SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM OF THE LANGUAGE OF CERTAIN SOCIAL CLASSES

Basil Bernstein

The purpose of our paper is to analyze speech behavior of youth, in particular in rap subculture (culture).

In accordance with the purpose we pursue the following tasks:

- critical analysis of the literature dealing with youth subculture and speech behavior;

- defining the concept of youth culture (subculture);

- selection of the parameters of speech behavior to be analyzed;

- description of the speech behavior of a certain youth subculture (rappers).

The object of the present study is speech behavior of the representatives of the so called rap subculture (rappers).

SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM OF THE LANGUAGE OF CERTAIN SOCIAL CLASSES

Let us look at various scientific studies dealing with the problem of the variants of language depending on the social class in which it is used and language of youth subcultures proper.

Edward Sapir, Malinowski, Vygotsky and Luria have all pointed out from different points of view that the closer the identifications of speakers the greater the range of shared interests and the more probable that the speech will take a specific form. The range of syntactic alternatives is likely to be reduced and the lexis to be drawn from a narrow range. Thus, the form of these social relations is acting selectively on the meanings to be verbally realized.

In these relationships the intent of the other person can be taken for granted as the speech is played out against a back-drop of common assumptions, common history, common interests. As a result, there is less need to raise meanings to the level of explicitness.

Under these conditions, the speech is likely to have a strong metaphoric element. In these situations the speaker may be more concerned with how something is said, when it is said and silence takes on a variety of meanings. Often in these encounters, the speech cannot be understood apart from the context and the context cannot be read by those who do not share the history of the relationships.

In every speech act speaker has to nominate some objects. Nominations appearing as a result of the speaker’s nomination activity form a lexical system peculiar for each language. The study of the vocabulary heterogeneity and its stratification is one of the central problems of modern lexicology and other branches of linguistics. The influence of social factors on the development and functioning of all language systems is of great interest for linguistics. First of all, it concerns the lexical system of language, as it is the most flexible one, which reacts keenly on various social changes. In Modern English it is revealed through social, situational and territorial differentiation of vocabulary.

Social differentiation in language is closely connected with the differentiation (stratification) in the society. The heterogeneity of the language structure reflects the heterogeneity of the society using a certain language. Peter Trudgill states,”The more heterogeneous the society is, the more heterogeneous its language is.”

Considering the problem of social variants in the language, scholars suggest various classifications based on various social and demographic parameters. But it is possible to find out that the majority of the suggested classifications unite the general vision of the problem of a social dialect - a speech subvariant which is accepted by the society and which due to the existence of certain social forces is characteristic of ethnic, religious and economic groups or groups of individuals possessing a certain level and type of education. Any social dialect may be treated as a language alteration.

The stratification variation is the consequence of the native speakers’ social heterogeneity. Choosing lexical means for accomplishing the communication, one should take into account the following parameters:

¨ the speaker’s social status;

¨ his/her position in the social structure;

¨ his/her attitude towards the subject and the addressee (social purposes).

Status is usually viewed as a complex of constant social and demographic signs characterizing the individual; among them are class and stratum affiliation, social institutions and professional communities membership, and also gender, age, education, ethnic background, etc.

In the modern English-speaking society, the tendency to social exfoliation and, accordingly, to the language differentiation grows stronger.

Every individual fulfills certain socially considerable roles. The roles depend on the status, position and the communicative situation. A certain language model and a special language repertoire correspond to the accepted role.

Social role is viewed as various forms of social behavior or the way of behavior normatively approved of by the society and is expected from every individual occupying this position. Social roles, being a form of social behavior, are determined by:

¨ the speaker’s status in a certain social group (family, school class, etc.). The difference between the languages of men and women suit to this category;

¨ the speaker’s position which is a less constant category in comparison to the status. Various age groups and the peculiarities of their language behavior can be an example in this category.

¨ the situation in which the communication is carried out.

The most complete image of situational components has been presented by D.Hymes. His classification includes no less than thirteen elements united by means of the acronym SPEAKING:

Setting (circumstances and scene)

Participants (sender and addressee)

Effect (the assumed result and aims)

Act sequences (the communication form and contents)

Keys (the manner of message transmission)

Instrumentalities (speech channels and forms)

Norms

Genres

The given description of situational components, which serve as factors conditioning language differences, is viewed as the most comprehensive one.

YOUTH SUBCULTURE

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 755