Sociolinguists: Focus on Elements of Language - Coursework Example

Sociolinguists: Focus on Elements of Language Introduction Language is that medium of expression which puts perspectives into motion through the use of words and sentences. The knowledge of a language is akin to the art of knowing about an entire culture, nation and people. This paper seeks to discuss the fact that sociolinguists focus on the spoken rather than written form to study the variations in languages. This will be done by pitting the perspective of the generativists against that of the sociolinguist to analyse and understand the reason behind attaching importance to the spoken rather than the written word. (Meyerhoff, 2006) Sociolinguistics Before moving on, it is imperative to delve deeper into the definition of sociolinguistic. In this regard, the primary assumption is that the knowledge of a language structures one’s overall life experiences. (Girvin, 2000) A sociolinguist attaches great importance to this premise when studying the various kinds of expressions, in a bid to understand the basic realities surrounding the individual in terms of environment and cultural identity. Here, it is imperative to point out that the study of social relations through the study of languages is basically a matter of studying a person’s experiences and learning process. As regards, the social relations aspect of a sociolinguist’s basic agenda, language may be defined as a form of expression that reveals a person’s identity and gives him or her a sense of belonging. Thus, it is true that language shapes a peson’s experiences. The sociolinguistic defines this as a phenomenon that is an age old tradition in the field of sociology. Social relations and the study of the same are a vital part of exploring one’s basic feel for the identity that an environment, culture or society offers him. How does a person do so? (Meyerhoff, 2006) To begin with, the role of language in one’s life is one that fulfils the need to belong. This sense of belonging springs from one’s immediate environment where there is focus on the language one speaks along with complementary elements like accent, nuances and other such features that form the general social and cultural terrain of the particular place. Language offers people first hand knowledge of a variety of symbols that one comes to associate with a place. This in turn generates a more enriching quality to one’s experiences. (Mercer, 1996) The sociolinguist defines this as a building process. The practice of gaining a sense of affiliation as far as one’s cultural and social identity is concerned, is a part of building a body of knowledge where language thrives with several sub elements. These sub elements include diction, use of the negative, pronunciation, punctuation of gaps in speech as well as dialects. A sociolinguist bases his study on the nuances that form a part of each of these sub elements. In doing so, he gains vital information that shows how languages can structure experiences and help a person inherit a certain social standing by way of his or her means of expression. This means of expression is a part of using language and how a person does so. (Meyerhoff, 2006) Variation through Knowledge and Learning This paper has so far established the field of study that a sociolinguist indulges in. This field was not born overnight. It required a focus on the following aspects: Knowledge Base of language Learning process (Trudgill, 1974) In knowing and learning a language, whether by birth or subsequent settlement, there is a certain amount of satisfaction that helps contribute to one’s sense of identity. This also has certain mental implications as it shows the person’s basic aptitudes, besides brining him or her face to face with the challenges of implementing the language. This makes a person draw from experiences of the past, learn from present experiences and contribute to future experiences, which will shape his or her overall life experiences. This also renders a certain amount of creative and communicative competency to a person and his or her sense of confidence with which he or she carries out interactions with people. (Meyerhoff, 2006) The sociolinguist deals with this phenomenon through a focus on communicative competence. The role of communicative competence lies in its ability to transfer a person socially from one level to another. This competence defines a person’s basic aptitude and shows his or her level of social relations. In turn, this shows various elements of the social level at which he or she operates. A person’s communicative competence is important as regards his or her experiences. These experiences are a part of his or her level of language usage in the social sphere. The social sphere is an arena where one can get to see a plethora of variations which operate basically at the two levels that have been discussed above, i.e., knowledge and learning. A person, making use of language in the social arena is either knowledgeable or a learner, or a combination of both. (Meyerhoff, 2006) Owing to these levels of language usage and implementation in the social sphere, the definition of language by sociolinguists takes on the theme of variations that are depicted through, or help depict, the learning process that has preceded one’s use of language. This learning process has numerous elements that show a person’s experiences, and in turn give him or her a sense of identity. (Trudgill, 1974) In this regard, it is necessary to shift focus to the process of learning of a language and garnering communicative competency. This process is important in every individual’s life as the knowledge comes only after learning. The very process of learning is a journey throughout which an individual is brought face to face with experiences. These experiences form his or her general perspective on things. In this way, there is a certain level of competency which in turn, springs from the areas and experiences that a person finds comfortable to deal with. Learning a language is a crucial part of describing how a language shapes a person’s experiences. (Girvin, 2000) In order to better study these variations that come with the use of language, it is important to go to the source of the language usage – the process of learning. This will help define the focus of analysis on the spoken rather than the written form. Spoken