Abstract
Cognitive and linguistic mechanisms and processes are an integral part of the study of social structure. Many sociologists however, criticize the study of such mechanisms and processes as dangerously reductionistic. In this review, therefore, I briefly discuss and linguistic aspects of socialization as a way of introducing concepts from the newly emerging area know as cognitive science. I first discuss language development and the acquisition of social structure. Parent-child communication, nursery school play, and classroom lessons reveal a child's native social and communicative competence. These competences depend on continuously developing and linguistic mechanisms and processes. Stratifying practices are displayed in the home and in nursery school settings through verbal and nonverbal communicative acts. These assume serious consequences when the child enters kindergarten and other settings in which impersonal bureaucratic practices begin formally to recreate specific aspects of the larger system of social stratification. Communicative displays always reflect the stratifying practices of the society by the use of voice intonation, titles of address, rules for who speaks first and next, and by the formation of friendship groups. In the
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call