Stratification of language users

Abstract

Abstract This study is about one of the ways in which community of language users appear to be structured: the users of standard language are hierarchicaly stratified with regard to the degree of rationality that determines the ways in which language is conceived of. The starting-point is that all language users are linguistic experts that are stratified in four groups with these labels: practical, educated, theoretical and metatheoretical linguistic experts. Practical linguistic expert is not a commonly used term but it is useful in answering questions that could be asked about the status of ordinary language users in the linguistic life of society. The author argues for the right of these users to power to influence the linguistic behaviour in the public communication. He is interested in the contrast between practical and rational linguistic order and in the reasons for why preference of practical linguistic order is in accordance with tendency to natural communication activity.