Abstract
In Lithuanian sociolinguistics ethnography is a new method; there are no comprehensive ethnographic studies. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to ethnography and to show why it is important to include ethnography in linguistic studies and how this method can enrich the analysis of linguistic material. When applying the ethnographic method it is not only possible to provide a picture of the distribution of linguistic variables in the community, but also to discover the social meaning which is associated with those variables. What is unique about ethnography is that it allows the scientist to discover social meanings instead of presupposing them and to examine the construction and organization of the social meaning of linguistic variables. Even though ethnographic studies are often treated as case studies, the results of a well-constructed ethnographic study are reliable and replicable, for instance, the ethnographically discovered social categories and social meanings, associated with them, can be tested in a different community with a help of match-guise technique.
 Following the sociolinguistic wave theory, I explain how and why ethnography has been employed in sociolinguistic studies. The studies in the first sociolinguistic wave applied survey and quantitative methods to examine the relation between linguistic variation and the traditional social categories – class, age, sex, and ethnicity. However, the quantitative methods were not sufficient enough in explaining which social mechanisms caused linguistic variation. Studies in the second wave employed ethnography in order to find the relation between linguistic variation and locally determined social categories. Studies in the third wave departed from the dialect-based approach of the first two waves, employed stylistic practice approach and examined any linguistic material that is socially meaningful in the community.
 I also discuss the main aspects of ethnographic method: participant observation, fieldnotes, ethnographic interview and other types of interviews. I come in with advice for researchers who plan to use ethnography in their research. The examples of ethnographic studies that I’m using in my paper are mostly taken from studies of youth language. Nevertheless, the paper can also be useful to any researcher who is willing to conduct an ethnographic sociolinguistic study.
Highlights
Tikriausiai niekada nesusimąstome, kiek informacijos apie save galime perteikti vien balsu
quantitative methods to examine the relation between linguistic variation
Studies in the second wave employed ethnography in order to find the relation between linguistic variation
Summary
Tikriausiai niekada nesusimąstome, kiek informacijos apie save galime perteikti vien balsu. Įsivaizduokite tokią situaciją – Jums paskambino nepažįstamas žmogus, Jūs nė karto nesate jo sutikęs, tačiau vis vien iš balso nesunkiai nustatysite pašnekovo lytį – vyras ar moteris, bent apytikriai galėsite pasakyti jo amžių, gali pavykti atspėti, kuriai tautinei grupei pašnekovas priklauso, iš kurios šalies dalies jis kilęs. Jeigu telefono ragelį pakeltų JAV sociolingvistas Williamas Labovas ir kitame telefono gale pasigirstų niujorkiečio balsas, Williamas Labovas ne tik patvirtintų, kad paskambinęs žmogus yra niujorkietis, nustatytų jo lytį ir amžių, bet ir pasakytų, kokiam visuomenės sluoksniui paskambinęs asmuo priklauso. Straipsnyje remiamasi ne tik užsienio mokslininkų atliktais sociolingvistinių etnografinių tyrimų, daugiausia jaunimo kalbos, pavyzdžiais, bet ir mano pačios atliktu jaunimo kalbos tyrimu vienoje Vilniaus mokyklų, kuris buvo projekto „Kalba Vilnius: Vilniaus kalbos vaidmuo šiandieninėje Lietuvoje“ dalis. Tačiau iškeliamos problemos ir pateikiami jų sprendimo būdai gali praversti ir tiems, kurie pasirinks kitą sritį, pavyzdžiui, darbo kalbos tyrimą tarptautinėje kompanijoje
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