SOC101 - Language, Dialect, Variety

Summary

This video explores the complex distinctions between languages and dialects, challenging the idea that mutual intelligibility is the sole criterion. It examines examples like Dutch and German, varieties of Chinese, and Jamaican Creole, demonstrating the varying degrees of comprehension between speakers. The video then introduces criteria for defining languages, such as standardization, vitality, and autonomy, before discussing the concepts of regional, social, and phonological dialects. It concludes by highlighting how these factors contribute to our understanding of language and variety distinctions.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The difficulty in distinguishing between languages and dialects lies in the concept of mutual intelligibility.
• 🌐 Problem cases like Dutch and German show that mutual intelligibility isn't always straightforward.
• 📚 The Chinese language illustrates the importance of differentiating between phonology and orthography.
• 🗣️ Jamaican Creole challenges the notion of mutual intelligibility as a definitive criterion for language classification.
• 📘 Standardization is a key criterion for defining a language, involving grammar, spelling rules, and dictionaries.
• 🌿 Vitality refers to the existence of a living community of speakers, distinguishing living languages from dead ones.
• 🏙️ Autonomy is a subjective criterion where a language must be felt as distinct from others.
• 📉 Reduction involves reduced written standards and societal functions, helping to differentiate varieties from standard languages.
• 📖 Norms are present in languages but not in varieties, where speakers have a sense of proper usage.
• 🗺️ Regional dialects are primarily associated with geographical differences in language.
• 👥 Social dialects are influenced by social factors such as the roles and relationships of speakers.
• 🎭 Phonological dialects, or accents, are defined by variables in pronunciation, such as the realization of certain vowel or consonant sounds.

Q & A

What is one of the most difficult theoretical issues in linguistics?

One of the most difficult theoretical issues in linguistics is to distinguish between language and dialect or language and varieties.

What is the initial assumption about language and dialect?

The initial assumption is that if two people speak differently but understand each other, they must speak varieties of the same language; if not, they speak different languages.

What is the problem with the initial assumption regarding language and dialect?

The problem is that the assumption might be too simplistic and does not account for the complexities of language variation and mutual intelligibility.

What are the three problem cases discussed in the script?

The three problem cases discussed are the relationship between Dutch and German, Chinese and its varieties, and Jamaican Creole.

Why is the Dutch and German example a problem in defining language and dialect?

The Dutch and German example is a problem because Dutch speakers can understand German, but German speakers cannot understand Dutch, which challenges the mutual intelligibility criterion for defining language and dialect.

What does the Chinese example reveal about the relationship between phonology and orthography?

The Chinese example reveals that despite having the same writing system, the phonology can be completely different, indicating that one must distinguish between phonology and orthography.

What is the issue with using mutual intelligibility as the sole criterion for defining language?

The issue is that mutual intelligibility can be problematic as it does not account for directionality, levels of intelligibility, or degrees of intelligibility, which can vary among speakers.

What are the criteria used to define what a language is, as mentioned in the script?

The criteria used to define a language include standardization, vitality, autonomy, and reduction.

What is meant by the criterion of 'vitality' in language definition?

Vitality refers to the existence of a living community of speakers, distinguishing languages which are alive from those which are dead.

How does the criterion of 'autonomy' contribute to defining a language?

Autonomy is a subjective criterion where a language must be felt as distinct from other languages, contributing to its definition.

What are the three main types of dialects or varieties mentioned in the script?

The three main types of dialects or varieties mentioned are regional dialects, social dialects, and phonological dialects.

What is a regional dialect and how is it identified?

A regional dialect is associated with regional differences in pronunciation and usage, often identified by distinctive phonological features like the degree of post-vocalic R pronunciation.

How do social factors influence the formation of social dialects?

Social factors such as the role of the speaker and listener, their relationship, and the topic of conversation influence the formation of social dialects.

What is a phonological dialect and how does it differ from a regional dialect?

A phonological dialect is defined by variations in pronunciation, which might be referred to as an accent. It differs from a regional dialect in that it focuses on the sound system rather than regional origin.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Language vs. Dialect: Theoretical Challenges

The paragraph introduces the complex issue of differentiating between languages and dialects within linguistics. It suggests that while it may seem straightforward to classify two forms of speech as either different languages or dialects of the same language based on mutual intelligibility, this is not always the case. The script outlines a program to explore problem cases like Dutch and German, Chinese and its varieties, and Jamaican Creole to challenge the simplicity of this classification. It aims to define criteria for what constitutes a language and to more precisely define dialects or varieties.