Versus Written: The Generativist Versus the Sociolinguist The best judge of a person’s communicative competence is his or her reactions to a live audience. This is where the importance of the spoken word comes in. The written form is one that has been thought about, fought about and then put down on pen and paper. The written word depends on original thoughts and the rendering of appropriate expression to the same. This is where the generativist differs from the sociolinguist. (Trudgill, 1974) The generativist is one who believes that power of expression comes through a study of both the written as well as the spoken word. They believe that it is important to understand a person’s impromptu response as well as studied responses. The impromptu responses form the spoken word, while the studied responses form the written word. The sociolinguist begs to differ on this account. (Trudgill, 1974) According to the sociolinguist, the study of one’s knowledge and learning process which is used in order to learn about a person’s experiences, spring from a person’s impromptu responses. These responses stem from a person’s natural thought process. In effect, these responses truly reflect the learning patterns that have been followed by the individual. The written word draws from experiences that are external to the individual’s own, which makes the findings of any such analysis inaccurate. (Trudgill, 1974) In this matter, the generativist may argue that a person’s ability to draw from various experiences, especially those that are alien to his or her basic reality is a demonstration of a person’s communicative competency. The sociolinguist counters this by maintaining that any variation will come through a person’s responses from within. This shows true communicative competency. This ahs been explained by saying that a person’s responses to a spoken word coming from those who have followed different experiences in life through different processes of learning, will actually show the variations. These variations come to the fore through the person’s demonstration of a struggle to understand the exact implications of such words. The response that follows will show the person’s basic communicative competency. Therefore, by being a live process, the spoken form is more important in the study of language in the social arena, than the written form where the responses cannot be seen. In the spoken form, the entire process is there for the world to see, while in the written form, only the end result can be seen. This is a mark of one’s communicative competency which ahs been born from a person’s language learning process and use of the same. (Meyerhoff, 2006) This communicative competency becomes the very fabric of a person’s life when it comes to understanding circumstances, people and cultures. This fact has special importance in the area of cognitive development. The cognitive development is the most basic and important sensor that differentiates between kinds of experiences. This sensor has to be honed right from the beginning of an individual’s life so that there is an affiliation in the child’s mind towards a language, a culture and a place. In honing this part of one’s cognitive development, there is scope to increase his or her competency. Learning Process Learning a language has always been a great challenge. While this is a matter of creating awareness, it is also a matter of creating certain comfort level that will trigger communicative competency in that language. To be more precise, the teaching of a language can take place on the basis of the communicative approach – i.e., through reading, listening and repeating exercises that will prompt greater teacher – student interface and thus help correct any deviations on the spot. A vital element of this approach or model is communicative competency which is the goal that a language learner strives to achieve. (Johnson, 1996) The power of language and being able to communicate with someone plays a large role in the cognitive development. This helps the person develop in terms of trusting the teacher and sharing with the family. This process ends up defining a person’s social arena and outlook that arises thereof. The ways and means of teaching or learning a language can be formal or informal depending on the person’s stage in life. (Mercer, 1996) The outcomes of learning a language are as follows: Experience Identity Exposure Aptitude Knowledge and Skills Communication Patterns Cultural Affiliation (Meyerhoff, 2006) Base Hypothesis to Define Shared Reading In context of the communicative approach to language learning, I would like to start touching upon the models proposed by Krashen as far as motivation and effectiveness of technology in teaching goes. This will lay the structure for us to consider the nuances of creating social relations in the linguistic context. (Mercer et al, 1996) The first model is called affective filter hypothesis. We will study this model from the perspective of bilingualism. It has been assumed that every child has a first language before he or she knows it. But we must remember, there are also many homes in various parts of the world where children are brought up with a more or less equitable exposure to two and sometimes, even three languages – both in the written and spoken forms. For example, an average curriculum in India for any school includes English as well as a second language, which is more often than not Hindi (the national language), and finally a third language until the age of 13 (this is generally the regional or local language). Therefore, to study this hypothesis we must keep in mind that there are individuals who grow up with equally strong holds over two or even more languages. (Mercer et al, 1996) To begin with this hypothesis works on the assumption that there is a filter in every individual’s mind that impedes the process of the second (or third) language or L2 entering into one’s awareness. The elements that are required to cross this phase include relaxing techniques and the creation of a congenial learning environment. A congenial environment more often than not signifies cooperation and a certain comfort level in carrying out various reading and writing exercises. This further sets the platform for shared reading. It is therefore, an accepted fact that shared reading must be initiated among children when they are very small as this