Summary of Linguistic Anthropology: Linguistic Diversity

Summary of "Linguistic Anthropology: Linguistic Diversity"

This video explores the concept of linguistic diversity within Linguistic Anthropology, focusing on how language varies within and across social groups and the social implications of these variations.

Main Ideas and Concepts

• Linguistic Variation Within Language Groups
  • Individuals within a single language group use language differently.
  • Variation is influenced by geography (accents, dialects), generations (older vs. younger vocabulary/styles), and gender (different communication goals and styles).
  • Example: Different English accents in the US, UK, and Australia, and even within New York City boroughs.
• Sociolinguistics
  • The study of the relationship between social variation and linguistic variation.
  • Linguistic variation is constant and drives language change over time.
• Prestige and Language Spread
  • Certain language variants gain prestige due to social factors and spread throughout communities.
  • Example: Snoop Dogg’s popularization of “for shizzle” as a form of linguistic prestige influencing widespread use.
• Diglossia: High and Low Language Variants
  • Diglossia refers to the existence of "high" (formal, prestigious) and "low" (informal, community-based) dialects within a language.
  • High variants are used in professional, educational, political, and media contexts and considered "proper."
  • Low variants are casual, used among family and friends, and often stigmatized as improper or uneducated.
  • This reflects social stratification and symbolic meanings attached to language use.
• Social Class and Language in Popular Culture
  • Example from My Fair Lady: A working-class woman is taught to speak "proper" English to fit into high society, illustrating how language marks social class.
  • Similar themes appear in many movies where language and appearance are linked to social mobility.
• Code-Switching
  • People frequently switch between different dialects or language variants depending on context (e.g., formal vs. informal settings).
  • No dialect is inherently better; social judgments assign value.
• Gender and Language Use
  • Women historically use high-prestige dialects more often, possibly due to limited socioeconomic mobility and the need to signal higher status for social advancement (e.g., marriage).
  • Men often use low-prestige variants to assert masculinity and working-class identity, which can carry social status.
  • Linguist Deborah Tannen’s theory: Women use language to build rapport and relationships; men use language to establish social hierarchy and status.
• Language as Symbolic Capital
  • Language styles carry social value ("capital") that people use to make judgments about others.
  • People modify their speech strategically to gain social advantages.
  • Language also functions as a gatekeeping tool to include or exclude people from social groups (e.g., correct use of slang or memes).
• African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
  • AAVE is a distinct, rule-governed dialect of American English with its own phonological and grammatical rules.
  • It is often stigmatized as improper or uneducated, but this is a social bias, not a linguistic fact.
  • Most AAVE speakers are bilingual in AAVE and Standard American English (SAE), engaging in code-switching.
  • The Oakland school system in the 1990s recognized AAVE as a separate linguistic variant and sought federal funding to support AAVE-speaking students by teaching them SAE, but faced public backlash due to misunderstandings about the program’s goals.
  • This controversy highlights how language issues are deeply intertwined with race and social inequality.
• Continued Relevance of Language and Social Meaning
  • The case of Rachel Jeantel, who testified in the George Zimmerman trial, shows ongoing societal judgments and misunderstandings about AAVE and its speakers, demonstrating that linguistic prejudice remains a current issue.

Methodology / Key Points in Bullet Form

• Factors Influencing Linguistic Variation:
  • Geography (regional accents/dialects)
  • Generational differences
  • Gender differences
• Sociolinguistic Concepts:
  • Language variation is natural and constant
  • Language change results from social variation
  • Prestige influences spread of linguistic variants
• Diglossia:
  • High variant = formal, prestigious, professional contexts
  • Low variant = informal, community/family contexts
  • Social judgments assign value, not linguistic merit
• Code-Switching:
  • Switching between language variants depending on social context
  • Reflects social awareness and adaptability
• Gendered Language Use (Deborah Tannen’s Theory):
  • Women: language to build rapport and relationships
  • Men: language to assert status and hierarchy
• Language as Symbolic Capital:

Category

Educational

Video