Language in Society

Language in Society provides a clear, lively, and accessible introduction to the field of sociolinguistics, emphasizing the constant interaction between society and language. The text discusses both traditional and recent issues such as language and social class, language and gender, language and education, pidgins and creoles, and language change, and it shows how our linguistic choices are motivated by social factors and how certain ways of speaking come to be vested with symbolic value. Examples draw on studies of cultures and languages all over the world, including Romaine's own extensive fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, Hawai'i, and the UK.