is the time when they are the least intimidated by interaction with other people their age, or a teach they are comfortable with, where these teachers may even include parents. This is owing to the fact that shared reading exercises take place both in school and at home, where children have let their guard down. (Johnson, 1996. p 82 to 137) If we delve further into the hypothesis, we will find that this filter is sensitive to risks and other factors that create insecurity or discomfort. Therefore, according to this model, language should be taught through the transmission of explicit messages and not just instructive methods – this promotes a better medium for conscious awareness. This calls for some amount of creativity which is best practiced when the child is at his most comfortable best. (Meyerhoff, 2006) In this context, the underlying element that is being made use of is motivation. This provides a strong theoretical basis for convincing someone to create a desire to reach for something. This is special importance in language learning through the use of multimedia because attractiveness in instruction helps deviate from the regular and this creates an atmosphere of motivation for the learner. This atmosphere in turn promotes the relaxation scope to learn at one’s own pace and level of interest or create the required levels of the same at a sub conscious level. (Mercer et al, 1996) This level of motivation is a relevant part of defining the social relations and the quality of the same that a person indulges in. Through the study of various motivational factors that a person responds to in the process of learning a language, a sociolinguist learns important things about the social strata that a person belongs to as well as the culture surrounding him. These will stem basically from the commonalities that the student will find in the language he or she is learning and the realities that are all over him or her in his basic environment. The study of these factors will show how and where the variations in the final language usage occur. (Trudgill, 1974) This person friendly theory supports the psychological aspects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In a nutshell, the extrinsic motivation model is one that studies behavioral patterns emerging from the desire to attain external awards as well as a certain position in the work place, society etc. This is of special importance in a classroom where pronunciation and grammatical accuracy becomes a matter of gaining an upper hand. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is more challenging in the sense that it stems from those activities that are performed for the sake of performing them – there is no outward motivation as such. In psychology, this kind of motivation is very difficult to deal with and is often experienced in classrooms. The factors that can enhance the level of motivation in this case include challenges, competition and cooperation in exercises that revolve around shared reading. In this context, one will find that one the basis of such models, it is possible to follow a communicative and collaborative approach which will further the cause of shared reading through pedagogical factors as discussed below. (Johnson, 1996. p 154 to 177) Elements of Pedagogical Factors in Communicative Competency The sociolinguist strives to learn about a language usage pattern through a focus on knowledge, learning patterns and experiences that are shaped by motivation and the social relations that erupt thereof. In order to zero in on relations and experiences that deliver effective communicative and collaborative principles in their implementation, a sociolinguist needs to learn more about the complex of non efficient learning activities. This poses a question regarding the exact nature of various elements of the social relations and cultural identity being used in the learning process and their pedagogic elements. Thus, in pedagogical context, the designers and teachers may focus on these components as an end when providing a certain level of motivation through their material. (Johnson, 1996. p 44 to 89) These motivational factors are then categorized by the sociolinguists to find variations in terms of degrees and definitions of the same. The motivational factors are studied in order to find the implementation process, the choice and finally the effectiveness of the same in the entire process. These parameters help demonstrate the level of communicative competence shown by individuals learns. These learners are then categorized on the basis of their affinity towards certain motivational factors, so as to find the levels of social relations and strata that languages and variations operate on. (Labov, 1966) Here, it is clear that the development of communication skills is the ends for which teaching and learning programs and methodologies are simply the means. This helps define the learning process along quantitative and qualitative parameters besides shaping one’s experiences. These parameters are as follows: The general competences of language learners or users consist in particular of their knowledge, skills and existential competence as well as their ability to learn. This creates a relevant context for literacy which stems from the communities where the flow of the same happens at various stages of learning. These competencies help a person listen and understand what is going on around him or her. Based on what the person hears, there is a certain sense of judgment regarding certain feelings and sentiments shaping up in the mind. (Girvin, 2000) These shapes are then used to show what a person has an aptitude for. In this sense, the general competency level is the most basic form in which a language structures a person’s experiences and development. (Mercer, 1996) In effect, the sociolinguist learns about a person’s affinity to certain elements in the language that will show his or her social level. (Labov, 1966) Knowledge, also known as declarative knowledge, has been defined as knowledge that follows experience to take the form of empirical knowledge. As far as the level of reception on a student’s part goes, one needs to delve deeper and ask questions regarding his or her multilevel background knowledge, perspectives, and language skills. This accommodates the aim of effective management of decisions and production within teams, with