Name: Jannila G.

Zuasula Year & Section: 1st Year- SE12

MODULE1: THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC MIND

ACTIVITY

1. Describe the two situations above.

The situations above consists of two paradigm that correlates to social customaries
when it comes to apologizing, may it be in a formal or informal approach. In picture A, it
can be seen that the two people conversing is in a professional setting, with the suits
they are wearing and the building behind them. The subordinate appears to be late, so
he apologized to his boss and explained the reason as to why he was late. In picture B,
the image portrays to be a couple on a date, but the girl appears to be in a foul mood
since she has been waiting for an hour because the boy was late.

2. Compare and contrast the two situations.

As what I have seen in the two images, there is a distinct difference of the way how
apology is approached. As what I have mentioned in no.1, the first image appears to
be in a more professional setting and the second image is in a casual form. The
difference between the two images is how their apology was formed, the first image
clearly states how “sorry” the subordinate is by explaining and answering his boss’s
question; “You’re late. Where were you?” While the second image does not portray any
vocalization of answer but more of an action apology, by giving flowers to his girlfriend.
Both forms of apology are acceptable in the paradigm of social customaries, but one
should always put in mind that those forms of apology are only applicable if you are
aware of your setting and the person you lay it out to.

3. What do you think would be the reaction of Mark’s boss if he apologized for his
tardiness by giving her flowers? In contrast, how do you think will his girlfriend react if
Mark apologizes to her in a formal manner?
In the situation given, if Mark apologized to his boss by giving her flowers, it may result
confusion for his boss, as well as unprofessionalism. And because of that
unprofessionalism, worst case scenario; it’ll cost him loss of employment. And given, if
Mark apologizes to his girlfriend in a formal manner, his girlfriend might be surprised
with a hinge of confusion. Not in a sense that it’ll cost him his love life, but it will raise
questions as to why he is acting so formally.

4. Why do you think Mark varies his way of apologizing?

Mark is probably a man in his late twenties to early thirties, given his status of
employment and relationship. The reason why Mark varies his way of apologizing
because he separates his life accordingly; professionally and personally. Varying his
ways of apologizing is very crucial in terms of social interactions, because that is the
foundation of how he perceives people, and how people perceive him. And
differentiating apologies and how he addresses them; may it be in a formal and
informal manner, it becomes more effective because it expresses awareness of setting
and a sense of respect.
ANALYSIS

How do I apologize?

1. To my siblings:
My sibling and I occasionally fight over almost everything. After the fight we just go to
our rooms and not talk to each other, but after a few minutes I approach them privately
to apologize genuinely and I say “hey sis/ bro, I’m truly sorry for the hurtful things I said
to you” or sometimes, when it’s hard for me to vocalize how sorry I am, I just hug them
or bake them cookies as a way of apologizing.

2. To my parents:
Every time my parents confronts me about a certain issue, it doesn’t always end up
well, it always ends up in shouting and talk backs. After the chaos has subsided, I go to
my room and reflect about the things I’ve done and said, when it’s clear that I was the
one at fault what I do is approach them, humble myself and apologize. I sincerely say
“I’m sorry mom and dad” and when I feel that it’s not enough, I cook them dinner or
breakfast.

3. To my classmates:
I apologize in the most formal way possible, like messaging them how sorry I am while
also explaining my side without giving them a sense of guilt. I would usually say “I
deeply apologize for the way I treated you earlier, I hope in time you can forgive me.” It
is necessary for me to ask for forgiveness because we are classmates, and I want to
maintain a harmonious relationship if I am at school.

4. To my best friend:
After every argument, I make sure to apologize right after making a mistake, instead of
letting it pass for a long time. I’m not really good with words, so what I do is send her
gifts along with a letter to express how much I love her and how truly sorry I am for
hurting her.

5. To my boyfriend/ girlfriend:
Arguments are natural when it comes to romantic relationships. If ever I hurt my
significant other in any way, I’ll make sure of it that we’re both calm and collected
before we talk things out, then I’ll discuss our issue in detail from where we went wrong
and how it got to the point. Then what I’ll do next is make sure to listen for what he/she
has to say and understand their feelings. Mainly saying “I’m sorry” is not enough, if I’m
the one who made the mistake, I’ll see to it that I give no excuses and take full
responsibility of that mistake.

6. To a stranger:
If ever I stumble upon a stranger and unintentionally wronged them, what I do is
express apologies immediately, like saying sorry three times, and also as a sign of
respect I bow my head and express regret for unintentionally hurting them in some
way.
 ABSTRACTION

