The Standard in South African English and Its Social HistoryThis study of the South African variety of English is an exercise in the sociology of language conducted mainly within the conceptual framework and methodology created by William Labov. It accepts that social process and social structure are reflected in patterns of covariation involving linguistic and social variables, and in attitudes to different varieties of speech within the community. This premise is pursued here in its historical implications: linguistuic evidence in present-day speech patterns of earlier states of the society and of the social, political and cultural changes that have brought about the present state. The second main focus in this volume is directed at the concept of standard variety, that is the social attributes and functions of a formal speech pattern for which the status of standard might be claimed. |
Other editions - View all
The Standard in South African English and its Social History Len W. Lanham,C.A. MacDonald Limited preview - 1979 |
The Standard in South African English and Its Social History Len W. Lanham,C. A. MacDonald No preview available - 1979 |
The Standard in South African English and Its Social History Len W. Lanham,C. A. MacDonald No preview available - 1979 |
Common terms and phrases
accent profiles advanced variants Afrikaner allophones associations with Britain ation attitudes Aust Backed aa Cape colonial Cape English Cape Settler Cons SAE correlates dard descent group Dutch East Rand Eastern Cape Eastern European descent English cities English-speaking evaluation evidence Ext SAE f m f formal speech behaviour Fronted Giles and Powesland glide-weakened high index scores high social status HSRC LS hypercorrection idiolectal Indian English Johannesburg Labov language linguistic long-resident Low schwa mainly major males middle-class mining society Mitchell and Delbridge mother-tongue Natalians NE variables non-standard norms old-aged older origin overt values phonetic trends phonologic variables plutocracy population prestige prominent provincial standard quantities Received Pronunciation reference group region Resp SAE SAE community significant social behaviour social evaluation social groups social history social meaning social type sociolinguistic South African English speech community speech pattern standard speech standard variety stereotype style shifting subjects upper-class vocoids Witwatersrand young younger