Prace komisji nauk.pdf - Instytut Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytetu ...

In general, the higher classes resist language change more strongly than
the lower classes. The higher classes are mostly conservative and they are
mostly the defenders of the standard language. The standard language, or rather,
those who are able to speak it, slow down normal language development. But it
is possible in the long run for the higher classes to surrender and for a new form
to become generally accepted. On the other hand, situations are known in which
the higher classes adopt new elements, for instance a new way of pronunciation,
in order to distinguish themselves from the lower classes. An example is the
pronunciation of r in New York, investigated by the important sociolinguist
William Labov (Labov 1972). The higher classes have adopted a so-called rhotic
pronunciation [car] instead of a vocalic one [ca ə ] for car. From these classes the
prestigious pronunciation have spread to the lower classes (according the
principle of social success), and it can be expected that, when this pronunciation
is not very distinguishing anymore, the higher classes will adopt a new one.
Changes from below (in the society) first enter into informal situations and later
on spread to more formal ones. The opposite holds for changes from above. It is
also possible for social contrasts to become stabilized: English walkin is the
variant used by the lower classes, walking by the higher ones. The need for
distinction from elderly people becomes clear in the “dialects” spoken by groups
of young people e.g. in the Netherlands and in Belgium. There is much more to
be said about the social aspects of language change. They are an interesting
research object within sociolinguistics (cf. e.g. Hudson 1996 especially chapter
5).
Conclusions
Of course, I do not claim that we have now solved all problems concerning
language change. That would be foolish in view of the complexity of the
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