Sociolinguistic Perspectives: Papers on Language in Society, 1959-1994 (Oxford Studies in Sociolinguistics)

The work of the linguist Charles A. Ferguson spans more than three decades, and is remarkable for having been consistently at the forefront of scholarship on the relationship between language and society. This volume collects his most influential and seminal papers, each having expanded the parameters of sociolinguistics and the sociology of language. Taken together, they cover a wide range of topics and issues, and, more importantly, reflect the intellectual progress of a founder of the sociolinguistic field. The volume is divided thematically into four sections, and an introduction by Thom Huebner outlines the evolution of Ferguson's ideas and the impact they have had on other scholars. This book is essential reading for everyone interested in the field of sociolinguistics. 1. Diglossia (1959) -- 2. Language Development (1968) -- 3. The Role Of Arabic In Ethiopia: A Sociolinguistic Perspective (1970) -- 4. Religious Factors In Language Spread (1982) -- 5. Literacy In A Hunting-gathering Society: The Case Of The Diyari (1987) -- 6. South Asia As A Sociolinguistic Area (1991) -- 7. Baby Talk In Six Languages (1964) -- 8. Absence Of Copula And The Notion Of Simplicity: A Study Of Normal Speech, Baby Talk, Foreigner Talk And Pidgins (1971) -- 9. The Collect As A Form Of Discourse (1976) -- 10. The Structure And Use Of Politeness Formulas (1976) -- 11. Sports Announcer Talk: Syntactic Aspects Of Register Variation (1983) -- 12. Genre And Register: One Path To Discourse Analysis (1985) -- 13. The Sociolinguistic Variable (s) In Bengali: A Sound Change In Progress? (1979) / Afia Dil And Charles A. Ferguson -- 14. Standardization As A Form Of Language Spread (1987) -- 15. From Esses To Aitches: Identifying Pathways Of Diachronic Change (1990) -- 16. Then They Could Read And Write (1990) -- 17. Individual And Social In Language Change: Diachronic Changes In Politeness Agreement In Forms Of Address (1991) -- 18. Variation And Drift: Loss Of Agreement In Germanic (1991) -- 19. The Language Factor In National Development (1962) -- 20. On Sociolinguistically Oriented Language Surveys (1966) -- 21. Sociolinguistic Settings Of Language Planning (1977) -- 22. National Attitudes Toward Language Planning (1979). 23. Conventional Conventionalization: Planned Change In Language (1987) -- 24. Language And National Development (1988) -- Ferguson Bibliography, 1985-1995. Charles A. Ferguson ; Edited By Thom Huebner. Collection Of Previously Published Material. Ferguson Bibliography, 1985-1995: P. 325-328. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This is a collection of the most influential and important work of the distinguished sociolinguist Charles A. Ferguson, ranging from studies of baby talk across cultures to analyses of the impact of literacy and religion on cultures across the world. This is a collection of the most influential work of the distinguished sociolinguist Charles A. Ferguson, ranging from studies of baby talk across cultures, to analyses of the impact of literacy and religion on nations across the world.