Vox Popular : The Surprising Life of Language in the Media

Our favorite movies and TV shows feature indelible characters who tell us about themselves not just in what they say but in how they say it. The creative decisions behind these voices—such as what accent or dialect to use—offer rich data for sociolinguistic study. Ideal for students of language variation as well as general readers interested in media, __Vox Popular__ is an engaging tour through the major issues of sociolinguistic study as heard in the voices from mass media. • Provides readers with a unified and accessible picture of the interrelationships between language variation and the mass media • Presents detailed original analyses of multiple audiovisual media sources • Includes a broad methods chapter covering quantitative and qualitative methods in a style not available in any other textbook • All theoretical terms are accessibly explained, with engaging examples, making it suitable for non-academics as well as undergraduate students • Incorporates pedagogical textboxes throughout and includes sections dedicated to developing practical skills for the field Title Page 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Preface and Acknowledgments 9 A Note on the Linguistic Conventions Used in Vox Popular 12 Keywords Found in Each Chapter 16 Chapter 1 Language in a Mediated World 21 Mad Men in a Modern Family World 21 Why Does a Linguist Care about Mad Men or Modern Family? 23 Narrative Media as a Site for Linguistic Exploration 32 Language Variation in the Narrative Media 40 Notes 43 References 43 Chapter 2 Exploring Language and Language Variation 45 Introduction 45 Languages and Dialects 47 The Components of a Grammar 52 All the Systems Work as a System 54 Systems of Variation 60 Language Change 67 Notes 73 References 74 Chapter 3 Studying Language Variation in the Media 75 Introduction 75 Formulating a Research Question 76 Turning Narrative Media into Data 77 Analytic Orientation 78 Transcribing Your Data 81 Coding Your Data 86 Constructing a Corpus 89 Quantitative Methods 90 Qualitative Methods 95 Triangulating Your Evidence with Different Analytic Approaches 102 Notes 103 References 103 Chapter 4 Dimensions of Variation 105 Introduction 105 Non-Linguistic/Linguistic 110 Spoken/Written 113 Non-Standard/Standard 117 Informal/Formal 121 Unplanned/Planned 124 Local/Global 127 Private/Public 130 Putting It All Together 134 Notes 137 References 137 Chapter 5 Making Language Variation Meaningful 139 Introduction 139 Meaning 140 Indexical Meaning 144 Ideology 150 Ideology about Language 153 Ideology, Indexicality, and Power 158 Notes 171 References 172 Chapter 6 Language Variation and Characterization 174 Introduction 174 Characterization and Language 176 Realness and Authenticity 180 Identity and Identification 183 Relational Identity 184 Norms and Types 188 Social Personae 192 Indexical Authenticity 196 Notes 201 References 201 Chapter 7 Language as Narrative Action 203 Introduction 203 Performance and Speech Acts 205 Language as a Plot Device 213 Switching as Action 216 Taboo Language as Action 225 Notes 239 References 239 Chapter 8 Connecting to the Audience 241 Introduction 241 Audiences 242 Audience Design 246 Setting Expectations for Viewers 250 Enregisterment 256 Stylization 262 Interacting with Audiovisual Media 266 The End 273 Note 274 References 275 Index 278 End User License Agreement 287 Machine generated contents note: Preface and Acknowledgements A Note on the Linguistic Conventions Used in Vox Popular. Keywords found in each Chapter Chapter 1: Language in a mediated world Mad Men in a Modern Family world Why does a linguist care about Mad Men or Modern Family Narrative media as a site for linguistic exploration Language variation within the narrative audiovisual media Chapter 2: Exploring Language and Language Variation Introduction Languages and Dialects The components of a grammar All the systems work as a system: The case of Systems of variation: English Personal Pronouns Language change Chapter 3: Studying Language Variation in the Media Introduction Formulating a research question Turning narrative media into data Analytic orientations Transcribing your data Coding your data Constructing a corpus Quantitative methods Qualitative methods Triangulating your evidence with different analytic approaches Chapter 4: Dimensions of Variation Introduction Non-linguistic/Linguistic Spoken/Written Nonstandard/Standard Informal/Formal Unplanned/Planned Local/Global Private/Public Putting it all together Chapter 5: Making Language Variation Meaningful Introduction Meaning Indexical Meaning Ideology Ideology about language Ideology, indexicality and power Chapter 6: Language Variation and Characterization Introduction Characterization and Language Realness and Authenticity Identity and Identification Relational Identity Norms and Types Social Personae Indexical Authenticity Chapter 7: Language as Narrative Action Introduction Performance and Speech Acts Language as a plot device Switching as action Taboo language as action Chapter 8: Connecting Language Variation to the Audience Introduction Audiences Audience Design Setting expectations for viewers Enregisterment Stylization Interacting with audiovisual media Conclusion "Our favorite movies and TV shows feature indelible characters who tell us about themselves not just in what they say but in how they say it. The creative decisions behind these voices--such as what accent or dialect to use--offer rich data for sociolinguistic study. Ideal for students of language variation as well as general readers interested in media, Vox Popular is an engaging tour through the major issues of sociolinguistic study as heard in the voices from mass media. Provides readers with a unified and accessible picture of the interrelationships between language variation and the mass media Presents detailed original analyses of multiple audiovisual media sources Includes a broad methods chapter covering quantitative and qualitative methods in a style not available in any other textbook All theoretical terms are accessibly explained, with engaging examples, making it suitable for non-academics as well as undergraduate students Incorporates pedagogical textboxes throughout and includes sections dedicated to developing practical skills for the field"-- Provided by publisher