Areas Quote by William Labov
“We focus upon pairs of words very often which are the same in some areas and different in other areas.”
About This Quote
Source Article: "The Social Stratification of English in New York City", 1972
Language varies across contexts; words can be identical in meaning yet differ in usage.
In simple terms: Words can be same meaning but used differently.
Notice context in communication.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- teaching
- translation
- marketing
- cross‑cultural dialogue
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does context change word meaning?
- When do you assume words mean the same?
Words may mislead if context ignored.