strong communication approach orientations. This sets the stage for linguistic appeal created by a certain language in context of the language that one has been exposed through. For example, through shared reading, the teacher identifies those factors that influence how a student pronounces a certain word or frames a certain sentence. This creates scope for correction and building a model where through shared reading, the student and teacher can help each other. This also gives an impetus to other students to help each other. (Mercer, 1996) This form of shared activities in the learning process reveals various elements in the social life of the student in terms of quality of interaction. Studying a person’s language usage and learning process is basically a form of finding how that person reacts to variations in language. These variations are found through interaction at a social level. This will in turn help the learner learn new ways of expression. (Labov, 1966) Considering the fact that knowledge comes from shared experience, factors like shared values and beliefs held by social groups in other countries and regions, as well as a sense of common history, etc., are essential to intercultural communication where students are made to interact on the basis of topics like native place, so as to promote a certain comfort level in taking to the language naturally. (Girvin, 2000) The sociolinguist makes use of these parameters to arrive at important findings regarding a person’s language usage pattern depending on the social level one operates on. While the learning methodology may be culture-specific to a certain extent, they relate to various universal parameters and constants. Owing to the fact that knowledge is conditioned by the nature, in context of richness and structure which helps in picking up another language, linguistic competency is triggered by a good working relationship between knowledge and communicative competence. (Johnson, 1996) The existence of knowledge is important to any field of study. By garnering knowledge, a person starts to respond to certain sounds, words and finally an entire language. This in turn, helps him or her form an opinion about certain things. These things define a person’s experiences in general. The knowledge at this level may be very culture specific but it has strong implications in the sense that there is a certain yardstick by which he or she measures future interactions and experiences that take place outside this knowledge base or cultural base. (Byram, 1994) This cultural base is an important parameter in the sociolinguist’s body of analysis. This is owing to the fact that the sociolinguist is driven basically by cultural factors and the subsequent formation of a pattern of expression. Skills and know-how relates to the ability to carry out procedures than on declarative knowledge, through various forms of existential competence which facilitate knowledge recall even at a relaxed level. This depends largely on repetition and experience for the acquisition of certain facts. This is a method for creating intrinsic motivation in the affective filter hypothesis where recall of information depends on the processing of the same. This is in turn, dominated by the motivation, which has to come through communication. (Girvin, 2000) In this regard, the learning of a new language is facilitated especially where the use of informal lines of social communications for a communicative approach is concerned. This is owing to the fact that the hypothesis facilitates the exercise of drawing parallels with certain aspects of language learning through the exposure of the learner to some amount of illustrative material in the learning process. (Byram, 1994) This practice of drawing parallels helps a learner relate and commit to memory the various teachings. On a personal front, the learner is able to sue the experiences garnered during the learning process in order to better define the cultural and social identity that he or she has gained. In this way, the sociolinguist focuses on the element of experience modification through the use of languages. Through the existence of language, a person learns certain basic skills and first hand knowledge about how certain things works. This in turn, helps build confidence within the person when he or she is in a circumstance where these skills are needed. The medium of language is a strong one, especially for the listener, who grows to know and implement certain skills. Along with language, these skills become second nature. (Mercer, 1996) Existential competence has been defined as the summation of a variety of individual characteristics, personality traits and attitudes. These characteristics, creates a willingness to engage with other people in social interaction in order to attain a certain level of self identity. This type of competence goes beyond personality characteristics to include culture related interface which can be sensitive in nature as far as inter cultural perceptions and relations are concerned. (Girvin, 2000) The perceptions about personality are an important part of learning a new language. This aspect helps people relate with each other depending on the words that are associated with traits and people who had previously had these traits. This helps a student identify the basic elements of the language, through the shared knowledge of the culture attached with it. The words then become symbols that speak of past and present experiences. These symbols in turn, come to have a bearing on reactions to future experiences. This is a part and parcel of the existential competence that one garners through the learning of a language. This helps people relate with the realities surrounding them as they implement the language. (Mercer, 1996) Existential competence comes from variations in the scope a student identifies when learning a new language – especially when he or she is ready to take the risk of cultural misunderstanding to gain further insight into communicative competency. This relates to the affective filter hypothesis due to the fact that the learner has reached a stage where such variations are considered as learning curves in concepts like ‘learning styles’ or ‘learner profiles’. (Johnson, 1996) This level of cultural misunderstanding helps develop the range of experiences from the point of view of the sociolinguist. Further, with