COMPARING SOCIAL FACTORS IN SOUND CHANGE: A LOOK AT LABOV’S 1963 AND 1972 STUDIES

Abstract

This paper compares two famous language studies by William Labov: his 1963 study of Martha's Vineyard and his 1972 study of New York City department stores. While many textbooks teach these studies separately, this paper looks at them together. It shows how both studies used similar hidden listening methods, but focused on different things. One showed how history and local identity change speech, while the other showed how social class changes speech.