SOCIOLINGUISTICS SOCIOLINGUISTICS AND THE ESL AND THE ESL CLASSROOMCLASSROOM

Master’s CourseMaster’s Course

Assoc.Prof.Dr.Azamat Assoc.Prof.Dr.Azamat AkbarovAkbarov

Two or more people Two or more people communication – the communication – the system they use is a system they use is a codecodeBilingual speakers – Bilingual speakers – code-switchingcode-switchingSystem (grammar) – System (grammar) – that speaker that speaker ““knowsknows””

Important issues Important issues for linguist; for linguist;

What that What that knowledge knowledge comprisescomprises

How we may best How we may best characterize itcharacterize it

Grammar is hard to Grammar is hard to describedescribeSpeaker knows the Speaker knows the language more than language more than contained in grammar contained in grammar bookbookShared knowledge – Shared knowledge – possessed by all possessed by all speakersspeakers

““dead” languagesdead” languagesKnowledge of Knowledge of language is abstractlanguage is abstractKnowledge of rules Knowledge of rules and principles and principles - ways - ways of saying and doing of saying and doing things with sounds, things with sounds, words, and words, and sentences sentences

Its is knowing Its is knowing what is in what is in language, language, what is notwhat is notWhat is What is possiblepossible, what , what is notis notWe can understand We can understand sentences we never sentences we never heard beforeheard beforeReject as Reject as ungrammatical ungrammatical

Psychological, social, Psychological, social, genetic factors are genetic factors are crucialcrucialLanguage is communal Language is communal possessionpossessionSpeakers have access to Speakers have access to it – show proper usageit – show proper usageProper use Proper use – – skills/activitiesskills/activities

Chomsky; Chomsky; Research on languageResearch on languageLinguists must try to Linguists must try to distinguish between distinguish between

What is What is importantimportant What is What is unimportantunimportant about language and about language and linguistic behaviorlinguistic behavior

Matters to deal with;Matters to deal with;LearnabilityLearnabilityCharacteristics they Characteristics they share (construing and share (construing and interpreting interpreting sentences)sentences)Individual speakers Individual speakers use use specific words specific words in in a a different contextsdifferent contexts

Lightfoot Lightfoot (2006)(2006)Distinction Distinction between; between; ““I-language”I-language”““E-language”E-language”

The reference to The reference to Chomsky’s notions of Chomsky’s notions of

E-Language -E-Language -((ExternalExternal(ised) Language)(ised) Language)

I-language (I-language (InternalInternal(ised) (ised) Language) make clear Language) make clear that we acknowledge that we acknowledge these two aspects of these two aspects of language.language.

Chomsky maintains that Chomsky maintains that E-E-LanguageLanguage, such as English, , such as English, German, and Korean, are German, and Korean, are mere ‘epiphenomena’, a mere ‘epiphenomena’, a body of knowledge or body of knowledge or behavioural habits shared behavioural habits shared by a communityby a community

and as such are not and as such are not suitable subjects for suitable subjects for scientific studyscientific study

I-LanguageI-Language, argues , argues Chomsky, is a ‘mental Chomsky, is a ‘mental object’ object’

is is biologically/genetically biologically/genetically specified, equates to specified, equates to language itself and so language itself and so is a suitable object of is a suitable object of studystudy

““I-languageI-language” – ” – mental system mental system that characterizes that characterizes a person’s a person’s linguistic rangelinguistic rangeRepresented in Represented in the speaker’s the speaker’s brainbrain

““E-languageE-language” – ” – part of the part of the outside world, outside world, incoherent, not incoherent, not a systema system

Chomsky; Chomsky; CompetenceCompetence and and performanceperformanceLinguist’s task – to Linguist’s task – to characterize what characterize what speakers know speakers know about their language about their language ((competencecompetence))

Pinker (2007)Pinker (2007)Language is Language is constantly constantly being being pushed and pulled pushed and pulled at the margins by at the margins by different speakers different speakers in different waysin different ways