formed through the use of reality, and not the socially formed structures of a particular dialect (Kroch, 1996). Different dialects have always been recognized by geographical location based on good reasons proposed by the community members. The linguistic difference provided is based on the product of communication as community members talk to one another. This does not result from linguistic features that are distinct that are used to distinguish them from others. The uniqueness in manifestation produce the now developed mixed group of the speech within the unique classes, and through this the upper class is likely to differentiate its structure from other categories (Kroch, 1996). The speech variety of the upper class obtains its influential exchange and exposes its Consequently, Kroch’s analysis was correct by means of outlining communal status by the use of a communication strategy that can be understood by any language users, but practical by specific language class that agrees to use the dialect. Kroch’s research unfortunately did not conduct research interviews on the upper middle class member’s women due to the limited time in research to finish the research project. Kroch (1996) indicates that, from the analysis, words like school were not put into consideration. Linguistic changes are propagated by a binary fusion between upper-class and middle class members. Kroch has assessed the relationship between language classes, and language binary fusion due to economic status of individuals within the society. The results indicated that the upper class articulation selection. Evidently it is clear that the upper middle class male respondents made use of very few exaggerated adjectives that allowed comparison in the research analysis of speech patterns (Kroch, 1996). Conclusion Language originates from the environment, each social strata seems to have their own way of speaking among themselves. The developed features are as a result of developed codes used in the community. It is, therefore, important to conduct research to determine the various variants used in languages depending with class. References Kroch, A. (1996) Dialect and style in the speech of upper class Philadelphia. Amsterdam: Benjamins. Labov, W. (1980) The Social origins of sound change. In W. Labov (ed.), Locating, language in time and space. New York: Academic Press. O’Leary, A. (2004) Research guide and investigation. London: University Press. Read More