Socio-syntax: Exploring the Social Life of Grammar

This pioneering book explores the relationship between social meaning and grammatical variation, demonstrating how grammar is used to communicate alignments and stances and construct social identity. Based on an ethnographic study of high school girls in Northern England, it argues for a change in how grammar is conceived and taught in schools.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This groundbreaking book is a pioneering exploration into the intricate relationship between social meaning and grammatical variation. It delves into the question of how we adapt our grammar to communicate social detail and explores whether all working-class people have a local dialect or are free to use language in ways that transcend their place in the social hierarchy. Through extensive research and analysis, the book demonstrates how grammar plays a crucial role in shaping our communication of alignments and stances, as well as in constructing our social style or social identity.

Drawing upon an ethnographic study of high school girls in Northern England, the author employs their own experiences as a working-class student to argue for a transformative approach to grammar education. The book offers lively and engaging real-life examples from the study, bringing to life new insights into debates in variationist sociolinguistic and linguistic anthropology.

By examining the ways in which grammar contributes to the expression of social identity and the negotiation of power dynamics, this book provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between language, society, and culture. It challenges traditional notions of grammar as a static and prescriptive system and advocates for a more dynamic and flexible understanding of grammar that recognizes the diverse ways in which language is used and interpreted.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of language, society, and culture, as well as for educators and scholars seeking to understand the role of grammar in shaping human communication and social interaction.

Weight: 546g
Dimension: 236 x 161 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108843973