MOBILITY VERSUS SOCIAL CLASS IN DIALECT LEVELLING: EVIDENCE FROM NEW AND OLD TOWNS IN ENGLAND

Authors

  • Paul kerswill
  • Ann Williams

Keywords:

sociolinguistics, social class, social network, social and geographical mobility

Abstract

This article takes as its point of departure the Milroy’s model of class and social network, in which there is a complementary between class and network, more mobile individuals tend to be middle, not working class. We examine data suggesting that, in fact, social class and social network structure are independent, not necessarily complementary factors. We do this by comparing data from a typical’ low-mobility, low-status group in a well-established English town, Reading, with data from a high-mobility, but low-status group in an English “New Town”, Milton Keynes, Sociolingüistic patterns show that, as expected, the high-mobility Milton Keynes group nevertheless remains strongly non-standard and non-Received Pronunciation in its speech.

Author Biographies

Paul kerswill

Department of Lingüistic science University of Reading

Ann Williams

Department of Lingüistic science University of Reading

Issue

Section

Artículos