Sociopsychological characteristics of users of ‘new dialect forms’

Abstract

In this paper, a characterization of users of new dialect forms among pupils in metropolitan Tokyo has been attempted. Some statistical methods including two multivariate analyses were used. Application of computational techniques to massive data of sociolinguistic research proved to be quite useful. It was found that ‘new dialect forms’ are mainly used by active pupils, whereas standard Japanese forms are used by pupils with leadership. Unserious pupils are inclined to use older, ‘incorrect’ words. The new dialect forms are further interpreted as a form of language change from below. Thus, the new dialect forms are found to have universal value in a sociolinguistic study of language change.