Sociolinguistics

Monday, September 15, 2014.

Luis Acosta, Sofía Carrión, Sebastián Santacruz, María José Yépez.

Essay about linguistic varieties

To analyze the different ways in which human beings communicate with each other
and with others, it is necessary to establish the limits that define the forms of expression and
specifically the different ways in which they are expressed, that is, the
linguistic varieties. However, there are difficulties in defining these varieties and
especially in delimiting them, as they can appear in the form of dialects,
languages, registers, and styles. Therefore, there are various definitions proposed by
different authors. In addition, linguistic and extralinguistic definitions are presented of
dialect and its respective difference with speech, language and its attributes, which
they would allow establishing a linguistic typology. Dialects are also defined and
sociolects at different sociocultural or geographical levels.

Variety

The linguistic varieties, understood according to Charles A. Ferguson as:

A set of linguistic patterns sufficiently homogeneous to be

analyzed using techniques of synchronic description; such a set
it would consist of a sufficiently extensive repertoire of elements and could
operate in all normal communication contexts (Moreno Fernandez, 2005,
p. 86).

This definition includes languages, dialects, and also sociolects, without

embargo, does not cover either the styles or the records associated with the study of the
sociolinguistics. For this, the author proposes a definition that also includes these
the last terms regarding what the varieties encompass. Together with
this observation and conversely, if for Ferguson the linguistic varieties
they are homogeneous since they serve for the synchronic analysis of linguistic patterns,
the author points out that linguistic varieties are relatively heterogeneous, given
it is difficult to mark the boundaries of one or another type of variety.

It is important to clarify the concepts of each linguistic variety due to

this difficulty of establishing a determined limit for each one. Firstly, it
it makes a distinction between language and dialect, understanding the former as a system
linguistic of which a speaking community makes use and that is strongly
differentiated, in addition to imposing itself over other systems of its same origin (Moreno
Fernandez, 2005). In an example for this case, we find the prevalence of the
Castilian language facing another language that is the source of its origin, such as vulgar Latin.
On the other hand, the dialect is understood as a linguistic form detached from
a common language.
Language

Language is the main variation that the research focuses on.

sociolinguistics, being the one that brings together a certain type of linguistic varieties and that
they must also include traits that allow for a defined typology, the
What are: standardization, autonomy, historicity, and vitality.

Standardization: it is the acceptance of the norms defined by the language which

they can be monocentric or polycentric. The former implies the acceptance of a single
set of rules for a single language, while the second recognizes several
normative types. Thus, for example, as a monocentric language, we find
standard Spanish from the Castilla region. In contrast, for the polycentric type
we find, for example, the unified Kichwa language, in which the same coexist
standards used in different geographical areas. With these examples, at the same time, they
They can explain the endonormative and exonormative standardizations, for which
in the first case, the unified Kichwa creates its own norms in its own country, in
The change in Spanish corresponds to an exonormative standardization.
extended and imposed on speakers from other countries.

Autonomy: It recognizes the independence of a language in relation to others, in addition to

provide the criterion that allows for differentiation between languages and dialects. For example,
it is the case of Spanish or English in terms of language and in the case of
the type of Spanish spoken among Latin American countries.

Historicity: It is the result of the development of a language over time and that
it also has to do with national or ethnic tradition. For example, it is recognized that
Spanish as a language having gone through various historical processes and
transformation from vulgar Latin.

Vitality: Real existence of native speakers using a language in an area

geographical. For example, the Zápara language lacks vitality as it has only a
native speaker of it.

With these characteristics, linguistic typologies are established such as:

Standard language
It contains all the previously mentioned features. An example of
this is French.
Classical language
It serves as a model for other languages and is no longer spoken by
a community. This is the case of Latin.
Artificial language
Language created for various communicative purposes within a group
specific. An example of this type would be a language created in a way
fictional like the Klingon from the "Star Trek" saga.
Vernacular language
It is the one learned in its own origin and adopted in a way
in which the rules are not stated, is also specific to populations
aborigines, for example there would be the Aymara language, Shuar, Shiviar, etc.
 Creole language
One can say that it is the consequence of a pidgin language. A
An example of a creole language is Chabacano spoken in the Philippines,
whose vocabulary is primarily Spanish, while the grammar
is made up of indigenous structures.
Pidgin language
It is a form that allows simplified interlinguistic communication.
of one or more languages. An example of a pidgin language would be the language
general, spoken during the colonization period in Brazil and whose mixture
It is primarily composed of the southern Tupi and the Tupinambá.

