Jan Blommaert on linguistic diversity and inequality

00:06:11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVrD5JUcWDw

Summary

TLDRThe speaker discusses the connection between linguistic diversity and social inequality, emphasizing that linguistic variations can serve as instruments of discrimination based on social evaluations. Social linguistics is introduced as the study of how language reflects and influences social differences across various factors such as race, class, and gender. The presentation critiques traditional approaches to social linguistics for not fully addressing the socio-political implications of language differences. It highlights the importance of recognizing how certain linguistic features may lead to social stratification, discrimination, or privilege within different contexts, urging a deeper exploration of inequalities in the realm of language.

Takeaways

  • 🗣️ Linguistic diversity encompasses different accents, dialects, and social varieties.
  • 🔍 Social linguistics links linguistic differences to social factors like race, class, and gender.
  • ⚖️ Linguistic differences can lead to systems of social inequality.
  • 📈 Evaluating language can reveal structural discrimination.
  • 🏅 The standard language is often viewed as superior and advantageous.
  • 🌍 Real social processes influence how language variety is perceived.
  • 🔄 Social evaluation of language can fluctuate based on context and community.
  • 👥 Language can serve as a tool for both privilege and exclusion.
  • 🏛️ A political perspective on social linguistics addresses real inequalities.
  • 📚 Examining linguistic inequality informs broader discussions on power dynamics.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:06:11

    The speaker discusses the connection between linguistic diversity and inequality, emphasizing the significance of social linguistics as the study of language variation based on social factors such as race, class, ethnicity, gender, and age. They address how language diversity reflects social differences and introduces the concept that every form of linguistic difference can become an instrument of social inequality. The speaker argues for a deeper understanding of social linguistics that goes beyond mere identification of differences, highlighting the potential for discrimination and stratification within language systems. Their perspective calls for addressing the political implications of language evaluation, suggesting that linguistic differences can lead to both privilege and exclusion in societal contexts.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is social linguistics?

    Social linguistics is the study of linguistic diversity and how variations in language relate to social differences such as race, class, ethnicity, and gender.

  • How does linguistic diversity connect to social inequality?

    Linguistic diversity can become an instrument of inequality when different varieties of language are valued differently, leading to discrimination in social contexts like education and employment.

  • What is the importance of evaluating linguistic differences?

    Evaluating linguistic differences is crucial to understanding how they can lead to social inequality and discrimination based on language use.

  • What does the speaker mean by 'value attribution' in language?

    Value attribution refers to the social judgment and hierarchy placed on different languages or dialects, which can lead to perceptions of superiority or inferiority.

  • How can the standard language be viewed socially?

    The standard language is often seen as more prestigious and can lead to social advantages in education and employment compared to other dialects or accents.

  • What is a 'stratified system' in social linguistics?

    A stratified system in social linguistics refers to the hierarchical organization of language varieties, where some are seen as 'better' or more valuable than others.

  • What are some factors affecting language evaluation?

    Factors include the community context, the situational context, and the social identity of the speaker.

  • What is the speaker's view on traditional social linguistics?

    The speaker believes traditional social linguistics fails to fully explore the connection between linguistic differences and broader social inequalities.

  • Is the discussion political?

    Yes, the discussion acknowledges the political nature of social linguistics, highlighting the structural inequalities present in language evaluation.

  • What is the significance of studying linguistic inequality?

    Studying linguistic inequality helps reveal and address the power dynamics and discrimination based on language use in society.