05:03

🌐 Criteria for Defining Languages

This paragraph discusses the inadequacy of mutual intelligibility as the sole criterion for defining languages. It introduces other criteria such as standardization, vitality, autonomy, and reduction. Standardization refers to the development of grammars, spelling rules, dictionaries, and literature. Vitality pertains to the existence of a living community of speakers. Autonomy is a subjective criterion where a language is felt to be distinct from others. Reduction involves having fewer written standards and societal functions compared to standard languages. The paragraph also mentions norms, where languages have prescriptive rules and speakers have a sense of proper usage.

10:05

🗣️ Types of Dialects and Their Characteristics

The final paragraph delves into the classification of dialects, which are regional, social, or phonological. Regional dialects are associated with geographical differences and are exemplified by the contrast between Scottish and English speakers. Social dialects are influenced by social factors such as the roles and relationships of speakers, as seen in the language used by different social classes. Phonological dialects are distinguished by variations in pronunciation, like the realization of the 'r' sound in Received Pronunciation versus North American English. The paragraph also touches on the difficulty in distinguishing between types of dialects and the concept of a dialect continuum.

Keywords

💡Language

Language refers to a system of communication that consists of the development of grammar, spelling rules, dictionaries, and often literature. In the video, the concept is central to the discussion of distinguishing between different forms of communication. The script explores the difficulty in defining where one language ends and another begins, using Dutch and German as an example to illustrate the complexities.

💡Dialect

A dialect is a regional variety of a language, characterized by particular features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary that are specific to a certain area or social group. The script discusses how dialects can be difficult to differentiate from languages, especially when considering mutual intelligibility and the existence of a standard form.

💡Mutual Intelligibility

Mutual intelligibility is the ability of speakers of different languages or dialects to understand each other. The video script uses this concept to highlight the challenges in defining the boundaries between languages and dialects, as speakers of Dutch can understand German, but not vice versa, complicating the simple notion that if two groups can understand each other, they speak the same language.

💡Standardization

Standardization in linguistics refers to the process of developing and promoting a uniform language form that is taught in schools and used in official contexts. The video mentions standardization as a criterion for distinguishing a language, as standardized languages have established grammars, spelling rules, and dictionaries.

💡Vitality

Vitality, in the context of the video, refers to the existence of a living community of speakers for a language. It is used to differentiate between living languages, such as Welsh, and languages that are no longer spoken, like Manx, adding a layer of complexity to the definition of what constitutes a language.

💡Autonomy

Autonomy, as discussed in the script, is a subjective criterion for language distinction. It suggests that a language must be felt as distinct from other languages by its speakers. This criterion is illustrated with Jamaican Creole, where the degree of autonomy is a matter of debate and not an absolute quality.

💡Reduction

Reduction in the context of the video refers to the phenomenon where certain varieties of language have fewer standardized forms or functions in society compared to standard languages. The script uses Cockney English as an example, where speakers recognize their variety as reduced and not representative of the standard.

💡Norms

Norms in linguistics are the prescriptive rules that dictate correct usage within a language. The video contrasts languages, which have established norms, with varieties, which do not. For instance, English has prescriptive rules like not splitting infinitives, which are part of the language's standard norms.

💡Phonology

Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language or dialect. The video uses phonology to illustrate differences between dialects, such as the pronunciation of the word 'car' with different degrees of rhoticity in American versus British English, highlighting how phonological differences can indicate regional dialects.

💡Regional Dialect

A regional dialect is a variety of a language spoken in a specific geographic area. The script discusses regional dialects by contrasting Scottish English with other forms, emphasizing how pronunciation, particularly of certain sounds like the 'r' in 'car,' can indicate a speaker's regional background.

💡Social Dialect

Social dialect refers to variations in language use that correlate with different social groups or contexts. The video mentions how social factors, such as the roles of speakers and listeners, can influence language, resulting in social dialects that reflect these differences, like the use of 'you know' in British English versus 'like' in American English.

