MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Graduate School
2 Chanyungco St. Sta. Elena, Marikina City 1800
ENGLISH 603 INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS
SOCIOLINGUISTICS
Topic: LANGUAGE
Discussant: Ms. Rizza Domo

Definition:

 Language has a social function. It is variable and ever-changing.

Criteria of Language

These criteria were proposed by sociolinguist Allan Bell in 1976 and they are:
standardization, vitality, historicity, autonomy, and de factonorms. They help to define
what makes some languages more 'developed' than others, and how to distinguish
between a language and a dialect.

1. Standardization- is the process by which a language is codified in some way. This involves the
development of grammars, spelling books, dictionaries, and literature
2. Vitality -is the existence of a living community of speakers. This is used to distinguish living
languages from dead ones.
3. Historicity is the fact that a particular group of people finds a sense of identity through using a
particular language. This is the strongest tie of all whether social, political, religious, or ethnic.
4. Autonomy is about feeling; a language must be felt by its speakers to be different from other
languages.
5. De facto norms are the feeling that there are both 'good' speakers (who represent the norms of
proper usage) and ‘poor’ speakers.

Language and Society

 Language is a part of society.  Social context tries to describe, and account for, the
different ways that different people use language.  Language plays a role in the
transmission of culture.

1) Language influences people. 

2.)      People influence language and language use.