An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Front Cover
John Wiley & Sons, Oct 12, 2009 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 458 pages
This comprehensive new edition of Wardhaugh’s textbook incorporates additional study features and numerous new and updated references to bring the book completely up-to-date, whilst maintaining the features that made the book so popular with lecturers and students: accessible coverage of a wide range of issues, clearly written, and with useful student study features.
  • A fully revised new edition of Ronald Wardhaugh’s popular introduction to sociolinguistics, which now includes over 150 new and updated references and new study features throughout
  • Features new “Explorations” sections in each chapter incorporating suggested readings, discussion sections, and exercises – all designed to encourage students to develop their own skills and ideas
  • Reflects new developments in the field, providing greater focus on ideas such as identity, solidarity, and markedness
  • Provides balanced coverage of a range of topics, including: language dialects, pidgins and Creoles, codes, bilingualism, speech communities, variation, words and culture, ethnographies, solidarity and politeness, talk and action, gender, disadvantage, and planning
  • Comprehensive and accessible, it is the ideal introduction for students coming to sociolinguistics for the first time
 

Contents

Languages and Communities
21
Pidgins and Creoles
53
Characteristics Origins From Pidgin to Creole
83
Speech Communities
118
Repertoires Further Reading
134
Some Findings and Issues
166
Change
195
Words at Work
227
Solidarity and Politeness
274
Further Reading
300
Further Reading
330
Disadvantage
356
Planning
378
Conclusion
409
Index
447
Copyright

Ethnographies
253

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About the author (2009)

Ronald Wardhaugh is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Toronto. He is the author of a number of books, including Proper English (1998) and Understanding English Grammar (second edition, 2003), both published by Wiley-Blackwell.

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