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  • 00:00:02
    i'd like to say a few things about
  • 00:00:04
    the connection between linguistic
  • 00:00:06
    diversity and
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    linguistic inequality uh
  • 00:00:11
    or in general diversity and inequality
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    it's it's a it's a theme
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    a motive that has kept me uh you know
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    busy throughout most of my career
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    um i have to start from social
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    linguistics you know social linguistics
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    essentially is the study of linguistic
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    diversity
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    all right it's a study of how in in the
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    language or
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    different languages but let's take one
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    language
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    um people
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    appear to have different varieties of it
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    okay so they they speak it with
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    different accents there are dialects
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    there aren't
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    there are no legs there are social necks
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    and so on
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    all right so we are we have been able as
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    a discipline and very successful
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    over over uh over about a century you
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    know to
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    identify these objective differences
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    between
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    varieties of language in that sense
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    social linguistics is
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    uh if if you wish the study of how
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    linguistic differences can be connected
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    to social
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    differences by critics like
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    race or social class or ethnicity
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    gender uh age and what
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    and what have you professional group and
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    what have you so
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    we're familiar with that this is one
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    particular way of
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    looking at social linguistics and a very
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    respectable one
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    i mean most introductions to social
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    linguistics will stop here
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    now in my view uh they stopped too early
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    uh in the sense that the the social
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    dynamic
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    of language specifically of this
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    kind of diversity within language the
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    variation of language
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    all right it's never complete without a
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    contemplation
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    of how it connects to real social
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    processes
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    and these real social processes are
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    processes of
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    evaluation right of in other words
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    value attribution
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    now to to summarize that into one slogan
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    uh every form of linguistic difference
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    become at some point and for some reason
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    and in the hands of some people
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    for some person all right an
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    instrument of inequality
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    okay so every social linguistic
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    difference may be turned into
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    a feature of social inequality
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    okay so you may be somebody who speaks a
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    particular
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    language with an accent of course that's
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    that's that's great to have that accent
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    you know it's beautiful and
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    locally let's say it's valued because it
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    contributes to
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    like the atmosphere of your village
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    where you live or your
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    the region where you live uh it enables
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    all other people to
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    do to project like
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    a certain identity even a certain charm
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    upon you
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    and so on nothing wrong with it okay but
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    socially all right it is
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    evaluated as lower than for instance
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    the standard and that's what you
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    encounter when you go to school when you
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    are hunting for jobs when when you want
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    to become
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    somebody let's say uh who's active in
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    the public sphere
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    and what have you there's a number of
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    ways in which
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    all of a sudden this difference can
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    become
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    a feature of inequality right
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    and so for me this is the real social
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    linguistics it's it's a
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    it's an it's an approach to language in
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    which you look
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    uh what at least in which you you have
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    to start from
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    objective differences in language
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    but instantly realize their potential
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    for discrimination
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    for social discrimination right for
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    forms of evaluation revaluation
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    evaluation
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    okay that may change all the time
  • 00:04:15
    but that lead at any point at any moment
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    you know to
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    a social linguistic system as a
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    stratified system
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    a system that works like a hierarchy
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    right in which you have better varieties
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    better okay like the standard variety
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    and less better or varieties that are
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    good
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    but only in your village or only within
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    your age group
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    or only within your gender group and so
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    on and so on and so on so this is
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    an essential uh element of uh of of
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    social linguistics
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    and a real social linguistics in that
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    sense a value of
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    of a valuable a valuable
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    social insulin valuable social
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    linguistics
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    uh in my view should be one that
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    addresses
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    exactly this edge this edge uh
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    of inequality right and examine the
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    reasons why particular features
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    in particular in the hands of particular
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    people
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    right in particular situations
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    in particular communities but also in
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    particular chronotopes for instance
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    may become uh objects of discrimination
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    of exclusion or
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    on the other side of privilege of
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    over-privileging
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    and so on and so on uh now you can call
  • 00:05:41
    this political
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    so this would be a more political
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    social linguistics but you are really
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    really
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    missing the essence of the social in
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    social linguistics
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    unless you're addressing the issue of
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    real real i.e political
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    very often also structural okay
  • 00:06:04
    inequality in language thank you very
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    much
Tags
  • linguistic diversity
  • social linguistics
  • inequality
  • language variation
  • social evaluation
  • discrimination
  • stratified system
  • value attribution
  • prestige
  • political linguistics