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The goal of my research is to understand the social meaning
of linguistic variation. In order to do this, I pursue my
sociolinguistic work in the context of in-depth ethnographic
fieldwork, focusing on the relation between variation,
linguistic style, social identity and social practice.
Gender has been the big misunderstood in studies of sociolinguistic variation - in spite of the fact that some of the most exciting intellectual developments over the past decades have been in theories of gender and sexuality ... so I have been spending a good deal of time working on language and gender as well. Since adolescents and preadolescents are the movers and shakers in linguistic change, I concentrate on this age group, and much of my research takes place in schools. The institutional research site has made me think a good deal about learning and education, but particularly about the construction of adolescence in American society. |
What is Third Wave Variation Theory?
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"(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is
about a
socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to
leave
their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy
capitalism and become lesbians." Pat Robertson, The Washington Post. |
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"...the intellectual...we may define as an expert whose expertise is
not wanted by the society at large." Berger and Luckman, The Social
Construction of Reality
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