Language and Social Class Theory Sheet

Grace·

Sociolinguistics

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At a Glance

Grade Level12th Grade

SubjectSociolinguistics

Original Prompt

Create a support sheet for understanding the following theories. It must have summary boxes with the informaiton about the theories in and some development/interpretation and evaluation of the theories. It is for an a-levle english language class. I should be two pages only: Theory Sheet Snell (2010) From sociolinguistic variation to socially strategic stylization Snell investigated the use of 'me' as a possessive (standard 'my') by children of different social classes in north-east Engl...

This resource focuses on two key sociolinguistic theories that examine the relationship between language variation and social class and identity. The first theory by Julia Snell analyzes the language use of 7-10 year old children in the northeast of England, emphasizing the strategic use of non-standard possessive forms, such as 'me' instead of 'my', to perform specific identities in varying social contexts. This challenges traditional views that consider such language solely as a marker of working-class status. The second theory by Spencer, Clegg & Stackhouse investigates the language attitudes of adolescents, revealing that teenagers are acutely aware of the social prestige associated with different speech patterns, which they manipulate to establish social hierarchies and group identities. Both theories offer insights into how language serves as a tool for identity performance, going beyond mere reflection of social class.