Sociolinguistic variation in english

Analysing Variation in English

Analysing Variation in English brings together a range of perspectives on the collection, analysis, and broader relevance of variable language data. In the first half of the book, the focus is firmly on the description and comparison of methods for collecting and analysing examples of variation in language. Novel quantitative and computational methods are introduced and exemplified alongside more traditional approaches. The innovative second half of the book establishes and tests the relevance of language variation to other aspects of linguistics such as language change, and to other disciplines such as law and education. Each chapter concludes with a ‘Where next?’ section, providing guidance on further reading, but also pointers to under-researched areas, designed to help identify good topics for projects and dissertations. Designed to be used by students as well as researchers, the book will be welcomed by those working in English language and linguistics, sociolinguistics or language change. war r e n mag u ir e is a lecturer in English Language in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at the University of Edinburgh. ap r i l m c mah o n is Forbes Professor of English Language in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at the University of Edinburgh.

Analysing Variation in English
Edited by

Warren Maguire and April McMahon

ca mbr idge uni ve r s i t y p r e s s Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Dubai, Tokyo, Mexico City Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521898669 © Cambridge University Press 2011 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may