Study on Reading and Milton Variations Language and Speech - Paper Example

In addition, the ESRC project is a crucial tool in understanding the dialect levelling since it brings into limelight the link between demography, social class and geographical expanse from London. The preliminary results aim at advancing the on-going dialect levelling in England whereby the project explores three premises. The premises consist of the densely populated areas, language change and the registration of a close knit. The researchers chose three towns-Hull, Milton Keynes and Reading for analysis based on their migration history for the last thirty years and the distance from London.  According to the preliminary outcome of the study, Hull and reading are old towns though; Hull lies far from London as compared to Reading. Notably, between 1981 and 1991 the two towns reported a negative increase in population with Hull recording a decrease of -8.7 % while Readings population reduced by -5.7%. Besides this, Milton Keynes which  a new town located at only 70 kilometres from London had the highest population in 1981-176,000 and by the year 1991, the population grew by +39.2%.

Agreeably, the difference in demography between the new and old towns is evident. A study experimented amongst 32 adolescents indicate that the adolescents recited word lists and engaged in linguistics discussions. Similarly, the research involved the youngsters and elderly members of the society. Variations were identified the life styles of the various groups in the aspects of presumptions concerning other cultures, sporting activities, clothes and the patterns of friendships among other significant issues. The study reveals that the members from middle class families have educated parents and they expected to acquire higher education. The families lie on life mode 3 according to Hojrups modes. The other groups of study fell into the first and second life model. The research displays lack of social cohesion amongst the migrating families. Some of the migrants who moved to Milton Keynes did not fit into any of the life modes and seemed to lack close-knit connections. Despite this, in reference to occupation the migrants were most suited life mode 2.

In both reading and Milton variations language and speech in particular was evident. The two towns demonstrated substantial dialect levelling through the conversion to non-localised- standardized form from a localized form. There was a notable difference in the social structure of the two groups. For instance, in Milton, the adolescents had no connection with the intuitive elderly residents of the town. In the social formations of Reading and Milton, there were difficulties in the pronunciations among other variations in language. It is undeniable that class culture and social network have independent influence on the change of language. Moreover, social class and mobility have distinguished influences on language and seem to be mutually exclusive. Arguably, the norms learned in class have a direct influence on the individual motivation to adopt Standard English that emphasis on the significance to life mode in language change.

Reference

http://www.academia.edu/10214295/Kerswill_Paul_and_Williams_Ann_2000_._Mobility_and_social_class_in_dialect_levelling_evidence_from_new_and_old_towns_in_England._In_Klaus_Mattheier_ed._Dialect_and_migration_in_a_changing_Europe._Frankfurt_Peter_Lang._1_13