Shifting Parameters of Individual and Group Variation

Abstract

The relationship of the individual to the group is one of the central issues in language variation, particularly in mono-ethnic enclaves. This study examines the role of the individual and the group in Roanoke Island, NC, the largest African American community on the Outer Banks. Phonological and morphosyntactic variables representing four generations of African American speakers indicate increasing group accommodation to regional dialect norms while preserving core ethnolinguistic traits. Despite the macro-level trends, the speech of individuals on Roanoke Island reveals high levels of variation within each generation. Several factors may affect the variable frequencies expressed by individuals: mobility (both realized and desired), inter-ethnic contact, and personal versus public identities. We investigate how multiple factors affect individual variation, demonstrating both common and distinctive generational trends. Although individuals often align with the overall patterns of their generational cohorts, their speech also exhibits flexibility of group affiliation and personal style.