Sociolinguistic Approach to Intercultural Communication

Abstract

Abstract This entry introduces sociolinguistics, a subfield of the scientific study of human language that is concerned with the relationship between language and society. The work of sociolinguists may center on one or more strands or branches, including anthropological linguistics, secular or variational linguistics, ethnography of speaking (communication), interaction studies, discourse analysis, critical discourse analysis (CDA), the sociology of language, the social psychology of language, and critical sociolinguistics, among others. Sociolinguistic research has raised awareness of the central role of language and power in interactions between individuals and groups who have a different cultural, and perhaps linguistic, background. Studies of language use in various social, cultural, historical, and political contexts have enriched the field of intercultural communication in numerous ways.