Another aspect that is important to point out is that all these characteristics are
moderated by an external factor which is prestige. Many times it has been
considered 'dialects' what are actually languages simply by terms of
social acceptance. Thus, there is no inconvenience, for example, with the language.
English, possessing the four main linguistic traits that characterize it. Without
embargo, there are problems in characterizing other languages as such in view of that
Some varieties like the criollas can generate some inconveniences in
as to its historicity or autonomy.

Dialect

The dialect is a set of signs distinct from the common language, whether it is
live or die, despite the fact that they maintain certain similarities with the common language.
through extralinguistic criteria, it is possible to define a differentiation between dialect and
language. However, the text cites Paris and Meyer who in their work
they argue that dialects lack autonomy and that they only constitute a set
of linguistic features that are configured differently in relation to the context. Without
embargo, the author expresses that the concept of dialect is legitimized from the
"speech community", which allows to distinguish the members of a community that
they use a specific speech code and a profile of linguistic behavior.

Prestige plays a decisive role as it is one of the factors that

allow the dialects to distance themselves from each other and consequently the individuals who
they use a certain variety of the language, creating a sense of belonging to a
specific human group. However, the dialects "must present features
essential linguistic coincidences with other dialects" (Alvar, 1961, p. 52), this
it makes the different dialects of a language still relate to each other to
despite having differences.

A clear example of what constitutes a dialect is the different forms of

Spanish used in Latin America, since in each country there is a way
particular of the Spanish language, and even within each country there are differences
dialects.

In relation to the geographical context, there are two types of dialectal varieties: speech
regional, which are defined as the expressive particularities unique to a region; and
the local speech, which is the linguistic structure that has poorly defined features and
its uses are limited to small geographical areas. For example
In the case of regional speech, one can mention Kichwa in Ecuador, since there are
different ways of pronunciation, specific terms and codes articulated to the
region (north, center, south). On the other hand, to give an example of local speech one can
Cite the case of Cuenca, as the variation of Spanish used in this
particular locality of difference from the Spanish spoken, for example, in Quito.

Variations of the language

A dialect understood as a particular system of signs commonly does not have a

marked differentiation compared to others of a common origin. On the other hand, it is possible
identify, within these particular systems of signs, another type of varieties
linguistic articulated to speakers of different dialectal communities.

There are varieties within languages that respond to phenomena

extralinguistic (geographic, social stratification, and the type of relationship between the
speakers). These internal differences are: diatopic, diastratic, and diaphasic. The
first, respond to differences in relation to the territorial area defined by the
isoglosses. The second ones are delineated by social, cultural, and economic strata but in
linguistics this delimitation is not very clear. Finally, the diaphasic differences are
the different modalities that the language adopts according to the circumstances in which it is
of the communicative act, therefore the context in which it takes place is fundamental here.
find in speaker.

It is possible to provide an example for each of these language varieties:

Diatopic differences
the differentiation between the Kichwa of northern Ecuador and the Kichwa of
yes, these two varieties belong to the same language but the
variation of the language in relation to the geographical area causes them to
consider different dialects.
Diastratic differences
The peculiarities of a language that exist within a group or stratum.
social. On one hand, there can be a workers' union that uses
certain code in relation to your socioeconomic reality; on the other hand,
a group of university students who use a different modality
of the language.
Diaphasic differences
Given that this type of differences refers to the context in which it
they locate the speakers at a specific moment, a clear example is
the same individual makes use of a modality of the language when giving a
speech in front of a group of people; in contrast, he uses a different one.
language modality in a moment of leisure with people
close to him.

