Empirical insights for experimental grammar from sociophonology (3/4)

Jane Stuart-Smith (Glasgow University)
Language variation and theory

This seminar will discuss and exemplify some of the tensions inherent answering the following main question: Is linguistic variation a curse or a blessing for linguistic theories? This entails considering evidence which suggests that various kinds of linguistic variation are integral, as opposed to secondary, for structured, conventionalised linguistic behaviour. But it also considers the roles of linguistic categories and boundaries in observing and explaining linguistic variation. Evidence will include segmental phonological phenomena, but also voice quality and so-called paralinguistic phenomena, such as clicks for conversational management.