WorksheetsChapter 7 Sociolinguistic
Total questions: 97
Worksheet time: 49mins
What is the focus of the first wave of variation studies?
Correlations
Experiments
Predictions
Simulations
What type of information is emphasized in the second wave of variation studies?
Ethnographic information
Phonetic transcription
Historical linguistics
Lexical borrowing
What is the main focus of the third wave of variation studies?
Identity
Syntax
Phonology
Pragmatics
Which of the following is NOT listed as a key concept in the Three Waves of Variation Studies?
The role of agency
Social categories versus social networks
Phonetic transcription
Stance: positioning the speaker
The first wave of variation studies sought to establish correlations between predetermined macro-level social categories and particular linguistic variables.
True
False
Name two macro-level social categories mentioned in the first wave of variation studies.
Socioeconomic class, age (also acceptable: race, ethnicity, sex)
Language family, dialect region
Political affiliation, religious denomination
Personal interests, hobbies
According to the passage, which studies showed socioeconomic stratification and greater regional and ethnic differentiation at the lower end of the socioeconomic hierarchy?
Wolfram 1969, Trudgill 1974
Labov 1972, Milroy 1980
Chomsky 1957, Halliday 1978
Bloomfield 1933, Sapir 1921
According to the passage, what variable did Fischer's 1958 study focus on?
The /n/ variable (pronunciations like singing [ŋ] versus singin’ [n])
The /r/ variable (pronunciations like car [r] versus ca [ ] )
The /th/ variable (pronunciations like this [ð] versus dis [d])
The /l/ variable (pronunciations like milk [l] versus miwk [w])
The [n] variant in English is associated with more prestigious or lofty pursuits.
True
False
What did the student in the sociolinguistics course claim about the use of 'fishin’' and 'fishing'?
Both mean the same thing
'Fishin’' meant going out in a boat with a simple fishing pole, while 'fishing' meant going fly-fishing
'Fishing' meant going out in a boat, while 'fishin’' meant fly-fishing
Both are used in formal situations
As part of his study, Fischer conducted interviews with how many children, and what was their age range?
Twenty-four children (twelve boys and twelve girls), aged 3–10
Thirty children (fifteen boys and fifteen girls), aged 5–12
Eighteen children (nine boys and nine girls), aged 4–9
Twenty children (ten boys and ten girls), aged 6–11
What two forms of the -ing ending did Fischer note in his study of children in a New England community?
-ing ([ŋ]) and -in’ ([n])
-ing ([ŋ]) and -im ([m])
-ing ([ŋ]) and -ingg ([ŋg])
-ing ([ŋ]) and -ink ([ŋk])
According to Fischer's study, in the most formal situation, what percentage of girls showed a preference for the -ing form?
42%
83%
58%
100%
According to Fischer's study, in the most formal situation, what percentage of boys showed a preference for the -ing form?
42%
83%
58%
100%
Fischer compared the use of [ŋ] and [n] of a boy described by his teachers as a 'model' boy with that of a boy described as a 'typical' boy.
True
False
Fill in the blank: The model boy used far more of the more ______ variant.
formal
casual
informal
colloquial
According to Fischer, verbs describing everyday activities were much more likely to be given -in' endings than more 'formal' verbs.
True
False
According to the passage, the use of the -ing and the -in' variants appears to be related to which factors?
sex, class, personality (aggressive/cooperative), and mood (tense/relaxed) of the speaker, formality of the conversation, and the specific verb spoken.
the age and education level of the listener, the time of day, and the length of the conversation.
the region where the conversation takes place, the weather, and the speaker's favorite color.
the type of clothing worn by the speaker, the number of people present, and the day of the week.
In Figure 7.1, what percentage of -ing use is shown for the 'model boy'?
97
85
60
42
In Figure 7.1, what percentage of -in' use is shown for the 'typical boy'?
55
35
70
25
In Figure 7.2, what is the percentage of -ing use in the most formal situation?
97
45
62
81
In Figure 7.2, what is the percentage of -in' use in the informal interview situation?
