Sociolinguistic Sources of Change
Abstract
Language does not change in a vacuum; it always takes place in a social context. The relationship between that context and linguistic change is complex, ranging from large-scale societal influences on usage to fine-grained shifts in face-to-face interaction. This chapter reviews a number of social factors governing language change, each illustrated with examples from both historical and present-day varieties of English in the British Isles. The examples will show that, despite enormous historical change over 1,500 years, the underlying social processes that shape language – such as contact, networks, prestige, identity – remain remarkably stable.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Linguistic Variation and Morphology
Linguistic and Sociocultural Studies
Linguistics
Language Diversity
and Identity
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Cambridge University Press eBooks
- Pages
- 29–48
- Publication date
- 11 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter