Sociolinguistic Terminology
What is the term for alternating between two or more languages, dialects, or speech registers within a single conversation?
Code-switching
What general term describes the practice of identifying a person’s social group, ethnicity, or background based solely on the auditory cues of their voice or accent?
Linguistic profiling
What generic term (ending in -lect) is used to describe the unique, individual way a single person uses language, including their distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation?
Ideolect
What term refers to the use of English as a common medium of communication between speakers who do not share a native language?
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
What type of -lect is defined by a speaker's social class, age group, or demographic background rather than their geographic region?
Sociolect
What broader discriminatory practice involves targeting, suspecting, or treating an individual differently based on their perceived race or ethnicity rather than individual behavior?
Racial profiling
In African American Vernacular English (AAVE), what grammatical feature uses the uninflected verb be (e.g., "She be working") to indicate an action that happens habitually or repeatedly?
Habitual 'be'
In Braj Kachru’s Three Circles model, which circle represents post-colonial countries (like India, Nigeria, and Singapore) where English serves as an official or institutionalized second language?
The Outer Circle
Which term applies to the temporary roles students may play in the classroom, according to Bucholtz & Hall (2005)?
Positionality
What specific form of linguistic profiling occurs when an individual is denied access to housing, employment, or services simply because of the dialect or accent detected over a phone call?
Discriminatory linguistic profiling
In William Labov's famous 1966 New York City department store study, which specific linguistic feature—specifically its presence or absence—was tracked across Saks, Macy's, and S. Klein to measure social status?
Post-vocalic /r/ (pronunciation of the 'r' sound after a vowel, as in fourth floor)
In Kachru’s model, what circle includes countries like China, Brazil, and Uzbekistan, where English is taught as a foreign language with no historical colonial status, and why is its influence growing rapidly?
The Expanding Circle
What term describes how specific words, accents, or ways of speaking instantly signal a person's social background, identity, or mood?
Indexicality
What phenomenon occurs when a speaker receives advantageous treatment, trust, or social status because their dialect or accent is associated with high socio-economic standing or dominance?
Preferential linguistic profiling
What social motivation did Labov discover among Martha’s Vineyard residents who centralized their diphthongs (pronouncing words like house and white with a distinct local accent)?
Establishing local identity and resistance to the influx of summer tourists / mainlanders
How can an English language teacher practically integrate Global Englishes into classroom listening or materials design to reduce native-speaker bias?
By exposing students to diverse, intelligible non-native accents in listening tasks, using authentic texts from Outer/Expanding circle regions, and shifting speaking assessments to focus on communicative success rather than accent reduction.
What term refers to the foundational values, traditions, beliefs, and historical roots that anchor a community's identity and guide its communicative norms?
Cultural moorings
What term describes the romanticization of a particular foreign accent or dialect, where listeners assign positive stereotypes—such as sophistication, intelligence, or charm—to the speaker purely based on how they sound?
Linguistic adoration
What term describes the phenomenon where non-standard dialects (such as AAVE or local working-class accents) are intentionally maintained because they signal solidarity, local authenticity, and in-group identity within a community?
Covert prestige
What core shift in perspective distinguishes the "Global Englishes" paradigm from traditional English Language Teaching (ELT)?
Shifting the goal from imitating native-speaker norms (like RP or General American) to prioritizing mutual intelligibility, intercultural competence, and local linguistic identity.