the use of language and specific words, the learner is able to grasp the essence of these experiences and the sociolinguist is able to analyze the same. These are stored for future use. In this way, the existential competency becomes a matter of survival as the student tries out various situations at the risk of cultural misunderstanding when trying to interact with people. Thus language becomes a benchmark upon which he or she operates in a bid to find commonalities that might foster friendships, define one’s identity and learn something about the other person’s identity and finally, shape experiences. (Mercer, 1996) These experiences that a learner comes across by way of building existential competency are a matter of great importance to the analysis that a sociolinguist indulges in. This helps the sociolinguist apply the parameters that have been described in lieu of communicative competency. These are then combined to reach more realistic and accurate findings. These findings, in turn, help develop various approaches that can be employed for dealing with various social classes through the use of the same language. (Downes, 1984) Ability to learn: through a mobilization of existential competence as well as declarative knowledge and skills, the ability to learn is conceived as a tool of creating awareness in terms of practical use of the language. This leads to a process of discovery which in turn hones the ability to learn draw on various types of competence to accommodate another language, culture or even a new field of study. (Johnson, 1996. p 56 to 97) This final point is probably the most important one. The fact that a person knows at least one language is enough to ensure that there are a lot of things that he or she has the aptitude to learn and practice – besides new languages. This is a fundamental step that shapes one’s preferences in life and shows the person what he or she has an affinity for. The ability to learn a language is the ability to affiliate with a skill set and implement the same in one’s own experiences. (Girvin, 2000) For example, the use of multimedia in a language class can enhance a learner’s attention span and make the process an entertaining one. This helps the learner commit the teachings to memory in a more natural and easier way. In studying these kinds of responses to teaching and learning patterns, the sociolinguist is able to discern the common factors that tie social relations with each other. (Downes, 1984) Conclusion In conclusion, it would be imperative to say that the knowledge of a language is probably the first thing that a child garners. This in turn helps him or her learn several things through out life. The knowledge of a language is important in shaping one’s overall experiences in the sense that with security in a sense of identity, one can go on to achieve a lot of things in life. (Byram, 1994) This knowledge is used by the sociolinguist in order to learn more about the learner’s capacities in one’s everyday life. These capacities are best studied through a study of responses through the spoken word. In effect, there is a certain amount of focus on the social arena where these words are being exchanged. The very use of the word social shows that there is a need to study two sides and not just one. The study of the written word alone, for the knowledge and learning patterns, will show only one side of the social relations. This will be a haphazard picture of things. (Downes, 1984) Further, the sense of achievement that comes with the learning of a new language is demonstrated by a person’s usage and ability to find a wider scope for personal expression through the language. This sense of achievement does not come in isolation. It is important for a person to interact with the people in his or her immediate environment – whether it is at work, home, school or play. This will lead to the sharing of knowledge and garnering new knowledge. Through the power of language, a person has a strong medium of expression. This broadens a person’s overall exposure and opens a lot of doors into the future. Therefore, the spoken word is again more important than the written word in context of studying social relations and the experiences that come with an exchange of words. With the use of language, it is possible for a person to craft a system in his or her life, with a certain discipline that helps him or her grow. This forms the story of one’s overall development and contributes to one’s sense of growth and achievement. The existence of a language also reduces barriers between people and helps them learn new things about each other every single day. Language is a form that also builds nationalism through literary work as it imbibes people with a sense of pride in their artistic base. (Labov, 1966) Further, with language, the structure of one’s thinking and mental process is regulated to fit into a certain culture and skill set. This in itself is a major learning curve that one crosses with the knowledge of a language. In turn, the experiences are structured on the basis of the philosophy that comes with the language one has learnt and the thinking process that one eventually follows. (Byram, 1994) Through the use of language, one can communicate and learn. These are the two most important elements in a person’s experiences. Every experience teaches a person something. Without a language, there is no sharing and finally, no learning. Therefore, it can be asserted that language is an important tool in the structuring of experiences. One’s style of speaking and communicating stems from the social level that one thrives on. References: 1. Johnson, Keith (1996). Language Teaching and Skill Training. Oxford: Blackwell. 2. Mercer, N; Swann, J (December, 1996). Learning English: Development and Diversity. London: Routledge. 3. Girvin, A. (2000) The Routledge Language Cultural Reader. London, Routledge. 4. Byram, M; Morgan, C (1994). Teaching and Learning Language and Culture. Multilingual Matters. 5. Meyerhoff, M. (2006). Introducing Sociolinguistics. London: Routledge: C1, C2, D and E3. 6. Trudgill (1974: 32). Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society. London: Penguin Books. 7. Labov, W. (1966). The Social Stratification of English in New York City. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. 8. Downes (1984: 15). Language and Society. London: Fontana. Read More