63
45
78
52
The relationship between standardness and formality in the use of linguistic features such as the -in’ suffix, the quotative like, or the use of multiple negation is that:
Standard features are more likely to be used in formal contexts, while nonstandard features are more common in informal contexts.
Nonstandard features are more likely to be used in formal contexts, while standard features are more common in informal contexts.
There is no relationship between standardness and formality in linguistic feature use.
Standard and nonstandard features are used equally in all contexts.
Making generalizations about what motivates girls/women as opposed to boys/men to speak in particular ways can be dangerous because:
It can reinforce stereotypes and overlook individual differences.
It always leads to more accurate communication studies.
It ensures that everyone is treated equally in conversations.
It eliminates all forms of gender bias in language.
According to Table 7.1, what percentage of employees in Saks used [r] in all positions?
32%
31%
17%
38%
According to Table 7.1, which store had the highest percentage of employees who did not use [r] at all?
Saks
Macy's
S. Klein
Fill in the blank: The number of employees approached in Macy's was _____
125
80
200
60
Careful repetition of the utterance nearly always increased r-pronunciation.
True
False
According to the passage, r-pronunciation was favored in which store to a greater extent?
Saks
Macy's
S. Klein
According to Labov's study, which social groups tend not to change their pronunciation after it becomes fixed in adolescence?
Members of the highest and lowest social groups
Members of the middle social group
Children under the age of 10
Recent immigrants
Labov found that in New York City, the pronunciation of the 'r' in words like 'car' and 'guard' is highly valued and associated with which social class?
Upper middle class
Working class
Lower class
Upper class
Figure 7.3 shows the use of (r) pronunciation by department store. What is the highest value listed in the figure?
63
45
52
38
According to the passage, r-pronunciation has not always been highly valued in which city?
New York City
London
Paris
Boston
In which century did New York City become r-less according to the passage?
Seventeenth
Eighteenth
Nineteenth
Twentieth
What event marked the time when r-pronunciation became prestigious again in New York City?
World War II
The Great Depression
The Civil Rights Movement
The Moon Landing
According to the passage, what was the shift in attitude toward r-pronunciation in New York City?
From widespread desire to indifference
From indifference to widespread desire
From r-pronouncing to r-less
From r-less to r-pronouncing
According to Labov, the desire to adopt a particular pronunciation is influenced by:
social factors
climate conditions
technological advancements
dietary habits
The noticeable exception in the use of 'r' among social classes as described by Labov is:
The lower middle class uses 'r' more frequently in formal speech than the upper middle class.
The upper class never uses 'r' in any context.
The working class uses 'r' more than the middle class in all situations.
There is no difference in the use of 'r' among social classes.
Labov explains the cross-over in the graph regarding lower middle-class speakers as:
an instance of hypercorrection by the lower middle class.
a result of random variation in speech patterns.
evidence that the lower middle class uses fewer prestige forms than the working class.
proof that the upper class never changes their speech patterns.
When lower middle-class speakers are placed in situations that require them to monitor their speech closely, they tend to:
use more standard forms of speech
speak more informally
avoid speaking altogether
use more regional dialects
What is the term for speech that is informal and used in everyday conversation?
Careful speech
Casual speech
Reading style
Contextual style
Which style of speech is used when reading aloud?
Casual speech
Careful speech
Reading style
Contextual style
Fill in the blank: ________ speech is used when a person is paying close attention to their pronunciation and grammar.
Careful
Casual
Slurred
Rapid
What does SEC stand for in the context of social classification?
Socioeconomic class
Standard Education Criteria
Social Engagement Category
Special Economic Code
Which SEC value corresponds to the Lower class?
0-1
2-4
5-8
9
Fill in the blank: The SEC value for the Upper middle class is ________.
9
7
5
3
The phrase 'between you and I' is an example of what linguistic phenomenon, and how does it contrast with the standard form?
Hypercorrection; the standard form is 'between you and me'
Code-switching; the standard form is 'between you and myself'
Under-correction; the standard form is 'between you and I'
Slang; the standard form is 'between you and us'
According to Trudgill's (1974) study in Norwich, England, how is the use of phonological variants related to social class?