Communicative factors

The formality of a speech is related to the components involved in

this, in this way are not only the speaker, the listener, the message, the channel and the
code, proposed by Jakobson, but within these same relationships there are
other elements that must be viewed individually. These for Allan Bell are
personal factors and non-personal factors.
Non-personal factors

Two non-personal communicative factors are established: discourse and context.

Speech

The discourse allows us to distinguish some speaking styles from others, based on two
elements: the topic and the type of communication. The topic that is subdivided into formal and
This is based on the conceptions that a culture has about what is
consider it as formal or informal. At the same time, the type of conversation is subdivided into
monologue and conversation. An example of this is the style used in a speech.
political, where the context determines the way of using language in a formal manner and
monological. On the other hand, the way of using a language in a conversation.
about politics, they become informal.

Context

In linguistics, context is a somewhat complex factor to evaluate.

as for the incidence on style. It has three components: the place (familiar or not
familiar), the moment (appropriate or inappropriate) and the type of activities developed
(public or private). It is important to note that for the stylistic analysis of the
changes in a language in a certain context is necessary for the components of this
context must remain unchanged. For example, it can be established a
family and public situation, where there is a specific code to refer to
private matters.

Personal Factors

In this, the speaker interacts with their audience. To begin with, the speaker is the one who
what linguistic production does, therefore it is responsible for this, for this purpose it is
subject to numerous historical-geographical and sociolinguistic constraints. Now,
regarding the attention he pays to his speech, it does not refer to the style itself, but to
a psycholinguistic process that depends on the factors and how they appear,
in addition to the linguistic features that the speaker may have, such as a
person from the Ecuadorian coast who does not pronounce the letter 's' in some words.

In this way, a speaker's behavior will vary according to the circumstances.

communicative, which are due to psychological factors or strategies to be
understood, it is not the same to address an audience of only children than that of adults,
in the first case it would be necessary to create a simple and easy to understand speech,
whereas with adults it is possible to have a more formal communication and therefore more
complex.

Secondly, we have the audience, who is the one receiving the message given by
the aforementioned actor and his response capacity, that is to say the interlocutor. For
Bell identifies four types of listeners in communicative exchanges: the interlocutor,
formal listener, casual listener, and curious listener. The interlocutor is someone who is known,
ratified and also questions the speaker, for example the accredited members of
a meeting; the formal listener is very similar to the interlocutor, except that he does not
demanding information, such as in a political speech; the casual listener is
someone who is known, but does not participate in the discussion, like a friend who
I overheard a conversation but since I do not know the context, I could not participate in it.
same; and lastly the curious one is the one who does not fit into any of the traits, he is so
only one person who listened momentarily to the speech, for example
listen to the conversation between two unknown people on a bus.

However, on some occasions there may be a null or almost null response, such as
this is the case with political speeches or when listening to the radio, so within
In communicative interactions, the most important thing is not the number of people.
that make it up, but rather the quality of these people is what stands out,
be bilateral interactions, like between parent and child, or multilateral, with several
interlocutors, for example a family conversation.

Likewise, there are speeches in presence and in absence, in the former it is known that
someone is playing the role of an audience as a formal listener can do
as a student, while in the second there is a lack of an audience, or else
it can be made up of casual or curious listeners, such is the case that occurs
of the people who preach in the squares and are suddenly heard but
without giving them much importance. For this reason, it is important to take into account the
personal relationship that the speaker has with the interlocutor, as this way
it may have greater significance, but this variable presents inconveniences since
that has infinite possibilities, after all, one does not have the same degree of
intimacy with a friend than with a family member or a stranger, for that the author
proposes to work on a basic typology that can include all kinds of relationships,
for this, the concepts of power and solidarity by Roger Brown are used.

Style and Register

Registers are factors within language depending on the situation and context.
communicative, articulated to those who use the language. This means that the
records focus on three ways. The first, within the discourse, which
refers to the context in which the language is being used and what it is trying to convey with it.
speaker and the interlocutors. The second refers to the way in which it is transmitted
league and we seek to find out what means of communication is intended to be used. The third
way, it focuses on what context the interlocutors are in, what relationship they have between
them. The style of the speech varies depending on the group of people, as not everyone
they will have the same relationship, this makes grammar and vocabulary
linguistically speaking vary and cause relationships to change as well in the
situations.