Exercise 1
Make a list of all the names you are called by people who know you. For each name note
who uses it to you and when or where.
How they call Who calls you When they call you Where they Why they call
you that name that name use to call you that name
you that
name
Jannila Acquaintances/ They call me by this I usually Mostly because
Friends name usually hear this this is the most
whenever they seek name every formal way to
me out, or when they time we’re at call me if they
want to ask me school or in don’t feel very
something and mostly any public close to me. And
just to converse. places. it’s either just this
is the name
they’re
comfortable in
calling me.
Janini My best friend These two always This name is One of the
(Angelica Mae calls me by this name usually reasons they
Salatan), and in any occasion, may called in any gave me this
my cousin it be to call for my places. Like nickname was
(Aletha Mejia) attention, or just to when we’re because it
converse and chat at home, sounded cute,
even for the most bars, and the other
trivial things. restaurants was because to
and mostly give me a brand.
in
messenger.
Chuni Junior High Usually, this name is This name is At first I found
School friends said when they want often called this nickname
to ask me for a favor, every time weird, but
or when we’re we meet through my high
gossiping. This is also each other school years,
used when they call at, school, this name grew
me through video call. church or on me. They call
when we’re me by this name
hanging out because it was
at the beach. an alternative to
make my name
shorter, and they
also said that it
sounds cute.
Inday/ Ate My parents, My parents calls me This name is They call me by
siblings and “Inday” and “Ate” mostly used this name
also when they want me to in the because here in
grandparents. do chores and run premises of our place,
some errands for my home. “Inday” is the
them. My younger most common
 siblings call me “Ate” term to refer to
when they request for their female
my help in doing their child, and “ate”
projects. because it is how
they call their
elder sibling with
respect.
Ja My college My classmates use This This name is
classmates this name whenever freshman often used
and friends this they ask me year, since mainly because
freshman year. something, may it be we’re only “Jannila” is long
school related or having in messages, so
gossip. classes using “Ja” is
virtually, the simpler because
only place it is shorter.
they can call
me this is
through
messenger.
Ylak Mostly only my This nickname is only They call me They created this
aunts, uncles rarely used, because by this name nickname for me
and my older some of my aunts are every time I as a family term
cousins calls residing abroad. But visit their of endearment.
me by this my older cousins use houses, or
name. this when they invite when
me over to eat, or hanging out
when they call for my at a certain
attention. public place.
Jalala The cousins I This name is always This name is This is by far the
am close with used by my baby only spoken cutest nickname
and also my cousin. He usually every time I I’ve ever gotten.
beloved baby calls me by this name go to their And instead of
cousin when he wants to play house. my name
(Francis) gave with me, or wants me “Jannila”, he
me this name. to carry him. says it as
“Jalala” because
he still is learning
the correct
pronunciations.

Exercise 2

We often have different names for people when we are addressing them directly, as
opposed to when we are referring to them in different contexts.
Note what you call your mother in different contexts:
(a) addressing her
(i) at home alone with her – “Ma” or “Mama”
(ii) on the telephone with friends listening – “Ma” or “Mama”
(iii) in a shop – “Ma”, “Mama” or “Mi”
 (b) referring to her
(i) at home to another family member when she is present – “Hi mama”

(ii) at home to another family member when she isn’t present – “Adto hi mama”

(iii) to an acquaintance who doesn’t know her – “Akon mama” or “Hi sola”

(iv) to a sales assistant in a shop when she is present. – “Adi hi mama”

What influences your choice of address form and reference form in each of these
contexts?
Addressee is an influence on style. A person's choice of address term reveals the
relationship between language and society, as well as how he or she envisions his or her
relationship with the addressee within that society. The social context of language examines
the link between language and society, as well as how individuals utilize language. It takes
into account the connection between a person's language and their social identity. In this
case, what influences on how I address and reference my mother applies accordingly
whether who I am with, or to whom I am talking to. The main influence is simply taking into
account the social context.

METACOGNITION

Add an additional page here for the reflective essay. Please refer to the questions in the
given module. In writing your reflective essay, use Arial size 12 with 1.5 spacing.

One of the most notable examples of social conduct is language. Through the normal
passage of information through language, we transmit critical social signals about who we are,
where we come from, and who we associate with. It's often astonishing to discover how much
we may judge a person's origin, character, and intentions based just on their language, dialect,
or, in some cases, a single phrase. The core idea underpinning sociolinguistics is simple and
clear: language usage represents essential aspects of social behavior and human interaction.
The principle is simple, but language mirrors action may be convoluted and intricate.
As a human being, a daughter and a young adult I can now further distinguish the
relationship between language and society and how it impacts a wide variety of contacts, from
massive international linkages to strictly defined interpersonal relationships. Another
perspective on language and society focuses on the settings and applications of language as
an activity in and of itself. The study of language in its social context teaches us how we
structure our social interactions within a society. Addressing someone as 'Mrs.,' 'Ms.,' or by a
first name is about more than just terminology; it's about the speaker's and addressee's
connection and social standing. Similarly, the usage of phrase alternatives such as "give me a
creamer" or, "would you mind giving me a creamer" or I believe this coffee could use a
creamer" is not a matter of simple sentence structure; this paradigm incorporates cultural
values and conventions of politeness, reverence, and status.
As a student, grasping the knowledge about the topic it gave me a sense of
sociolinguistic competence. Gaining this set of competence offered me more ability to
communicate effectively by utilizing the appropriate words, expressions, and attitude toward a
particular issue, setting, and relationship. It may appear that discussing the language we use in
class is a waste of time when teaching academic material or dealing with more serious issues.
However, some of the most important difficulties that we students face in school, such as
learning how to cope with bullying and social stigma, creating one's identity in a diverse
society, and managing one's digital life, present themselves via language. By acknowledging
and addressing these issues, we may better understand them. Language is much more than
just a means of communicating. Idioms, slang, and allusions, for example, frequently work to
isolate us from others, drawing members of our in-group closer together and building borders
between all of our tiny social comfort zones. However, talking about language helps us to
communicate effectively with others who have different points of view and, as a result, develop
shared understandings across social boundaries. Conversations over words frequently result
in profound learning.

References:
The study of language in its social context (Chapter 1 ....
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/social-stratification-of-english-in-new-york-city/study-of-
language-in-its-social-context/AEC9F33BFB27CA8820102E8F04418C49

Walt Wolfram. (n.d.). Sociolinguistics. Linguistic Society of America. Retrieved 2022, from
https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/sociolinguistics

Taura Shams. (2018). Sociolinguistic and Education. Language Avenue. Retrieved 2022, from
https://languageavenue.com/linguistics/sociolinguistics/language-policy/item/sociolinguistics-
and-education#:~:text=The%20application%20of%20sociolinguistics%20to,cultural%20and
%20linguistic%20diversity%20of