1. Safest Small Talk Topics TravelingWeather AccommodationHobbies TelevisionFood and drinks EducationShopping Topical events (in newspapers: earthquakes, plane crashes, museum robberies, [sports?,] but not politics) Gorodetskaya, 1996. 1/17

2. Unsafe Small Talk Topics   Americans:  British: Religion Royal family Politics Race relations (Salary/income) Salary/income Health Pets Northern Ireland 2/17 Gorodetskaya, 1996.

3. Reasons to say Taiwanese and Mandarin are TWO different languages   They are NOT mutually intelligible: (If you speak ONLY ONE of them you CANNOT understand the other) 3/17

4. Dialect Differences 1. Pronunciation 2. Vocabulary 3. Grammar / Syntax AND 4. Sociolinguistic Rules 4/17

5. Reasons to say Taiwanese and Mandarin are TWO dialects of the same language  They come from the same parent language   They are spoken in the same country   They have similar vocabulary, pronunciation, and syntax   They use the same writing system  Speakers share basically the same culture  Speakers share basically the same history 5/17

6. Standard English— One of the Varieties of English   What is printed in books and newspapers   Taught in school to English-speaking children   Taught to foreigners   ‘Educated’ variety  Used on TV and for Newscasts Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, pp. 5-6. 6/17

7. AmE and BritE Dialects differ in 1. 1.Pronunciation: r-less; syncopate different syllables (military); a-vowel (bath) 2. Vocabulary: lift (elevator); braces (suspenders); bonnet (hood); pavement (sidewalk); SPELLING 3. Grammar / Syntax: got/gotten; have 7/17

8. Beijing and Taiwan Mandarin Dialects differ in 1. 1.Pronunciation: 2. Vocabulary: 3. Grammar / Syntax: 8/17

9. British English RP Accent  NON-LOCALIZED   Learned in “public schools”  Used on BBC  Taught to foreigners Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, pp. 5-6. 9/17

10. Prevocalic and Non-Prevocalic /r/ 1. ratrich/r/ 2. carrysorry/r/ 3. cartcar/r/ vs. NO /r/ Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, p. 9. 10/17

11. Social Significance of / r / after a Vowel US: / r / high status no / r /: low status UK:/ r / low status no / r /: high status 12/17

12. Attitudes towards and use of non-prevocalic /r/ : Upper middle class in New York City % r-positive% /r/ ageinformantsused 8-19 10048 20-39 10034 40 + 62 9 Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, p. 11. 12/17

13. Martha's Vineyard Pronunciation Martha’sGeneral VineyardAmerican loud/ l  ud // laud / house/ h  us // haus / about/  b  ut //  baut / Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, p. 12. 13/17

14. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Simplified)   Language shapes how we perceive the world.  The world / society shapes our language. 14/17

15. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and Influences on Language  Physical Environment  Social Environment or Structure  Values of Society Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, pp. 15-20. 15/17

16. Kinship Terms older/younger brothers older/younger sisters Father Mother YOU 16/17

17. Taboo Subjects or Words  Sex  Excretion  Christian Religion  Race  Dying Trudgill, Peter. 2000. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th edition. London: Penguin Books, pp. 18-20. 17/17