Within linguistic variations, there are other types of variations that, like
that the style and the register are not similar, but to understand the meaning of a
linguistic variety as stylistic variation and between sociolinguistic variation
You have to take both into account. According to Labov, the styles are within.
of the same parameter, however, the author points out that they are not, that they are going to vary.
within the context of each human group, it is contextualized at the moment of wanting
to communicate something. For this reason, it focuses on linguistic variation and styles will
depend on social dimensions and the use assigned to them. It can be emphasized
that each user or each group, according to the style of use they give to the language, will have
some unique stylistic margins. These margins will always have a basis,
but when they want to differentiate themselves, they will have different stylistic variations
and different sociolinguistic dimensions.

The stylistic variation that focuses on language will help understand the
sociolinguistic diversities present in each human group that has
speaking communities. The stylistic variations within this field
Sociolinguistic differences occur in two ways. The first happens within a
formal nature, this means that it occurs both morphologically and
phonologically and in a quantitative way since one can see the features of
speak more notably, whether they are formal or informal. The second form occurs
inside of a nature semantics and it is qualitative. In addition, the variations
Linguistic factors are always associated with communicative factors which can be
speaker, the listener, the message, the channel, and also the situational context. Thanks to
which is also considered that the stylistic variations will change in many
ways, since the user will not always have the same relationship with the group,
It may happen that the message is informal or formal, depending on the situation.

Jargon

Jargon is considered a type of "special" linguistic variety, and it is

defined as 'a set of linguistic characters specific to a group of
speakers dedicated to a specific activity” (Moreno Fernandez, 2005). The jargon
is characterized by belonging to a certain social group, in other words, the
jargon is a 'special language of a differentiated social group used by its
speakers only as members of that social group. Outside of it, they speak the language.
general" (L. Carreter in Ordoñez Gallego, 1993). Under these definitions, it
the difference between jargon and general language is that the latter is determined by factors of
belonging to a certain social group and that also marks a sociolinguistic identity
determined.

The jargon is not so much defined by correspondence to a geographical area but to

belonging to a social sector, whether determined by cultural circumstances,
for example, the slang spoken in the so-called 'urban tribes', due to situations of
professions that gather certain tradition such as medical or legal jargon, by contexts
that are outside the legal system like the jargon of gang calls or even the
that are associated with drug trafficking or consumption, but it also includes in the
jargon the types of activities carried out such as those related to athletes,
workers or students and currently it is even associated with technology,
for example, the way text messages or emails are written
electronics.

The jargon, in turn, develops in such a way that only the social group to which
it belongs to understanding its meaning and is functional to the activities performed
this group. It can be said that they adapt to the context in which they develop and
they modify based on it. This is how this special linguistic variety acts
in a focused manner in a specific context, and outside of it the individual continues
using a general language to communicate. At the same time, jargon can take
terms from other languages, such as the case of the so-called "Spanglish" or are taken
linguistic imitations of sounds for their functioning.
This is how jargon, despite serving specific purposes and groups, can be very
varied in terms of its application and functionality, while the jargon is also
linked to a certain type of discourse, to the topic it addresses, to the activity it refers to
is linked to the audience it is intended for, as it considers the
sociolinguistic characteristics in which it develops, that is to say, that it can
also being linked to the sociolect, as it relates to the classes
social contexts in which it develops and the style, which is given in different social contexts,
however, what the jargon encompasses is its development in social groups
specifics and the change in them. The jargon, therefore, also encompasses the
extralinguistic characteristics of the phenomenon associated with the form of communication.

Bibliography
Alvar, M. (1961). Towards the concepts of language, dialect, and speech. New Magazine of
Hispanic Philology, 51-60.

Moreno Fernandez, F. (2005). Principles of Sociolinguistics and Sociology of

language.Barcelona: Ariel.

Ordoñez Gallego, A. (1993). Jargon, culture, and information. Public Health Sanitary Review, 67.