How Linguists Approach the Study of Language and Dialect
This paper explains some of the assumptions linguists share in studying human language, and some of the concepts and methods we use in studying variation in languages and dialects, whether these are regional (e.g. between California and New York) in nature or social (e.g. between different social classes or ethnic groups or genders). This is the first required reading for Linguistics 73 "African and African American Vernacular English" at Stanford.
SS Chap 4, Comedians and Actors, for L73
SS Chap 5, Singers, Toasters and Rappers, for L73