💡Phonological Dialect

A phonological dialect, as explained in the script, is a variety distinguished by its phonetic and phonological features. The video uses Received Pronunciation versus North American English as examples, noting that the realization of certain sounds, like the 'a' in 'class,' can be a criterion for distinguishing these phonological varieties.

Highlights

The theoretical difficulty in distinguishing between language and dialect.

The initial assumption that mutual intelligibility defines language varieties.

The complexity of the Dutch-German linguistic relationship.

Dutch speakers' ability to understand German versus the difficulty German speakers have with Dutch.

The Chinese language and its varieties despite a shared writing system.

The intelligibility of different Chinese varieties to a native Mandarin speaker.

The phonological differences within Chinese despite a common script.

Jamaican Creole's status as a variety of English questioned.

The problem of mutual intelligibility exemplified by Dutch, German, and Jamaican Creole.

The criteria for defining a language beyond mutual intelligibility.

Standardization as a criterion for distinguishing a language.

Vitality as a criterion, differentiating living and dead languages.

Autonomy as a subjective criterion for language distinction.

Reduction as a criterion distinguishing standard languages from varieties.

Norms as a distinguishing factor between languages and varieties.

The historical development of languages as a defining criterion.

Cultural aspects in defining the differences between languages and dialects.

The classification of dialects into regional, social, and phonological types.

Regional dialects and their association with geographical differences.

Social dialects and their relation to social factors in language use.

Phonological dialects and the variables that define them.

The difficulty in distinguishing between types of dialects.

The concept of a dialect continuum as an alternative to strict dialect classification.

