Sociolinguistics & Morphology

[Stismet]

This is a shameless plea for recommendations for places at which to research the connection between morphology and sociolinguistics (however abstract it may or may not be), and the actual effect of morphology on sociolinguistics. I'm doing a small project on this on my own time, but I'm having trouble finding useful information. If anyone has any clues, I'd be much obliged...

Thanks in advance.

[simon]

So you are looking into the relation of the grammar of a language to a society? If this is the case you could look at the grammar of various dialects of one language, maybe into the pigdin and creole languages and how those societies each developed a grammar for their own benefit. One specific instance of a dialect you could look into is that spoken in Belize, or the various dialects of french or flemish in Belgium and how politics get involved in regions. Two dialects could in fact be the same and have the same grammar but because of boundary differences be called different langauges. Or another example would be the development of latin. The changes that french society introduced.
Try one of the following:
Steven Pinkers The Language Instinct (good for everyone)
a periodical called Linguistics Abstracts
Principles of Linguistic Change by W. Labov
Language and Social Networks by Milroy
the journal of Sociolinguistics

[Stismet]

More specifically, I'm looking into how morphology affects sociolinguistics in any way, because from what I've studied, morphology is fairly standard throughout dialects, and I've been curious as to the relationship between the studies. Thank you for your recommendations! I'll check a few of them out (the Journal of Sociolinguistics, I've looked at, and I have Steven Pinker's books). Thanks again.

[SleepyWitch]

I think Peter Trudgill also did some stuff on Dialects, but he's mainly into accents ???
ah, this is his introduction to sociolinguistics:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140289216/qid=1142252991/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_3_1/026-6391727-7858843

different dialects do have different morphology... like "I says" and stuff... but that's not exactly exciting...
what language do you wanna look at Stismet? ooooh, I've just remembered there's something by Joan Bybee about how not-so-well-educated speakers generalize the tenses of irregular verbs and extend them to other irregular ones or even regular ones.. like "thunk"/"brung" instead of thought/brough in analogy to ..whatever...


@simon cool, a fellow-linguist :) and a reckless Chomsky-ite on top of that heheh :) errr wait till i get my professor, he will tear your Pinker to pieces :) hehe, just joking.. I've never read Pinker's book so i'd better keep shut... but if you should ever fancy a good old Nativist vs Interactionist debate, count me in :)

[Koa]

I love languages but pure linguistics like this is something I find hard to concentrate on and discuss...
Although, if I can advertise, I frequent a site crowded with mad linguists (and other kinds of made people passionate with language) so you can drop your question at the forum there too, if you feel this is not enough ;)
www.unilang.org

[simon]

Haha Sleepywitch, I like Pinker's book for sure, it reads really easy too, I recomend it. Though I still haven't really made up my mind in the debate between if language influences thought or if thought influences language. It seems a bit like a which came first the chicken or the egg type of question, language and thought are so intertwined we cannot seperate the two yet some things are just so unexpressable.

[Stismet]

different dialects do have different morphology... like "I says" and stuff... but that's not exactly exciting...
what language do you wanna look at Stismet? ooooh, I've just remembered there's something by Joan Bybee about how not-so-well-educated speakers generalize the tenses of irregular verbs and extend them to other irregular ones or even regular ones.. like "thunk"/"brung" instead of thought/brough in analogy to ..whatever...

I'm interested in looking at English and French mostly, because those are the ones I speak & understand, so they're easiest to study. I've picked up a few books by Chomsky, one by McWhorter, and a book called Women, Fire and Dangerous Things, whose author I can't think of at the moment. Thanks to all for your help!

[SleepyWitch]

that would be George Lakoff :)
i think a friend of mine is gonna teach a seminar on sociolinguistics next term.. i could check his reserve shelf once he's set it up... but I dunno when that will be