William Labov

And instead of getting a pepper-and-salt effect, we find very clear and sharp divisions between the dialects of the United States, which…

— William Labov

“possible topics around which the currents of speech may flow: Death and the danger of death: violence, fighting, sickness, fear, dreams, premonitions…

— William Labov

I have resisted the term sociolinguistics for many years, since it implies that there can be a successful linguistic theory or practice…

— William Labov

Well, American dialects have been studied for a hundred years or so.

— William Labov

It appears that the present-day form of African American English is not the inheritance of the period of slavery, but the creation…

— William Labov

However, research in the years that followed found that in many of its important features, African American Vernacular English was becoming not…

— William Labov

I am now completing research supported by NSF and NEH that is mapping changes in the English language through all of North…

— William Labov

We focus upon pairs of words very often which are the same in some areas and different in other areas.

— William Labov

An important aspect of the current situation is the strong social reaction against suggestions that the home language of African American children…

— William Labov

But unlike European countries, America has never finished a map of the United States, only the eastern United States is covered and…

— William Labov

This African American Vernacular English shares most of its grammar and vocabulary with other dialects of English. But it is distinct in…

— William Labov