Transcripts

one of the most difficult theoretical

issues in linguistics is to distinguish

between language and dialect or language

and varieties at first sight there may

be no problem at all if two people speak

differently there seem to be only two

possibilities if they understand each

other they must speak varieties of the

same language if not they can be said to

speak different languages but is it

really that simple hmm probably not and

this defines our program we will first

of all look at some problem cases and

knowing about these problems we will

then look at criteria to define what a

language really is and eventually we

will look at dialects or varieties and

define them more precisely let's look at

some problems first here we have three

problem cases the first one concerns the

relationship between Dutch and German

then we will look at Chinese and

eventually we will look at Jamaican

Creole so let's start with Dutch and you

Germans here in the audience you can ask

yourselves do you understand what the

speaker says so here is our first

example from the language index of the

virtual linguistics composts the story

the north wind and the Sun in Dutch now

listen the nord event and the zoom

violin and a discrete earrin vedas text

of us tuna rice or her cichlids in

environment mantle for balaam did you

understand that well as a native speaker

of German I can clearly say no I don't

perhaps some words in it when I see them

in spelling but really I don't

understand it

now native speakers of Dutch by contrast

can understand German very well so

here's our first problem let's look at

Chinese now I have a native speaker of

Chinese iam Mau Mau can you please come

and help us a little bit a little bit

closer so that you can see can be seen

by the camera mom how can you say to us

in standard Mandarin Chinese the very

big book and dad

again and dad a shoe okay thank you very

much now we will load some varieties of

joy of Chinese and we'll ask mama

whether she understands that or not

okay mama here's the first variety of

Chinese so let's find out whether you

understand what the speaker says handle

taster

yeah I can understand I distinguish but

this not totally different but I can

understand you can understand it okay

handle this alright yes

thank you now we will look at a

different variety of Chinese and again

we want your reaction okay now here we

have a speaker from Suzhou and again

please listen dogís oh can you

understand that if they're Chinese

oh yeah well no guess um no I don't

think so

and now look now look what we have here

what about that and had that a shoe you

can read it can't you yeah so in all

three cases and this is the interesting

thing we have the same writing system

that unites Chinese and it's varieties

the phonology was completely different

though thank you very much while the

Chinese problem told us quite clearly

that we must distinguish between

phonology and the orthography now the

next problem concerns a language which

is often classified as a variety of

English but is it really a variety of

English do all native speakers of

English in the audience understand the

following text in Jamaican Creole so

here we are another example from the VLC

language index a story in Jamaican

Creole not with a descended across both

which one Adam Changa when then we see

one man a calm well wrap up in our sin

will look like while winter cloak them

decides that the first one we get

demanded takeoff include at the chunga

one well did you understand it well

obviously

our problems with the concept of mutual

intelligibility so as we've seen with

our three example Dutch versus German we

have obviously Direction problems of

intelligibility as a speaker of Dutch

you can understand German but as a

speaker of German you can't understand

that Dutch then we may have levels of

intelligibility that is speech versus

writing lexis versus syntax you see in

the Jamaican example you may have

understood some words as a native

speakers of English but the text as a

whole was not comprehensible at all and

eventually we might have degrees of

intelligibility so many communication

systems are classified as different

languages even though their speakers may

understand each other more or less well

this is the case for for example the

North Germanic languages where speakers

of Norwegian Danish and Swedish would

readily understand each other so in

order to distinguish or to define what a

language is we cannot use the criterion

of mutual intelligibility as the sole

criterion we need something more now

what sort of criteria can we use well

here they are

the first one is standardization now

here we have a picture that illustrate

this languages involve a certain degree

of standardization that is the

development of a grammar here we have

grammar books in present-day English

spelling rules dictionary and in many

cases even literature a second criterion

for a language to define to be defined

is the criterion of vitality this refers

to the existence of a living community

of speakers thus distinguishing

languages which are alive from languages

which are dead

for example Manx

a Celtic language that was formally

spoken on the Isle of Man in the Irish

Sea as compared with Welsh a living

language spoken in Wales both are two

Celtic languages autonomy the next

criterion autonomy is a matter of

feeling and us a rather subjective

criterion a language must be felt

different from other languages but as

we've already seen for example with

Jamaican Creole this is a matter of

degree rather than an all-or-none

criterion reduction well that's an

interesting criterion that reduced

written standards reduced functions in

society help to distinguish varieties

from standard languages here you see a

picture of London now in London there

are many speakers of cockney a

well-known variety of present-day

English but they will certainly admit

admit that they are not representative

speakers of present-day English and will

recognize other varieties as equally

subordinate they are using to some

extent a reduced variety well then we

have norms norms between good and bad

where languages normally involve norms

varieties don't the speakers of

languages have the feeling that they are

good or bad speakers and that good

speakers as good speakers they represent

norms of proper usage for example there

are prescriptive rules in present-day

English like do not split infinitives do

not say to boldly go well we know this

is said in a famous movie anyway using

these criteria and there are even more

criteria such as the historical

development of languages does the

language have a history or not and their

cultures one can define how languages

differ from one another and from

they're varieties they're sub varieties

which many linguists call dialects now

in fact there are three main types of

variety or dialects both terms variety

and dialect are sort of head terms they

are considered as head terms for several

types of dialect so we have regional

dialects social dialects or phonological

dialects or variety regional varieties

social varieties of phonological

varieties now what is a regional dialect

indicated here by the Scottish versus

English speaker mostly the term dialect

is associated with some sort of regional

difference between the speakers of a

language in English for example we have

degrees of rotisserie in words like car

where we're looking at the pronunciation

of the final are in the phonology we can

also look at discourse markers like

elements such as you know in British

English versus like in American English

rotisserie in that is the pronunciation

of the post vocalic R is a distinctive

criterion for the identification of

one's regional background in English

speakers from Australia most parts of

England have a low degree of rotisserie

they would say car the degree of post

vocalic are in North America is higher

they would say car in North America

island and maybe even in Scotland there

of course with a different type of R as

in car social dialect well when two

people speak with one another their

language is always influenced by a

number of social factors that is for

example the role of the speaker and the

listener the relationship between them

here we have two may be socially

differently organized people a mind

worker and some sort of well could be

some sort of gentlemen

with official function and of course

when they talk to one another

when they talk about a particular topic

their varieties influenced by these

factors finally we have the phonological

dialect here illustrated by two pictures

the picture of the Queen indicating

received pronunciation versus a picture

of a person from North America signaling

North American English and there are of

course phonological variables that

define these two types of phonological

varieties and if we only look at the

phonology we might even call that accent

to give you one criterion that

distinguishes these two that is for

example the realization of the act class

words we're in R P you would have

something like class whereas here you

would have something like class in many

cases it is difficult to distinguish the

types of dialect from one another

the postulation of a dialect continuum

seems to be a reasonable alternative but

we'll deal with such a continuum

elsewhere