VOWELS IN STANDARD AUSTRIAN GERMAN - Acoustics ...

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Vowels in Standard Austrian German
each other. The smaller the sociological entity of speakers, the greater the distinctive
role of phonology and phonetics. A non-native speaker is immediately detected,
especially by his or her inability to apply the proper language-specific processes. The
same holds for speakers of different varieties. This distinguishing function is directly
related to the communicative function.
The important role of phonetics and phonology in serving the communicative
function of language becomes most obvious when the situational aspect is more
explicitly emphasized. Studies both on sociophonology and sociophonetics unanimously
prove that neither the frequency of occurrence of processes, nor the nature of the
processes applied, is left to chance. The phonology and phonetics of a language, or of a
variety, informs the listener to a large extent, not only about the regional and the social
background of a given speaker, his or her age and sex, but also about the emotional
state, the attitude of the speaker towards the listener(s), and his or her discursive
intentions. Therefore, both the application and the non-application of a process have
implications, and consequently, phonetics and phonology have to be conceptualised
within a wider framework.
1.1. The socio-pragmatic foundation of phonology and
phonetics
Language is used by human beings to organize, maintain, or change their social life
(both via communication and cognition). Therefore, “it is best described and understood
as a system of goal-directed actions within its social frame (Dressler & Moosmüller
1991: 136). Most, if not all, investigations on speech behaviour came to the conclusion
that speech behaviour differs according to the situation in which a specific interaction
takes place. Speakers talk differently in formal speech situations and casual speech
situations. It is assumed that in casual speech situations, speakers can feel more at ease
and therefore are allowed to exert less effort while speaking; the result of this is less