The higher the social class, the more frequent the use of the [ŋ], [t], and [h] variants in words like singing, butter, and hammer.
The lower the social class, the more frequent the use of the [ŋ], [t], and [h] variants in words like singing, butter, and hammer.
There is no relationship between social class and the use of [ŋ], [t], and [h] variants in words like singing, butter, and hammer.
The higher the social class, the less frequent the use of the [ŋ], [t], and [h] variants in words like singing, butter, and hammer.
Which phonological variables did Trudgill analyze in his study?
Trudgill analyzed the variables (ng), (t), and (h).
Trudgill analyzed the variables (r), (l), and (s).
Trudgill analyzed the variables (p), (b), and (d).
Trudgill analyzed the variables (f), (v), and (z).
Members of the lower working class in Norwich almost invariably say 'singin’, but do not almost invariably say '’ammer'.
True
False
What does Trudgill's data suggest about the (ng) variable and gender?
Females show a greater preference for [ŋ] than males, regardless of social-class membership.
Males show a greater preference for [ŋ] than females, regardless of social-class membership.
There is no difference between males and females in the use of [ŋ].
Females show a greater preference for [n] than males, regardless of social-class membership.
When members of the lower working class are asked to read a word list containing words ending in -ing, which variant do they use on the majority of occasions?
They pronounce the (ng) with the [ŋ] variant on the majority of occasions.
They pronounce the (ng) with the [n] variant on the majority of occasions.
They omit the final consonant entirely on the majority of occasions.
They alternate randomly between [ŋ] and [n] on the majority of occasions.
According to the passage, what does the use of glottal stops by an informant tend to do?
A) It decreases as others use more glottal stops
B) It shadows the use by each informant
C) It remains constant regardless of others
D) It is unrelated to other informants' use
Trudgill (1995) uses data to show that when style is kept constant, the lower the social class, the ______ the incidence of the nonstandard variant.
greater
lesser
equal
unchanged
When social class is kept constant, what happens as the style becomes less formal?
The incidence of the nonstandard variant decreases
The incidence of the nonstandard variant stays the same
The incidence of the nonstandard variant increases
There is no effect on the incidence of the nonstandard variant
According to the passage, upper working-class speakers make a very sharp differentiation between the two reading styles and the two speaking styles.
True
False
Lower working-class speakers make no real distinction between the two speaking styles.
True
False
According to Figure 7.5, what is the percentage of use of '-in' in one of the contextual styles of speech in Norwich? Fill in the blank: The percentage is _____.
0
25
50
75
According to Figure 7.5, what is the percentage of use of '-in' in one of the contextual styles of speech in Norwich? Fill in the blank: The percentage is _____
5
15
25
35
According to Figure 7.5, what is the percentage of use of '-in' in one of the contextual styles of speech in Norwich? Fill in the blank: The percentage is _____
23
15
37
50
According to Figure 7.5, what is the percentage of use of '-in' in one of the contextual styles of speech in Norwich?
29
15
42
55
According to Figure 7.5, what is the percentage of use of '-in' in one of the contextual styles of speech in Norwich? Fill in the blank: The percentage is _____
66
45
78
52
Fill in the blank: The social class that comes after 'Mid Middle Class' is _________.
Lower Middle Class
Upper Class
Working Class
Upper Middle Class
Fill in the blank: The social class that comes before 'Lower Working Class' is _________.
Mid Working Class
Upper Class
Lower Middle Class
Upper Working Class
According to the passage, which gender has lower scores on the whole, indicating use of the more formal [ŋ] variant?
Men
Women
Both equally
Not mentioned
The scores for the use of the informal [n] variant become higher as social class becomes lower.
True
False
According to the Detroit study mentioned, what linguistic variable was investigated in relation to social class?
The use of multiple negation
The pronunciation of the 'r' sound
The use of passive voice
The frequency of tag questions
The Detroit study describes the relationship between social class and the use of multiple negation as follows:
Multiple negation is more common among lower social classes.
Multiple negation is more common among higher social classes.
Multiple negation is equally common across all social classes.
Multiple negation is not present in any social class.
