Labov, vernacularity and sociolinguistic change

Bibliographic Data

ID3607477
AuthorsNikolas Coupland (Copenhagen University Denmark and Cardiff University U.K, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume20
Issue4
Pages409-430
Publication date2016-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Sociolinguistics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1360-6441 • E-ISSN: 1467-9841
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josl.12191
OpenAlexW2523011241
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited48

Despite some well-known problems in its early formulation, Labov's concept of 'the vernacular' has enduring relevance in sociolinguistics. This is even more the case if we recast it more abstractly - as 'vernacularity', ideologically contrasted with 'standardness'. Following Labov, class-associated vernacular practices have been a major empirical focus of the discipline; they have also locked in the discipline's political consciousness. The paper traces some different ways in which sociolinguistics has positioned itself in relation to vernacularity. Taking the U.K. as a case in point, the paper then asks how large-scale changes in social class experience may be shifting the bases on which we have defined and researched vernacular language. It considers vernacularisation as a sociolinguistic change running counter to the better-established process of linguistic standardisation

Focus (optics · Ideology · Language change · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Sociolinguistics · Sociology · Vernacular · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy · Philosophy · Second Language Learning and Teaching

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