Gender, group identity and variation in usage of the Berlin Urban Vernacular
The relationship between gender, group identity and variation in usage of the Berlin Urban Vernacular (BUY) is explored empirically, with particular attention paid to methodologies applied for the analysis of gender differences in sociolinguistic research. The study is based on a network of 24 native Berliners (13 men and 11 women), referred to as the ~Berlin group~ Friendship ties and activities within the group are explored qualitatively and the findings quantified in the form of a ~Group Identity Score~ (GIS) allocated to each informant. 21 hours of speech were then recorded by means of the participant observation method over an eight-month period. The linguistic corpus is analyzed in terms of potential correlation between gender, GIS and variation in usage of 15 phonological variables of the Berlin Urban Vernacular. No differences are found in the actual quantity of dialectal variants used by men and women, though a number of differences emerge in the way men and women appear to use variants of the BUV in order to identify with the Berlin group as a whole.
Johnson, Sally Ann
Gender related language use
Gender, group identity and variation in usage of the Berlin Urban Vernacular. The relationship between gender, group identity and variation in usage of the Berlin Urban Vernacular (BUY) is explored empirically, with particular attention paid to methodologies applied for the analysis of gender differences in sociolinguistic research. The study is based on a network of 24 native Berliners (13 men and 11 women), referred to as the ~Berlin group~ Friendship ties and activities within the group are explored qualitatively and the findings quantified in the form of a ~Group Identity Score~ (GIS) allocated to each informant. 21 hours of speech were then recorded by means of the participant observation method over an eight-month period. The linguistic corpus is analyzed in terms of potential correlation between gender, GIS and variation in usage of 15 phonological variables of the Berlin Urban Vernacular. No differences are found in the actual quantity of dialectal variants used by men and women, though a number of differences emerge in the way men and women appear to use variants of the BUV in order to identify with the Berlin group as a whole.
gender group_identity variation usage berlin urban vernacular relationship gender group_identity variation usage berlin urban vernacular buy explore empirically particular_attention_pay methodology apply analysis gender_difference sociolinguistic research study_base network native men_woman refer berlin group friendship tie activity within group explore qualitatively finding quantify form group_identity score gis allocate informant hours speech record mean participant_observation method month period linguistic corpus analyze term potential correlation gender gis variation usage phonological_variable berlin urban vernacular difference_find actual quantity dialectal variant use men_woman though number difference_emerge way men_woman appear use variant order_identify berlin group whole