Sociolinguistic Variation Critical Reflections [Hardcover]

Sociolinguistic Variationbrings together a group of leading scholars in the field of language variation and change to address the directions that sociolinguistic research is taking in the new millennium. Among the main themes of the volume are the construction of identity, the nature of place as distinct from community , and the role of attitudes in language variation. These themes are explored through a variety of types of data, from traditional sources such as narratives, to relatively new sources, such as postings on the Internet or television documentaries.

Combining the voices of established scholars in the field with the perspectives of promising younger scholars this volume provides crucial guidance for anyone interested in doing research on sociolinguistic variation. Contributors include Guy Bailey, Penelope Eckert, Barbara Johnstone, William Labov, Ronald Macaulay, Lesley Milroy, Dennis Preston, John Rickford, Gillian Sankoff, Natalie Schilling-Estes, Jan Tillery, and Walt Wolfram.

An intelligent discussion of many of the overlooked issues and questions that have developed in contemporary sociolinguistics...The book covers a wide variety of specific topics...especially useful for initiating conversation and debate among graduate students and colleagues. --Linguist List

Carmen Foughtis Professor of Linguistics at Pitzer College.