According to the passage, what percentage of lower middle class speakers used multiple negation?
2 percent
11 percent
38 percent
70 percent
According to the passage, what percentage of upper working class speakers used multiple negation?
2 percent
11 percent
38 percent
70 percent
According to the passage, what percentage of lower working class speakers used multiple negation?
2 percent
11 percent
38 percent
70 percent
The passage states that members of the upper middle class always avoid multiple negation and members of the lower working class always employ it.
True
False
Fill in the blank: The table titled 'The (ng) variable in Norwich' presents data on social class, sex, and ________ for different styles.
coded values
age groups
income levels
education
What does MMC stand for in the context of social class?
Middle middle class
Major Metropolitan Council
Modern Media Corporation
Minimum Monthly Contribution
What does WLS stand for in the context of style?
Word list
Writing Language Style
Word Length Standard
Written Language Syntax
According to the passage, as the situation becomes more formal, an individual's linguistic usage comes closer to which of the following?
Casual usage
Standard usage
Regional usage
Slang usage
The higher the social class of the speaker, the more standard the speaker's behavior is.
True
False
Who conducted the study mentioned in the passage that attempted to show the distribution of linguistic variables correlated with social class, gender, age, and racial category in Detroit?
Wolfram
Labov
Trudgill
Milroy
How many Black research participants were drawn from the 702 people who initially took part in the Detroit study?
Forty-eight
Twenty-five
Sixty-two
Eighty
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT one of the four phonological variables investigated by Wolfram?
Word final consonant cluster simplification
Medial and final th
Syllable final d
Zero copula
Fill in the blank: Wolfram investigated four grammatical variables, including the zero copula, invariant be, -s plural/possessive/third-person singular verbal suffixes, and _________
multiple negation
double subject
passive voice
future tense
The passage states that Wolfram investigated both phonological and grammatical variables in his study of linguistic behavior.
True
False
Fill in the blank: The first number listed at the top of the worksheet is _____.
1.4
2.6
0.9
3.2
Fill in the blank: The second number listed at the top of the worksheet is _____
9.7
7.2
5.4
8.1
Fill in the blank: The third number listed at the top of the worksheet is _____
56.9
42.3
61.7
49.8
Fill in the blank: The fourth number listed at the top of the worksheet is _____
71.4
62.8
85.2
49.7
According to the passage, is there a significant difference in the usage of (z) between middle-class and working-class people in Detroit?
True
False
According to the passage, what is the order of difference in means mentioned for the groups?
61.3 and 71.7 percent
45.2 and 55.8 percent
50.0 and 60.0 percent
70.1 and 80.2 percent
According to the passage, what is gradient stratification in sociolinguistics?
A regular step-like progression in means which matches social groupings.
A sudden change in language use across all social groups.
A random distribution of linguistic features among speakers.
A complete absence of variation in language use.
According to Figure 7.7, what is the percentage of (r) absence in words like farm and car for the lower working social class in Detroit Black speech?
20.8
35.4
12.5
48.9
Which type of stratification is described as a clear break between a particular pair of social groupings?
Gradient stratification
Sharp stratification
Social stratification
None of the above
What factor does Labov suggest is crucial in understanding language variation in urban settings?
Social class
Age of the speaker
Geographical location
Educational background
In the context of sociolinguistics, what does the term 'hypercorrection' refer to?
Changes in pronunciation due to social influence
Overuse of non-standard forms in speech
Excessive adherence to standard language rules
Variation in dialects based on geographical regions
According to sociolinguistic studies, which group is most likely to adopt new linguistic trends?
Retired individuals
Children and teenagers
Older adults
Middle-aged professionals
In Trudgill's study, which social class was found to use the [ŋ] variant more frequently in casual speech?
Middle class
Lower class
Upper class
Working class
What was the primary focus of Fischer's 1958 study regarding children's speech?
The influence of age on speech patterns
The relationship between gender and speech variation
The effect of education on language use
The impact of social class on pronunciation
According to Labov's findings, which group is most likely to adopt new pronunciation trends?
Young adults
Older adults
Senior citizens
Children
